Have you been told your cat is healthy, but just needs to gain a little weight? Given the epidemic of feline obesity, this situation is rare – yet still deserve attention.
Before you take any action to add the pounds, you’ll first want to know 2 things from your veterinarian:
- What is your cat’s ideal weight?
- What is your cat’s body condition score?
If you and your vet determine that your cat needs to gain weight, here are some simple tips for you!
- Add an extra meal into your cat’s routine. If your work hours make this difficult, consider getting a timed feeder.
- Evaluate the quality of protein in your cat’s diet. As obligate carnivores, a cat’s body needs real meat to thrive.
- Consider supplements – like digestive enzymes – to help optimize nutritional absorption.
Monitor your cat’s progress with regular weigh-ins. These are easy to do at home – just step on the scale with your cat and note your weight together. Then step on the scale alone and note your weight alone. Subtract your weight from the weight noted with you and your cat – and you have your cat’s weight.
Keeping a health journal for your cat will be especially helpful during this time. It will also make reporting to your vet extra easy and accurate. As you incorporate the tips above, you’ll want to make sure you’re keeping an eye on your cat’s general health as well. Make notes of any changes in behavior and notate general energy levels, appetite, and eliminations. This will ensure that the changes you are making to help your cat gain weight are indeed contributing to a healthier, happier cat.
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