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My skinny boy needs to gain weight

Anna W

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My 12 year old boy just got his yearly check up. He got an excellent report after a very thorough work up. He has HCM but it’s mild and hasn’t progressed in years. He’s got a clean bill of health but he’s lost weight slowly over the years . He’s still at a healthy size at 9 lbs but he looks skinny to me. The dry food I was giving him for years was making him puke. Thinking that was the cause of the weight loss, I give him only wet food now. Science Diet. He takes a low dose of benezepril and plavix. Any weight gain suggestions?
 

Yoda mom

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I had good results with my IBS kitty puking food when I switched her to nutrisource cat and kitten food in the blue bag
Also did well on Fromm game bird recipe but my crew prefers the Nutrisource

Like both - from and Nutrisource - no recalls
I order at k9cuisine.com - they ship fast and have personal customer service when I call and talk to Margaret

You can ask your vet if nutrical supplment would be beneficial?

So Happy he got an excellent report and the HCM hasn't progressed !

Head smooches sent
 

Condo commando

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It kind of goes with old age unfortunately. I would keep feeding him the canned food and consider adding an omega 3 supplement since pet foods in general are deficient in omega 3's and there have been studies that correlate omega 3's to longer life. Just don't go to the health supply store for fish oil because those usually have omega 6's and that's not good. You just want omega 3's. Try something like this:
Product Details
 

Anna W

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It kind of goes with old age unfortunately. I would keep feeding him the canned food and consider adding an omega 3 supplement since pet foods in general are deficient in omega 3's and there have been studies that correlate omega 3's to longer life. Just don't go to the health supply store for fish oil because those usually have omega 6's and that's not good. You just want omega 3's. Try something like this:
Product Details


Thanks for that. So would that help with weight or is it just a generally good supplement?
 

Anna W

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I had good results with my IBS kitty puking food when I switched her to nutrisource cat and kitten food in the blue bag
Also did well on Fromm game bird recipe but my crew prefers the Nutrisource

Like both - from and Nutrisource - no recalls
I order at k9cuisine.com - they ship fast and have personal customer service when I call and talk to Margaret

You can ask your vet if nutrical supplment would be beneficial?

So Happy he got an excellent report and the HCM hasn't progressed !

Head smooches sent


Thank you. Did the Nutrisource help with putting weight on?
 

Toa and Ross

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Glad to hear your boy is still healthy and the HCM hasn't progressed!
When cats get older they can get skinnier. If he eats well and since he's healthy I wouldn't worry too much about it. You could give him a little more wet food though to see if he eats it and if this helps him to gain weight
 

Condo commando

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Thanks for that. So would that help with weight or is it just a generally good supplement?
It's generally good....lots of healthy qualities. Consider though that sometimes weight loss is a symptom of something else. For example if an older kitty is a little arthritic, he may not exercise a lot, so he loses muscle mass. Well omega 3's are anti inflammatory so they can help with the arthritis.
 

Catzzzmeow

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Great news to hear no progression! Was your vet concerned about the weight? I know our boy lost muscle tone and started looking thinner at about the age of 11. Due to heart issues, vets usually like to see Cats keep the weight off when there are heart issues as it is less stress on the heart. Do,you have. Picture of your baby ? 9 pounds is usually a pretty good weight on most Sphynx.
 

Anna W

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It's generally good....lots of healthy qualities. Consider though that sometimes weight loss is a symptom of something else. For example if an older kitty is a little arthritic, he may not exercise a lot, so he loses muscle mass. Well omega 3's are anti inflammatory so they can help with the arthritis.


He’s as active as ever. He enjoys chasing and generally harassing the new puppy. (Another possible reason for weight loss, stress?) I was giving him cosequin but stopped thinking it may have been a culprit in his puking so this is a great replacement.
 

Anna W

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Glad to hear your boy is still healthy and the HCM hasn't progressed!
When cats get older they can get skinnier. If he eats well and since he's healthy I wouldn't worry too much about it. You could give him a little more wet food though to see if he eats it and if this helps him to gain weight
Thank you!
 

Anna W

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7F7E129E-BE46-4BDF-A186-2D44E81FA175.jpeg
Great news to hear no progression! Was your vet concerned about the weight? I know our boy lost muscle tone and started looking thinner at about the age of 11. Due to heart issues, vets usually like to see Cats keep the weight off when there are heart issues as it is less stress on the heart. Do,you have. Picture of your baby ? 9 pounds is usually a pretty good weight on most Sphynx.

Both his vet and cardiologist were not concerned about his weight. He was a chunky 13 pounds so he’s slowly lost weight. Here he is.
 

Catzzzmeow

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Glad your vets are not concerned. I know it’s hard to see the changes as they get older. Is your baby by chance on meds? That too can change their muscle tone etc. I think your baby looks pretty darn good. Maybe you can call your vet and just ask them it they think you should bulk him up to be on the safe side. BTW your baby is beautiful. I love seeing the senior babies!!!!!!
 

Anna W

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Glad your vets are not concerned. I know it’s hard to see the changes as they get older. Is your baby by chance on meds? That too can change their muscle tone etc. I think your baby looks pretty darn good. Maybe you can call your vet and just ask them it they think you should bulk him up to be on the safe side. BTW your baby is beautiful. I love seeing the senior babies!!!!!!

Thank you! My vet doesn’t say he needs bulking up. IDK. To be honest, it’s very hard for me to come to grips with him and his sister being ‘senior’. I do have a hard time with their changes. Perhaps I want to bulk him up for for me, not him.
 

Condo commando

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I totally get that. When they get sick they usually lose weight so an extra pound is like having a little safety net.
 

Anita Eccleston

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So happy to hear your little ones illness hasn’t progressed
I hope you are able to build him up , but I’m sure he is fine at his weight he is now or the vet would have advised a high protein diet
Xxx❤️❤️❤️
 

Anna W

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Update.
So I’m still dealing with my skinny boy but I have a game plan.

Here is what I’ve done in the last 6 months:
I stopped feeding him dry food. Their food routine has been great for them for 11 years with no issue
(Science Diet Hairball Control wet and Royal Canin Sensitive Stomach dry) but he had been vomiting often and loosing weight for about 6 months so I decided it was time to change.
I started him on only wet food, Fancy Feast to be exact. Things were ok until he developed a rash. The vet thought it was a bacterial rash but I noticed it would get worse after he ate. So Fancy Feast is not the answer.
I’ve switched them back to their Science Diet wet food and the rash went away. But he hates it now. They both do. They want crunchies.
He’s hungry but won’t eat much. He’s lost a whole pound. He’s just been given a clean bill of health but I know he’s got IBD or IBS. I love our vet but she’s not much help with this.
My new plan:
I’m switching him (and his sister) to Nutrisource canned and dry, adding in Omega 3 and Slippery Elm daily. I’m also going to try Glop twice a week.
I’m very hopeful for this new regimen but I don’t want to do too much all at once. I’ve not had to mess with their food or routine very much ever so I’ve been reluctant to do so twice in a year. But needs change as they get older.

Does anyone want to weigh in on this plan before I begin it?

(Side note: I realize fancy feast, science diet etc get a bad rap. I adore my babies and give them the best care possible. For years these basic quality foods have worked without issue so please don’t judge me too harshly. I cringed when I bought my first fancy feast box ok?! )
 

Yoda mom

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@Anna W , awhhhh positve vibes sent

I wanted to chime in that ome my kitties has IBD .
I have some every canned dry grain free grain inclusive raw attempt etc


I have been feeding Nutrisource cat and kitten food in the blue bag for over a year !
Yah no poop or skin issues ! I like that Nutrisource has no recalls .

It is extremely palatable to my Bengal and Sphynx to the many foods I have tried .
I can finally feed n go .

For treats I actually use sciemce diet urinary hairball dry kibble I keep in a treat jar .
All love it . It's a big kibble I was worried about at first but they chomp it does come running for it .
Been using it as treats for over a year .

My boy had a UTI when I adopted him several years ago - he hated all the RX prescription foods .
I took a leap much like your fancy feast leap (I feed what works so no judgement believe me )
I put them on proplan urinrary focus wet food - the chicken flavor was the most popular for my crew.
I did try the variety pack they have too .
There has never been a reoccurrence of a UTI .

My vet even feeds proplan .
I am one that feeds what works- many of us do - we get it , no worries :)
Every food had one thing or another and no food is perfect .

It's a matter of finding what works best for our kitties

Please keep us updated ! I would like to know too which fancy feast flavor is a hit :)

You can ask your vet if the Nutrical supplement paste would be beneficial
Keep your vet updated on the food changes for their approval that it is okay with his medications.

Let us know how the glop recipe is received by your boy

Head smooches !
Will be following closely for updates
 
Last edited:

Toa and Ross

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You made a great plan and I'm sure he'll gain weight with this new regime. I think you do everything you can to give your boy what he needs.
 

Condo commando

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I confess mine get a can of Fancy Feast as a treat every once in a while. This is even though their normal food is raw and I go to great lengths to prepare it. I figure if I can eat potato chips or cookies, then why can't they have some Fancy Feast? So that's pretty much that.

I totally agree with you that if an older cat is losing weight, it's not nothing. The loss of lean muscle mass - sarcopenia - happens to cats just like to humans. What they need is more protein. Here's an article that talks about this:
Don't Let Your Senior Cat Become a Skinny Old Kitty

The next thing you need to consider is exactly what kind of protein. The answer is meat. Cats metabolize meat-based protein very well, but plant-based protein not well at all. It doesn't matter whether it's from grains or non-grains; the non-grains like peas and potatoes are not meat. The pet food industry seized on grain-free which sounds nice, but they're not replacing grains with meat; they are replacing with other stuff that's not any better and in some cases it has even more carbs - argh. Here is another article:
The Skinny on Senior Cats: Metabolism Explained

The main thing regardless is that they eat, so you have to find something that he likes and let him eat as much as he wants. All things being equal, I would opt for canned food because they contain a higher percentage of meat than any kibble. Also you mentioned vomiting, and there again canned foods are better because they help to rehydrate whereas kibble dehydrates.

By the way, I've compared cans of kitten and adult cat food and the kitten ones usually have a little more protein. Just because it's marketed for kittens doesn't mean you can't give it to an adult cat, especially a skinny one.

To make the canned food smell good for him, you might sprinkle a little bit of crushed kibble on top. Or what I have used in the past for this is crushed Temptations cat treats. Also parmesan cheese.

Final note - if a cat has kidney disease most vets think cats should get less protein. It's debatable, but if your cat has kidney disease then you need to get professional advice before going for a high protein diet.
 
Last edited:

Anna W

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Messages
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Points
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@Anna W , awhhhh positve vibes sent

I wanted to chime in that ome my kitties has IBD .
I have some every canned dry grain free grain inclusive raw attempt etc


I have been feeding Nutrisource cat and kitten food in the blue bag for over a year !
Yah no poop or skin issues ! I like that Nutrisource has no recalls .

It is extremely palatable to my Bengal and Sphynx to the many foods I have tried .
I can finally feed n go .

For treats I actually use sciemce diet urinary hairball dry kibble I keep in a treat jar .
All love it . It's a big kibble I was worried about at first but they chomp it does come running for it .
Been using it as treats for over a year .

My boy had a UTI when I adopted him several years ago - he hated all the RX prescription foods .
I took a leap much like your fancy feast leap (I feed what works so no judgement believe me )
I put them on proplan urinrary focus wet food - the chicken flavor was the most popular for my crew.
I did try the variety pack they have too .
There has never been a reoccurrence of a UTI .

My vet even feeds proplan .
I am one that feeds what works- many of us do - we get it , no worries :)
Every food had one thing or another and no food is perfect .

It's a matter of finding what works best for our kitties

Please keep us updated ! I would like to know too which fancy feast flavor is a hit :)

You can ask your vet if the Nutrical supplement paste would be beneficial
Keep your vet updated on the food changes for their approval that it is okay with his medications.

Let us know how the glop recipe is received by your boy

Head smooches !
Will be following closely for updates
Thank you so very much I’m taking your advice and I’ve ordered the Nutrasource. I will definitely post an update soon.
 
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