My young, active cat is underweight. How can I help him gain weight?

Poor Canelo. I am sorry that it has been difficult to get him to gain weight. With him being young and petite and intact then I would not be too concerned. Of course, without doing an exam I cannot say this for sure. If he is really skinny and all of his bones are showing then yes, I would be more concerned. If his bones are not showing and you cannot see his ribs then I would be less concerned. Some cats are more petit and slender especially if they are very active and outdoors. I would also recommend to have him neutered as that may also help him gain weight. Finally, if he is really skinny and you are able to see his bones, I would recommend to ensure your vet tested his thyroid (high thyroid isn't common is young cats but possible). Then I would recommend to increase the amount of food you are feeding and if he is still not gaining weigh then the next step would be abdominal x-rays or ultrasound. I hope this helps some. I would love to talk to you more on the forum or if you would like to set up a consult.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Voldy is around 3lbs which is not completely out of the ordinary for a 4 month kitten. From the pictures alone, he appears well muscled and does not appear to be underweight (although a physical exam would be better at determining this). Kittens should weigh about 5 pounds at 6 months old, so I would continue feeding him a kitten food from Royal Canin and make sure he gets a kitten vitamin daily to encourage healthy growth. If you notice Voldy is not gaining any more weight or is eating less, you may want to have him seen by his veterinarian for exam just to make sure there are no underlying medical issues. I hope this helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. From the images Roxzy looks like a healthy and beautiful little guy! I would continue with the diet he is on, and once he is neutered switch him to an adult cat dry kibble. Best of luck with Roxzy!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would deworm him. Intestinal parasites are almost always present in young animals as they are passed from the milk. He could be getting more lean but this could also be an early warning sign that something is going on. I would collect a stool sample and have him seen for his first vet visit. The Vet can do an exam, test his stool, feline leukemia and FIV test him and consider giving his first vaccination. I wish you and Noah the very best!

Cats can be thin for a variety of reasons. Make sure he has been checked for parasites or dewormed recently. Some cats will also become thin due to kidney disease or hyperthyroidism. Sometimes this can happen even before kidney disease begins. Any GI disease will also cause a thin body. Lastly, some cats have a fast metabolism. Make sure Choo Choo's bloodwork is all normal and that parasites are not a concern. Then you may try focusing on nutrition. I recommend the brand Royal Canin. It's diets are all tested and formulated to contain appropriate protein levels that are high quality and easy to digest. Feed one of the higher calorie diets available. This may help to put weight on him. You can also supplement with a high calorie canned like A/D or R/S.

You are feeding correctly, and grazing on food all day is normal and a good way to eat for a cat. I would have dry food out all of the time, and I would check the calorie content of the dry foods at the store and get Zoii the one higher in calories. You may also consider feeding some canned food daily. Some animals prefer to be on the thin side and they self regulate how much they eat so they stay thin and fit. In my experience once the cats mature and get to be adults they become less active and put on weight. Please make sure Zoii doesn't have intestinal parasites by bringing in a fecal sample to your veterinarian. If she's healthy and active with a shiny coat then I'm not concerned about her weight. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Zoii.

He may just be one of those cats that metabolise their food very quickly and never will gain weight. He may also have tape worm. You should worm him every three months with a wormer containing praziquantel which hits tapeworm. Food: Feed him good quality canned food, pate style, 3.5 oz twice daily. This would be double the regular amount of food and if he does not gain weight with that over the next 4-6 weeks, then you should take him to the vet for some blood tests including thyroid test.