My 9-month-old kitten is underweight, how to help her gain weight?

This is not unusual behavior. In the wild, cats eat 9-16 times in a day. Since she is not over weight, you can continue free feeding her. Make sure she is checked regularly for worms and watch for any signs of illness. I hope this helps.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jastin. First, I would have her evaluated by her veterinarian to determine if she is in fact underweight or just small in stature. Some perfectly healthy cats are petite and do not grow to the size typical of the breed. However, there are numerous disease that can affect weight gain and growth. You want to ensure there is not a medical issue that needs addressing. In the meantime, ensure that she is eating kitten food as this will be higher in calories, fat and protein. It will aid in growth. Offer her canned food as well to supplement her dry kibble. This will help her to take in extra calories. I hope this information helps!

Taking in more calories is the only way to gain weight. Knowing the number of a pet's weight doesn't really tell us if they are healthy. Instead, we use body condition score to determine if a pet is under- or overweight. Here is a multi-part video on BCS for cats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRvL8NcfHs

Zoii is beautiful! It is hard to tell exactly in the picture since she is fluffy, but she doesn't look underweight to me. There are a couple of easy ways to make sure she is at her ideal weight. One is that you should be able to run your fingers across her ribs and feel them without pushing in at all. If you can see them, she is too thin. When you look down on her from above when she is standing, she should have a little indent at her waist. Cats will also normally have a small fat pad at the back part of their bellies (between the back legs). These are all things to watch for so you know you are keeping her at a healthy weight. I hope this helps!

Hi Ali! Thanks for using Pet Coach! I suggest you take her off the kitten food. Kitten food is very high in calories. I know that bag is labeled for up to one year but I usually recommend that kittens switch to adult food at 7-8 months of age. So, yes, adult indoor food would be indicated here. Also, do not just keep the bowl full - measure out the daily amount she needs based on the recommendations on the bag of food you are feeding; split into multiple small meals. Feed her to her ideal weight and not her current weight. Example: if she is 12 pounds and should be 9 pounds then use the feeding recommendation for a 9 pound cat. Always feed to the low end of the range the bag gives you especially since you are giving hearts and kidneys as well. You can also refer to this article for more tips: ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/are-you-feeding-your-cat-wrong/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello. As long as Sock is eating a good quality, name brand kitten food, then he will develop normally. He is a teenager now, & he will stay lean probably for the first year or so of his life. As he transitions into maturity, he will naturally begin to gain additional weight. Watch this, because Maine Coons do have a tendency toward obesity. So keep him on a kitten formula for the first 12-15 months, then transition him to an adult maintenance food. Take care.

Yes, this can be normal. Some cats "graze..." they eat a little, then come back and eat a little more later. As long as she seems to be holding her weight, this is not a reason for concern. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!