How to fatten up a cat

How to Fatten Up a Cat: 8 Healthy Ways (Vet Answer)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Are you puzzled by why your cat is still underweight, even though it has access to plenty of food? Or maybe you have found a stray that simply looks skinny and malnourished, and you would like to help him or her to recover a healthy weight. There are several reasons why you might be wondering about the most effective and healthy way to fatten up a cat. Lets take a closer look!

Your Cats Weight: What Is a Healthy Range

Lets start by stating that, as in the case of humans, cats need to be in a certain weight range to remain healthy and thrive. A cat that is malnourished and too thin is unhealthy and more prone to disease. However, a cat that is overweight is unhealthy and more prone to disease. With this in mind, you only want to fatten up a truly underweight cat to help it reach a healthy weight and be able to thrive in its daily activities.

Trending photos and videos on social media of obese cats do not represent healthy cats, even if some people think they look cute or funny. As responsible cat owners, we should never allow our cats to become overweight because this will have serious consequences on their health. With all that being said, lets learn about healthy ways to fatten up a cat that needs to put on some weight.

Ruling Out Medical Conditions

First things first, we need to rule out the possibility of the cat being underweight as a result of a medical condition or underlying disease. If the cat is underweight, it is recommended to visit a veterinarian and get the cat checked as many medical conditions can cause low weight. Some of the most common are:

1. Dental Problems

The pain caused by teeth or any injury in the mouth makes eating unpleasant and your cat will avoid it as much as possible.

2. Parasites

Intestinal parasites are a common find in underweight animals as they rob the host of many essential nutrients.

3. Food Allergies or Sensitivities

Certain food may not be ideal for your cat and make him feel unwell.

4. Infections

Needless to say, the animal will not be food-driven if feeling unwell and fighting an infection.

5. Hyperthyroidism

This endocrine disease causes cats to lose weight and is more common each day due to the phytoestrogens from soy used as a protein base in many formulations of commercial cat food.

6. Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Anxiety, sensitivities, intolerances can all cause IBS in a cat. Pain and discomfort from this condition may be the reason the cat is refusing to eat and thus losing weight.

A veterinarian will make a complete physical evaluation of the cat and might need to collect biological samples such as blood or feces. If the vet discovers that the reason the cat is not eating or not putting weight is actually due to a medical condition, they will provide accurate treatment and a specific diet accordingly. Make sure to cooperate with the veterinarian and follow all the instructions regarding diet and treatment.

Review of Other Factors

Once you have ruled out the possibility of the cat suffering from a medical condition, you should check for other factors that could be the cause of their malnourishment:

1. Quality of Their Current Diet

Cats are obligate carnivores and require a diet based mostly on animal proteins with a moderate amount of fat and very limited carbohydrates. The quality of the base protein source in your cats diet is very important for their overall health. The amino acids derived from the protein source are the building blocks of your cats muscle tissue and maintenance of the vital organs.

Unlike herbivores or omnivores, carnivores cannot survive only on vegetable sources of protein, they cannot produce essential amino acids such as taurine and arginine and rely only on their diet to obtain them.A premium cat diet should have an animal protein as a base product and should ideally not contain vegetable products or only a minimal amount. This is a challenge since most commercial cat food formulas contain vegetables because plant proteins are cheaper than meat proteins.

Pet food companies will have a higher profit margin when using corn, wheat, soy, rice, or peas. Another problem with the vegetable sources is that the number of carbohydrates in the diet will be increased, and cats are not supposed to have more than 10% of carbohydrates in their diet. You want to make sure that the base protein source is animal protein and not vegetable protein. Try to stick with whole protein as a base versus a meal protein; these by-products tend to be highly processed and lose nutritional quality. This is why it is very important to feed premium products and to check the ingredient labels carefully.

While providing our feline companions with high-quality food is paramount, selecting the right food and water bowl is equally important. The modern yet practical design of our Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl combines cat-catered features, like whisker-friendly shallow dishes and slight elevation, with a contemporary style aimed at protecting your floors from messy eating and drinking. The NomNom is entirely dishwasher safe and was thoughtfully created with your cats health and well-being in mind.

2. Environmental Factors

It is important to be aware of the possibility of a cat refusing to eat due to environmental factors, and some detective work and observation will be necessary to rule out this possibility.

The following are some common examples of possible environmental factors:

• Their food bowl is near a noisy area or loud machines such as a dishwasher or a laundry machine.
• The plate is near the litter box, this one is a BIG no, no. This is very unhygienic but is somehow still a common practice.
• There are other cats showing dominance over others, not allowing them to eat. As a general rule, each cat should have their own plate. But, in some cases, even this is not enough, and the animals must be completely separated in different rooms or have different meal times.
• Anxiety can cause loss of appetite. Investigating the cause of the anxiety in your cat and addressing it accordingly can go a long way in helping your pet put on weight and regain their mental health.
• Your cat may be a shy eater and needs privacy to eat. Some cats do not like to be seen by an anxious human when they are feeding.
• Perhaps you recently changed the cats food and his body does not agree with the new choice. Changes in food must be done gradually, mixing the usual food with the new one in gradually increased percentages over 10 days or so. Start with as little as 10% of the new food and increase by the same increment each day. Reports of cats refusing to eat even after small formula changes by the pet food producers are not unheard of.

The 8 Tips to Fatten a Cat the Healthy Way

Now that we have ruled out the possibility of medical and environmental factors here are some tips to fatten a cat the healthy way.

1. Use Canned Kitten Food

Canned kitten food is higher in the amount of protein and fat per gram than the canned food made for adult cats. This is because kittens are growing and they need the additional source of amino acids and fatty acids to build up their growing muscles and organs.

2. Prefer Fresh or Wet Food Over Dry Food

In general, fresh or wet food is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than dry food. As well, cats seem to accept it more readily than dry food, especially those that are having trouble finding an appetite.

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3. Increase the Food Amount Gradually

Do not expect your cat to eat the goal amount of food for weight gain in one go. Sometimes dividing the days diet into many small feeds is the way to go until you can gradually increase the amount of food in each feed session and decrease the number of feeding sessions.

4. Supplement Fish Oil

Fish oil is an excellent way of increasing the calorie content in the cats food with the additional benefits of enhancing the cats food flavor and making the cats fur look healthy and shiny. It is an excellent source of healthy omega fatty acids. We love GNCs salmon fish oil and Animal Essentials Ocean Supreme Fish Oil Dog & Cat Supplement.

5. Offer Healthy Homemade Treats and Prices

Offering pieces of boiled chicken or boiled egg is a great way to increase the cats caloric intake. It is important to remember to keep these foods only boiled with water and not fried, with no salt or any other condiment added. You can use them as a reward for finishing the goal target meal or mix them with the food to enhance the flavor. If your cat is accepting its meals normally, you can use them as treats between the meals.

6. Make The Food More Attractive

Some cats can be very fussy and you will need to use your imagination to sneak in more calories. Things like using the broth from the boiled chicken (remember, only boiledno added salt or condiments) to your cats food, playing with the consistency, the presentation or shape and the temperature of the food are all resources you can try. Many cats begin accepting food after it has been prewarmed. If you think about the fact that a freshly-hunted prey in the wild has a certain temperature, it makes sense that cats would prefer their meals a bit on the warm side, right? Just remember, dont offer it too hot! If your cat gets burned, all your efforts can be lost as it will make their weary of trying your next meal.

7. Have More Than One Option

Just like us some cats just dont like certain recipes, choose more than one kind of high-quality cat food and by trial and error, land on one your cat likes and accepts the best. An easy way to know is by offering different kinds of food all at once and seeing if your cat has any particular preference.

8. Keep An Eye On Sensitivities and Intolerances

Sensitivities and intolerances to certain foods or components of a formula can be the reason why a cat is eating less and losing weight. These sensitivities can develop later so food that used to be accepted and digested by the body previously may now be making your cat feel unwell. Gas and bloating, smelly gas and feces, unformed or loose feces, diarrhea, and vomit are all signs that you should further investigate your cats food.

Final Thoughts

We hope you find these recommendations useful in helping your cat put on some weight and recover a healthy range to thrive. With some observations, dedication, and following our advice, you should be able to increase the number of daily calories ingested by your cat. Over time, the cat should put on some weight the healthy way!

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Featured Image Credit: Inge Wallumrd, Pexels

How to Fatten up an Old Cat in 9 Easy Steps

Disclaimer: As a Chewy and Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not impact our reviews and comparisons.

Choose high calorie and protein wet cat food.

Check your cats calorie needs using an online calculator.

Select cat food that meets AAFCOs guidelines for all life stages. See a vet twice annually for health checks.

Need more info?

We got you.

At some point your cat will get old. Even you

When that happens, things change. Your cat will slow down.

Older cats tend to lose weight over time from muscle loss (sarcopenia). Medical complications like hyperthyroidism also contribute.

So what type of diet works best for old skinny cats?

Ill go through my step-by-step guide on how to fatten up an old cat.

Youll know exactly what to do to help your old cat have a spring in their step.

Lets go.

I am not a veterinarian and I recommend seeking the advice of a vet for any further questions.This article is not intended as a replacement for medical advice.

How to Fatten up an Old Cat in 9 Easy Steps

1. How Old Is Your Cat?

The first step is to find out how old your cat is. Thats not too hard right?

Pull up your records if youve forgotten somehow.

Knowing your cats age helps find out what type of diet is best.

The research into elderly cats is a little confusing.

Cats are adults from 1-7 years.

After that, researchers categorize old cats the following way:

• Mature (8-11 years)
• Senior (12-14 years)
• Geriatric (15+ years)

During the mature phase, some cats (particularly males) tend to gain weight. A lowered metabolic rate can cause this.

Less calories burned per day = more weight gained.

During the senior and elderly years cats can lose weight. This is often due to sarcopenia and digestive issues.

AAFCO, an organization that provides nutrition recommendations, dont have guidelines for senior cats.

They provide recommendations for two life stages (or both).

• Growth: Kittens up to 1 year of age
• Adults: Cats from 1-7 years of age
• All life stages: Kittens and adult cats

Youll often find cat food with the label senior 7+. The problem is this type of cat food is best suited to the mature phase, being lower in calories.

This is great for weight loss, but not so much for weight gain.

There are no laws around the term senior on cat food. Skinny older cats dont benefit from this food.

2. Check the Body Condition Score

Humans use tools like the body mass index (BMI) to find out if theyre over or underweight.

In cats, things are a little different

Since a cats length and optimal weight vary from breed to breed, its hard to find an ideal weight.

Instead, in the cat world, we use the body condition score (BCS).

This tool helps us find out whether our cats are under or overweight. The goal is to keep your cat at the ideal weight of 5 on the BCS.

Take a look at your cat and see where they sit on the BCS. Write down their score.

You can also check the muscle condition score (MCS) chart for older cats. This helps give us an idea of how much muscle your cat is carrying.

If your cat is losing too much muscle its best to check in with a vet for extra support.

Heres an example of how to check a cats BCS below:

Once you have your BCS its time to set a diet

3. Weigh Your Older Cat

Once you have the BCS its time to weigh your older cat.

It might be hard to get your cat to stand on a scale.

A great technique is the Human + Cat Method.

Heres how to do that:

1. Stand on a scale and weigh yourself (Human Weight).
2. Pick up your cat.
3. Stand on a scale and weigh yourself with your cat (Human + Cat Weight).
4. Deduct Human Weight from Human + Cat Weight to find Cat Weight.

Write down the Cat Weight and move to step 4.

4. Find Out How Many Calories Your Older Cat Needs

Use an online cat calorie calculator.

Enter your Cat Weight and BCS with other info into the calculator.

Youll now have a calorie target for your senior cat. Great!

Now its as simple as feeding your cat this amount of calories to help them gain weight.

But what type of food works best?

5. Find the Best Cat Food for Your Older Cat

Feeding older cats is not as easy as younger cats. Older cats tend to lose their sense of smell and taste.

This can make them more picky as they age.

Not only that, but senior cats have a harder time digesting fat and protein.

20% of senior cats over 12 years have impaired fat digestion and 30% have impaired protein digestion. This is one reason for age related muscle loss.

Senior cats are at higher risk of health problems including constipation and renal disease. With all things considered, heres some things to look for:

Find the dry matter by using an online calculator.

Cats prefer a high protein and fat wet cat food.

Given senior cats are at higher risk of urinary tract infection, constipation, and kidney disease, wet food is best to provide moisture.

Look for food that meets AAFCOs nutrient guidelines for all life stages. Whilst AAFCO dont set senior cat guidelines, this helps your senior get what they need.

Choose flavors and textures your senior cat enjoys best. Dont get too fancy as older cats are set in their ways.

Heres a list of my top senior cat choices that meet our needs:

6. Find Out How Much to Feed Your Older Cat

Once youve picked out your chosen cat food its time to find out how much you need to feed them per day.

This online cat nutrition calculator has a handy tool that helps you find out how much to feed your cat. Click on the food tab to check it out.

Simply enter the calories of the food and it will tell you how much to feed your cat.

For this example, Ill use Tiny Tiger chicken cat food.

It has 95 kcal/3 ounce can.

Based on the calculator I need 3.3 cans (3 and 1/3rd of another can).

It goes without saying that divvying this portion over the day helps your cat eat that amount of food.

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7. Try a Topper if Your Cat Is Struggling to Gain Weight

If your senior cat is having trouble, consider boosting flavor with a topper.

Dont worry about overfeeding your senior cat. Its more important to focus on getting them eating.

A mousse, broth or topper can help older cats get the boost they need. Cats also seem to enjoy the taste of salmon oil.

8. Monitor Your Cat

You want to make sure you keep track of your cats progress.

Are they gaining weight?

Is their appetite improving?

Hows their general health?

If your cat starts gaining weight, great! Keep the diet up.

If your cat gains too much weight, you can adjust their diet. If they lose more weight, get a little more food in to help them out.

Which brings me to

9. Get a Vet Check Up Twice a Year

Once your cat is a senior aged citizen its time to bump up the vet visits to twice per year.

This helps identify health issues that can arise in older age.

It helps make sure your elderly cat is happy and healthy.

Conclusion

Older cats tend to lose weight after 12 years from sarcopenia. The best diet for bony older cats is high calorie and protein wet food.

To find out how much to feed your senior cat, use a BCS. Weigh your cat and use an online calculator to find out how much to feed them.

Choose a cat food that meets AAFCOs guidelines for all life stages. Check in with the vet twice a year to keep track of your older cats health.