Why is my spayed cat gaining weight even though she barely eats?

It’s not normal for a pet to lose weight after being spayed. In fact most cats have a weight gaining problem after they get altered. I would recommend having her examined by your vet and also to have her stool checked for parasites. Most weight loss is due to an intestinal worm in pets this young. I hope everything works out well for your pet Savannah. Best wishes and take care.

Cats can be prone to weight gain after being spayed due to the hormonal changes this causes. I would recommend switching her to a weight management food that is lower in calories than a regular adult diet. If you are able to, feeding her canned food only will also help, since canned food is less calorie dense due to its water content. If you want to leave some dry food out for her, consider feeding it from a puzzle toy like an Eggcersizer or Kibble Nibble - this way, she has to play with the toy to get the food out, which provides her with some additional exercise and also limits how much she can eat at a time.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. On average, most normal sized cats should be between 8 and 12 pounds. Any cat over 12 pounds (unless it is a large breed cat like a Maine Coon) would be considered overweight. So, Mittens is at the high end of the range already. Based on the photos she does look to be overweight. Due to her body frame I would say 10-11 pounds would be a more ideal weight for her. You just need to cut back on her food. Typically wet food is very high in calories so I suggest you cut that way back or stop giving it all together. My recommendation would be to work with your vet on weight loss if you attempt to get her to lose weight and she doesn't. Sometimes a prescription weight loss diet is needed. Many cats are just vocal - it doesn't mean they are hungry. If you give in to her every time she begs you she will continue to gain weight. Many times it is not food they are after is that they are getting something from you (it's like a type of bonding). You many have to get her an automatic feeder so she does not associate you with food. Hope this. helps. Best wishes.

The first thing I would ask myself in these sorts of situations is if there is ANY POSSIBLE WAY he is getting food from any other sources. This can include other people, hunting, scavenging on the ground, the garbage, etc etc. If this is not possible, then he may just have a slower metabolism that a cat normally would for this young of an age. You are right in saying that hypothyroidism is rare in cats, to the point where I have not really ever met someone who has diagnosed this without the help of a surgical complication. There are other metabolic disorders and organ dysfunction that can result in weight gain, all of which would require further investigating with your regular veterinarian or through an internal medicine specialist. Hope this makes sense.

Overall being thin could be a result of an underlying metabolic, endocrine, or gastro-intestinal issue. (such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes,or inflammatory bowel disease) It would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian, and consider having blood work and urine tests run to see if there are any abnormalities. She is listed as unspayed--keep in mind that metabolism tends be slower once they are spayed. If everything on her lab work checks out to be normal, I would recommend you have her spayed for her overall health and for pet over-population concerns; another positive for her may be weight gain! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Miss Piggy. I love her name! Very cute, Tony, and she is beautiful. I would speak to her vet about putting her on a weight loss cat food, and feeding her twice a day with measured amounts. That way, you can control what she is eating, and how much she is eating. You can also try to get her some exercise by playing with her. I hope this helps!

She could have a different type of intestinal parasite that the particular dewormer you gave did not cover. If she is really active she could just be going through a little growth spurt and expending a lot of energy/calories. You could start offering her canned food twice a day as well as the dry food. Be sure she is still on a kitten food as it has more calories per serving. If she is still losing weight, I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to do a fecal and even bloodwork to look for other causes of weight loss. I hope this helps!