3/23/2021 Kierra huge weight gain??

I have been weighing Kierra weekly. She gained almost one pound since last week???? WTH? What does this mean? This is very concerning. I have been feeding her unlimited food for the most part trying to get her to gain weight but been backing off just a bit past couple weeks since she was back up to 15 pounds. Here is a chart I did today. I have scheduled a vet appt next week (which is earliest vet can see her). Any thoughts or suggestions???? I am freaking out a tad (ok, a bunch).

 

Don't feed her unlimited food. Pick an ideal weight, weigh her regularly and feed to achieve that weight. Neko was part Maine Coon, so a big girl, and I told her she couldn't hit 15 lbs.

Unfortunately the "feed a diabetic as much as they want" myth floats around occasionally. Feed Kitty As Much As They Want? Especially as you see better numbers, she will need even less food.

Another thing to consider, acros often get arthritis, extra weight will not help.

 

Well, I don't feed unlimited, sorry, was not accurate. From a previous post, not the one you linked but another one which I'd have to find again, it said for a kitty that is underweight, feed her as much as she wants or something like that, don't remember now. I remember there were posts emphasizing they were talking about overweight kitties and not underweight in the thread. I have been feeding her double what is recommended for a cat her weight (according to Dr. Lisa) since the weight loss last fall trying to get her back to her optimal weight which I think is somewhere around 15 pounds which she just started getting to so I was starting to back off on the amount. But this past week she gained one whole pound. That can't be due to food.

 

Weight gain can also be water or fluids. Is she drinking any more than normal?

 

OK, now that I am more composed, I am considering maybe the weight gain is from food and I need to back off way more than I have been. I hope that is the case and not some weird water retention issue. Thanks for your help Wendy. I hate these waves of panic.

 

I had the same issue of weight gain and started freaking out. Howie lost weight last fall and so I doubled his calories to fatten him back up (advice I got on here). Well, that worked and then some as he got to 13.2# ( was down to 8# a couple months prior)! So I had to gingerly back off on the quantity without him having a total meltdown that I was starving him. I eventually had to change his food due to production issues of his other. It is fewer calories so I was able to keep him on the same quantity (1.5 cans of 5.5oz food).I think he is down to 11.5-12# which is healthy. But yes, the weight gain was sudden!

 

Good to know it is not uncommon. It is very disconcerting. Interesting about giving the same amount of food but with less calories. We find a routine and then we have to change it again and then again and then again again! This all has my head spinning and I am getting dizzy.