Underweight 10 Month Old

[stacydc83]

Hello
So earlier this week I had posted about Zoe's scary attack in the woods and how we went to the vet..well, also while at the vet her paperwork has her weight as underweight. She's a little under 6 and a half lbs. She's lost weight. I truly think she's too busy to sit down and eat a good meal. She's never liked kitten food. It's always been adult maintenance since she was about 10 weeks. Mainly Purina pro plan wet food, her and Lily's favorite is the pasta variety. I do have kitten hard food available for them (my 15 lb Rag doll eats this too). Has it been detrimental to her growth not keeping her on kitten food? I've tried so much different things. Raw food from primal to Stella and chewey,goats milk,high end adult wet food,low end wet food. They both like gravy. What else is there to try? I want her to grow healthy. Lily fortunately hasn't gained any weight since I have kitten hard food out. But I'm worried if all I have available is high fat Lily will put on weight.. but Zoe needs calories. I've even tried nutrical and she manages to fling it everywhere but into her mouth. Any ideas on how to get some weight on her?
Thank you for any and all ideas

 

[Oscar&Copper]

My kittens wet food isn't specifically kitten food. But I do make sure it says "maintenance and growth". I read every can to ensure it doesn't say "adult cat" or just "maintenance" as those don't provide the nutrients they need.

What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to feed her kitten food (except the dry of course), but you do need to provide canned food that says "growth" on it. Try throwing it in the microwave to warm it, my kittens love their food warmed up. Cats are hunters and want their food to be at body temperature.

 

[Anne]

Has the cat suggested any changes in feeding?

Feeding different diets in a multi-cat household is always a challenge. As long as Lily doesn't gain weight, I see no harm in leaving out the kitten formula. Just keep an eye on it because if she does begin to gain weight, you may have to make some adjustments and maybe even feed them separately.

Generally speaking, dry food has a higher caloric-density than wet food. That's usually a problem because some cats can become overweight when fed dry-only. However, in your case that may be a good thing. I agree with looking for "growth" formulas (as long as the food is marked as complete and balanced). Just keep an eye on the cats and see if they actually like the food. The best quality food is of little use to a cat who doesn't like the taste. Some cats are finicky eaters and we have to keep working with what they actually will eat

 

[maggiedemi]

Maggie was like this. So I put her in the bedroom with her canned food and she learned to finish it. Then an hour later she gets her dry food. She's also very picky. I bought one can of each food in my town and she ending up only liking the Purina brands like Purina One, Pro Plan, Friskies, and Fancy Feast, and also Sheba Cuts. A lot of these say they are all life stages, not sure about the Pro Plan.

 

[stacydc83]

Thanks! I'll look more into fancy feasts, I know Lily used to like the fancy feasts cheese varieties and I think that's maintenance and growth so maybe Zoe will like it. I had read that now is the time to start changing over to all adult food, since Zoe is 10 months now but with her being this little definitely not going to do it soon. I've accepted she's just probably a small cat but barely 6 lbs is just too little. The vet had said she might not grow much more in height but still more to go in weight. She's still so oddly shaped. Her tail is as long as fluffy as Lily's and it's huge on her tiny body. I'm gonna attach a few pictures of her.

 

[Oscar&Copper]

She's beautiful!

 

[wasabii]

Is she spayed? I have a tiny girl too, and until she was fixed she stayed too skinny and never cared about eating, and now it's much easier to get her to eat and she has put on enough weight to make me feel better.
( no sunken in sides)
What is the calorie content on the foods that she is eating?

 

[lisahe]

Maggie was like this. So I put her in the bedroom with her canned food and she learned to finish it. Then an hour later she gets her dry food. She's also very picky. I bought one can of each food in my town and she ending up only liking the Purina brands like Purina One, Pro Plan, Friskies, and Fancy Feast, and also Sheba Cuts. A lot of these say they are all life stages, not sure about the Pro Plan.

Feeding a slow or hesitant eater behind a closed door is a good suggestion! We do the same because one of our cats is a slow, deliberate eater and her sister is a piglet. Ireland, the slow eater, is also picky and she'd been a little thin until we started separating the cats for meals. She's done much better -- and become a more eager eater -- since we've been separating them.

A good source for calorie content is the food chart on catinfo.org (link here), which also shows protein, fat, and carb, so you know where the calories are coming from. Since Zoe's still growing, lots of meat protein is especially good!

 

[stacydc83]

Thank you Oscar!
Yes she is spayed, back in early January. When I got home from work today she was too "busy " for food again, but once she settled down some she ate some freeze dried chicken and some temptations treats. Hopefully tonight I can get her to eat some wet food when I feed her and Lily dinner tonight