Cat weight - should I be worried

honeysmom

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Hi - I wrote last July about our CKD cat who went from 6 pounds, 7 ounces to 6 pounds while we were wintering in Florida. Slowly she lost another 2 ounces until about 2 weeks ago when our vet put her on Pepcid ac. Since then she has stabilized her weight, seems much perkier, seems to be eating more, is pooping daily instead of every other day and has not vomited at all. She grooms herself very well and has 3 water dishes around the house which she visits regularly. 

When first dx'd with CKD, she weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces, so she has gained overall, but I wish she would go back to her old (6 pounds 7 ounces) weight. She doesn't show any of the signs of "loaf cat", doesn't howl after eating or when using her box. 

She was brought up on dry food and but I have switched her from K/D to Fancy Feast dry which she loves. I mix water in with her wet, or baby food, but she's never been much of a wet catfood eater. I have tried everything from babyfood cat to cat milk and flakes on her food. When I compare her pictures to cat weight pictures, she does not seem emaciated, but a little underweight. 

So am I overstressing? Could it be that 5 pounds, 14 ounces is the new normal for her? 

Thank you.
 

stephanietx

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Most kitties with kidney disease have a difficult time gaining weight. Most of them lose weight.  I know for my kitty, we worked to maintain her weight, which is the main thing.  You don't want her to lose any more weight, you want her to maintain and maybe gain a pound or so more.  You could try increasing her feeding times if she's not free fed.  I know my girl liked to eat smaller meals more often, but I did monitor the amount of food she ate and served it out over the day.  She was a puker and gorger, so I couldn't just put the whole amount in the dish at once. 

How long has she been on the Pepcid?  It may be that if her tummy stays calmed down she'll be more enthusiastic about eating.  My kidney girl was a carboholic too and not much for wet food, so I understand your predicament.
 
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honeysmom

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Thank you for answering!!!

She has been on the Pepcid for 2 weeks. She is free fed and tends to eat little bits of food throughout the day. No more puking since the Pepcid (yay!) but she really doesn't gorge. She may possibly have been abused as a younger cat so I hate the idea of doing things she hates (she hates the pepcid but one quick squirt and it's over). 

Thank you again. 
 

stephanietx

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Give her a few more weeks on the Pepcid and see if she's eating better and retaining her weight.  As you probably know, the puking doesn't help retain weight at all.
 
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honeysmom

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Thanks, Stephanie! I will keep her on the pepcid and hopefully she will at the least maintain her weight. I need to be patient, I guess. As for me, all I need to do is look at a cookie and I gain weight. 
 
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