My adopted cat seems hungry and thin. Am I feeding him enough?

Have DoReMi examined by your veterinarian. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites which can affect weight and weight gain. Blood work may diagnose metabolic conditions or endocrine imbalances as well. Your vet can teach you how to assess your cat's Body Condition Score (BCS). This, in addition to weighing, can help you get and keep your cat into peak condition. You can follow this link to familiarize yourself with the BCS prior to the visit to your veterinarian. https://www.purina.co.uk/cats/health-and-nutrition/exercise-and-weight-management/assessing-your-cat's-body-condition

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is difficult to tell based on these pictures if he has a thin body condition. Weight loss or lack of weight gain can be seen with gastrointestinal disease, renal or liver disease, among many others. I would recommend that you consider having him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Further diagnostics would include general labwork and possibly an abdominal ultrasound and a GI panel. Treatment if any would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! I hope you find this information helpful.

He looks a bit skinny, but it is difficult to determine from an image alone. An adult indoor cat should weigh between 8 and 10 pounds. It should have a layer of fat over the ribs, but you should be able to easily feel them. The hips should not be too prominent or "bony" and he should have a waist when looked at from above. You should bring him to your veterinary clinic to weigh him. They should allow you to do this for free. You could also buy. A small scale. Most are less than $30. Place him in a carrier or basket and weigh him, then weigh the container andbsubstract it from the total weight.

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.

He is still very young and misses his mommy and his siblings. You should feed him canned kitten food, as kibble is still too hard and a kitten cannot eat enough of it. Feed him small portions 4-5 times a day and feed as much as he wants to eat, ie refill the bowl a little bit at a time. Make sure water is available but not next to the food. It needs to be about 6 feet away from the food bowl. At this age (71 days) he should weigh a little over 1kg, or 2.3lbs

If he's on a weight loss diet prescribed by your vet, then it may be that he just isn't used to getting "less" food. Feeding a higher fiber diet (most weight-loss diets add fiber) can help him feel fuller on less food, which can help with his being hungry on fewer calories. If the problem continues, ruling out any issues such as metabolic problems is also a good idea to make sure there isn't an underlying cause with it. You may also want to spread out his meals to several more throughout the day, instead of just 1-2 large meals, so that he feels like he is getting "more" over a longer period of time.

Most cats only need to eat around 3/4-1 cup of food daily (1 cup= 1 can). So if you are feeding him more than this, you are likely putting too much in the bowl. Also split up the daily meal into two so that the leftover food isn’t sitting there getting stale. Most cats graze anyway, this is normal. However if you are already doing those things then you do have the choice to relinquish ownership of Wilkie. This is a hard decision to make when considering giving up a pet. Which is why when you adopt a pet you have to assume full responsibility for them, even when they are not perfect. However, if you feel it is detrimental to his health for him to remain with you and have a good no-kill shelter or home for him to go to, then adopting him to a more suitable forever home can be considered. Here is a website link too that may help you with tips to try and build the bond you have with Wilkie if you do decide to keep him. Indoorpet.osu.edu Jacksongalaxy.com Best of luck in deciding how to best care for Wilkie moving forward. Take care.