Cannot get my cat to gain weight

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Samantha Lee

Samantha Lee

Member Since 2017
Usher has lost 9 pounds and I cannot get him to pick up more than 1 pound. His bg levels usually stay in the 80's (I test once a day). Should I test him more or change his food or what? He eats Friskies canned classic pate. He eats about 1/4 of a can about 6 times a day. I basically feed him 2 teaspoonsful whenever he wants it. I am stumped. The vet when diagnosing him with diabetes said his kidneys were good, so I'm not assuming it's renal failure, but I am stumped.
 
Hi Samantha, so sounds like Usher is in remission or diet controlled? What is his ideal weight? Has he lost more fat or muscle? Thyroid been tested? I think it's a T4 test. Any history of IBS or IBD?

Sorry for more questions than a straight answer :smuggrin:
 
Samantha Lee said:
He eats about 1/4 of a can about 6 times a day.
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1 1/2 can 5.5oz of Friskies is approx 240-250 Kcal per day - quite enough to gain if his activity level is moderate/low...Perhaps vet visit is worth to consider.

ETA: What is his build? Is he tall, big boy? I couldn't guess from the picture..but he surely is handsome!
 
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If he's under weight and willing to eat I'd feed him more. Give at least 2 Friskies cans a day.
 
Thank for the replies guys.

Yong, yeah I am assuming he's in remission. He should weigh about 12-14 pounds I believe. At this point, I think he's losing muscle. I can't remember if he was tested for Hyperthyroidism. That is the whole reason I took him to the vet as I thought for sure he was hyperthyroid. At that point he had lost weight and stopped eating altogether, he was very much interested in food just refused to eat and was having some vomiting and diarrhea. I'd have to look at the paperwork to see if they did the t3/t4 I know it was discussed. No IBS or IBD

Tanya, yeah that is what I thought that he should be gaining weight if he was back on track. I just started him on the list of cat food I think 3 weeks ago and just recently started reweighing him. Which he had gained 1 pound since he was last weighed. I'll be taking him back in just wanted to get some opinions to see if maybe I'm missing something. And he is not an active cat. His build I'd say would be medium. He for sure isn't a small cat. He as so much extra skin it's sort of hard to tell. But I'd say he's medium to a short tall..lol Thank you, we think he is handsome too :)

Janet, he eats whenever he wants, I doubt he'd eat 2 cans. He eats lightly but often. Now we are getting into him not likely certain flavors of the Friskies and are wasting so much food. I'm going to look at the list again and maybe get another brand and see if he likes that better.
Samantha
 
Samantha Lee said:
Thank for the replies guys.

Yong, yeah I am assuming he's in remission. He should weigh about 12-14 pounds I believe. At this point, I think he's losing muscle. I can't remember if he was tested for Hyperthyroidism. That is the whole reason I took him to the vet as I thought for sure he was hyperthyroid. At that point he had lost weight and stopped eating altogether, he was very much interested in food just refused to eat and was having some vomiting and diarrhea. I'd have to look at the paperwork to see if they did the t3/t4 I know it was discussed. No IBS or IBD

Tanya, yeah that is what I thought that he should be gaining weight if he was back on track. I just started him on the list of cat food I think 3 weeks ago and just recently started reweighing him. Which he had gained 1 pound since he was last weighed. I'll be taking him back in just wanted to get some opinions to see if maybe I'm missing something. And he is not an active cat. His build I'd say would be medium. He for sure isn't a small cat. He as so much extra skin it's sort of hard to tell. But I'd say he's medium to a short tall..lol Thank you, we think he is handsome too :)

Janet, he eats whenever he wants, I doubt he'd eat 2 cans. He eats lightly but often. Now we are getting into him not likely certain flavors of the Friskies and are wasting so much food. I'm going to look at the list again and maybe get another brand and see if he likes that better.
Samantha
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Try fancy feast classic
 
I went with the middle weight, of 13lbs. So just for weight, you probably want to aim for about 220 calories per day. If he has lost more muscle, you think he'd be interested in playing? My boy had diabetic neuropathy so initially our exercise/play time was getting him to follow me from kitchen to living room. His neuropathy is almost gone and he's regained a lot of his muscle :).
 
Yong, I'll check into the calories and post a chart at home. There are other cats and I may set a cage for just him and see, the other cats don't eat his food as once he's done eating he won't even finish it, I have to give him a new plate of food each time..lol Usher is active, meaning he goes up and down the stairs, he jumps up on my bed, he goes down to the kitchen, etc. He's not just lying around when I say he's not active, I mean he just doesn't play much, but he does get up and move.
 
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