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My kitten is small, not gaining weight, and bones are showing. Why?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 3 months and 8 days old | 1lb

She seems extremely small for her age? She eats soft and hard food but can't seem to gain any weight. I'm worried because you can see her bones (ribs, leg bones) when she lays on her side and she isn't as playful as she used to be. We're going to take her to the vet but until then any recommendations?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Amy Poole, DVM

Answered By Amy Poole, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 23rd, 2017

Most cats gain about a pound a month, so at 3 months old Chichi should be around 3 pounds. I would be concerned about intestinal parasites or potentially a bacterial or viral infection. There also could be a congenital problem going on since she is so young. I would also make sure she is on good quality kitten food and offer her both canned and dry. Sometimes I will heat the canned food in the microwave to make it smell more pungent and hopefully entice the kitten to eat more. I do think having her evaluated by your vet, dewormed and potentially have some further testing is the next best step. Good luck with her!
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Mirissa Duncil, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Hi there. Many things can cause poor weight gain in our pets. A few include intestinal parasites, a shunt (abnormal blood flow through the liver), certain types of cancer, viral infections, and poor nutrition.

    If you have not yet deworming would be my next step for you. Products like felovite for extra vitamins can help your pet with nutritional needs as well. Otherwise-she will need to be examined by your veterinarian and determine the next steps for a true diagnosis. I hope this helps!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Mara Howard, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 3rd, 2017

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Noushmc is underweight. There can be multiple causes for lack of weight gain, including intestinal parasites, dietary intolerance, inflammatory bowel disease, a vitamin b12 deficiency, or another underlying issue. I would recommend she be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if there is an underlying medical component that may be contributing to her lack of weight gain, and if not, then she could be started on a more calorically-dense food to help her gain weight (such as a critical care food). At two months old, she should be on a good quality kitten food (either wet or dry). Good luck!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

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Why is my kitten not growing or gaining weight unlike siblings?
Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lack of growth and failure to gain weight in a kitten can be due to a number of medical causes- viral or bacterial infections and parasitic infections could be potential causes among others. I would recommend having the kitten seen by a veterinarian for an exam and assessment. You may wish to bring a fresh fecal sample to the vet appointment in case your vet wants to test the kitten's stool. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
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Why is my 3-5 month old kitten not playing and losing weight?
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Why is my weaned kitten thin and not eating like her littermates?
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My 7-week-old kitten seems weak and underweight. What should I do?
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Is my 4-month-old kitten underweight at 1.3kg? What's normal?
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My 6-week-old kitten won't eat, has diarrhea, and is losing weight.
Given her age there are several things that cross my mind, but a common issue in these young kittens is parasites. Sometimes their parasite burden can be so high that they cannot maintain adequate glucose levels, and also can become uninterested in food and sometimes will begin vomiting. I would recommend deworming her. Also, it would be important to rule out signs of infection and/or sepsis. I think she needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Such a young and small animal can deteriorate quickly even with easy to resolve issues like gastrointestinal parasites.
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My 8-week-old kitten is very skinny and won't eat. Is she sick?
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