My Cat is skinny

[AndrewHorwath]

My cat is abnormally skinny. she’s not emaciated by any means but she just doesn’t gain weight. the vet has never found anything unusual and she eats normally, I free feed and the bowl is always filled. a friend (vet tech) said that it’s because of her breed (bengal mix) but every bengal i’ve seen is a bit chonky. you can’t see her ribs or spine, but her shoulder blades and hip bones are very prominent.

i’m getting more worried because she accidentally got pregnant and is breastfeeding that she will wither away. she doesn’t have worms (i check) and is vaccinated. what do you think? I am somewhat of a hypochondriac abt myself so i may be pushing that onto her. (pictures attached)

 

[AndrewHorwath]

also, the other cat in the house is the opposite and is fat. they eat in separate rooms and she eats though so i know it’s not food territory issues

 

[fionasmom]

Welcome to The Cat Site! She is a lovely girl. Since she is nursing kittens, you are feeding her as much as she wants when she wants it. Does she seem to like the food that you are giving her so that she eats enough of it? While she looks young, and therefore might not be at risk for some conditions, it does not mean that they cannot exist even at her age. Vet ruled out hyperthyroidism, kidney issues, diabetes, any gastrointestinal issues? In the last case, you might see signs of vomiting or diarrhea which you did not mention.

Do you plan to get her spayed?

 

[vince]

She doesn't look emaciated, but isn't "pleasingly plump" either. That she is feeding kittens is the problem. It might be a good idea to get some kitten food and give that to her. Kitten food has higher caloric value per weight, and you'll need it later anyway when her kittens start eating solid food. In addition to the kitten food, you can give her some KMR, as she's using her own calcium in the process of making milk.

 

[AndrewHorwath]

Welcome to The Cat Site! She is a lovely girl. Since she is nursing kittens, you are feeding her as much as she wants when she wants it. Does she seem to like the food that you are giving her so that she eats enough of it? While she looks young, and therefore might not be at risk for some conditions, it does not mean that they cannot exist even at her age. Vet ruled out hyperthyroidism, kidney issues, diabetes, any gastrointestinal issues? In the last case, you might see signs of vomiting or diarrhea which you did not mention.

Do you plan to get her spayed?

hi, I don’t know if she was specifically tested for those issues but she regularly goes to the vet and i do check her poop for worms or any other inconsistencies. she has not vomited or had diarrhea. should i make an aappointment and ask for that specifically? and yes i am planning to get her spayed, since she is a bengal most vets won’t spay her because of a reaction to the anesthesia i believe. she’s been on a waitlist for months due to understaffing. my roomate abandoned his male cat and we tried to keep them separated but dropped the ball on that. it was an unfortunate accident but i already have homes lined up for all three kittens once they reached the appropriate age.

 

[AndrewHorwath]

She doesn't look emaciated, but isn't "pleasingly plump" either. That she is feeding kittens is the problem. It might be a good idea to get some kitten food and give that to her. Kitten food has higher caloric value per weight, and you'll need it later anyway when her kittens start eating solid food. In addition to the kitten food, you can give her some KMR, as she's using her own calcium in the process of making milk.

hi, thank you for your advice! she has been on kitten food since she was a kitten. I do know about the caloric differences and i’ve been trying to fatten her up so we never switched her and i supplement her kibble with raw “instinct” and collagen. i will look into the KMR thank you

 

[fionasmom]

I am quite unfamiliar with any breed related problems and did not know about Bengals and anesthesia. You are very nice to have found homes for the kittens and I bet they are very cute. In the long run, I would follow up with the vet on her thinness, especially if she does not start to fill out a little bit. I have had young female rescues, including Fiona herself, who was like a little rail but eventually put on a lot of weight as she aged. I don't think you are facing some emergency where you need to get right to the vet, but keep your eye on her.

 

[vince]

I thought my Meep was skinny too. She's fairly small, but eats as much as the others, so it's not a question of food shortage as far as I can see. She's just the way she is, I guess.

 

[AndrewHorwath]

I am quite unfamiliar with any breed related problems and did not know about Bengals and anesthesia. You are very nice to have found homes for the kittens and I bet they are very cute. In the long run, I would follow up with the vet on her thinness, especially if she does not start to fill out a little bit. I have had young female rescues, including Fiona herself, who was like a little rail but eventually put on a lot of weight as she aged. I don't think you are facing some emergency where you need to get right to the vet, but keep your eye on her.

thank you for your advice i appreciate you. here are some kitten pics for your help!

 

[AndrewHorwath]

I thought my Meep was skinny too. She's fairly small, but eats as much as the others, so it's not a question of food shortage as far as I can see. She's just the way she is, I guess.

that’s what every vet and friend i’ve talked to says. that she’s just like that, but i’m gonna schedule something with the vet anyways

 

[hexiesfriend]

I had a petite little one who was a slim 7 lbs her entire life. Cats are like people they come in various sizes!

 

[AndrewHorwath]

I had a petite little one who was a slim 7 lbs her entire life. Cats are like people they come in various sizes!

thank you

 

[Turdle and Storm's Dad]

She could just be thin. I had the same problem with my cat Turdle. We thought for sure there was something wrong with her. The vet told me cats are just like people, some are are fat and some are naturally thin. She said me cat was just petite. The only way she gained weight was when we got her spayed and now she looks healthy. She is the half siamese in the pictures.