Skinny cat [confused]

[CherryLips1980]

We have a Norwegian Forest cat who has always been on the skinny side of OK. He will be 9 in April.

He's always had a, er, delicate digestion. He's been on a variety of diets (started on James Wellbeloved kitten, then moved to Royal Canin Kitten, from that, he's been on RC Maine Coon, RC Exigent and RC Hair & Beauty and when his tummy got looser recently, we moved him onto Arden Grange Sensitive). Wet food upsets his tummy even more.

Took him to the vets a couple of weeks ago, who prescribed a course of antibiotics which did nothing. We then wormed with 3 days of Panacur which have also done nothing (he is wormed yearly with Drontal anyway, doesn't go outside, only mixes with our one other cat and has never had fleas so 'low risk' for being wormy). An internet search showed that he ticked every single box for hyperthyroidism, took him to a different vet (same practice) who agreed it sounded like his thyroid but did a general blood test rather than a specific thyroid one - just in case the thyroid came back as normal.

Results were back today - vet rang with 'good news and bad news'. Good news is that bloods say there is nothing wrong with him - everything is slap bang in the middle of OK/normal. Bad news is that bloods say there's nothing wrong with him - so no idea what to do now. Vets suggestion when asked what he would do if it was his cat was to say he'd try a different food again. He's well in himself, he plays, he has a lovely coat etc.... He's just too thin.

What would you try next if he was yours?

I'd research raw feed diets & try that. I think you can buy frozen portions by mail order.

Is there a MC forum? Bengal cat forum has a raw feeding section.

Hi, I've got no real advice for you but feel compelled to share my experiences with my 2 long-haired cats!

The first one we had in the 90's when I was a teenager. He was of no specific breed but obviously had some Norwegian Forest cat/maine coon in him. He too had a very delicate stomach and was underweight. Vets could find nothing wrong with him and tbh he looked healthy with a lovely coat but was definitely very far from healthy. When he was just under a year old our neighbour found him dead under her hedge Mum didn't bother with a post-mortem because "what's the point."

Now I have another one, he looks exactly the same as our first boy. He looks as if he has possibly one parent with a lot of Norwegian Forest cat in him and he's absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately he too has a very delicate stomach and is very thin although he looks in perfect health. I know nothing about his background because he was a stray who decided to move in with us! Vets say he is healthy but I have a horrible feeling of history repeating itself.

My friend has a pure breed Maine Coon who also is very thin and poorly looking but all tests come back ok.

Sorry, I wish I had some advice or something intelligent to add but I'm at a loss as to what to do with my lovely boy now and will be watching with interest incase someone more knowledgeable comes along!!

I'd also be trying a raw diet with him, I'd be careful to make any changes very gradually though as he is obviously so sensitive. Feeding bone broth is supposed to be beneficial in getting the right minerals and building up the good gut bacteria. I'd also try feeding a good prebiotic.

There is a link that discusses it here:- feline-nutrition.org/health/feline-inflammatory-bowel-disease-nature-and-treatment

I don't know if you have that in you area, but here we have speciality pet food stores. When I went to a smaller one to buy cat foor, they had samples so I could try them out if I wanted, and the person working there was v knowlegeable. Plus the bag of foor were garanteed so if it did not work out (cat does not like it or any other problem), I just need to return the opened bag with the reciept and change food.

Would there be a place like that in your area?

speciality in the sense that they don't sell any pets, only cat and dog food, and the necessities

not in the sense that they cook fancy pet food

Qwebec Yes, I work in one when I'm not on ML! No one really has any ideas though - I've asked all the reps and I do still have a few more diets that we stock to try, one of them made the dog skinny [rolleyes] so reluctant to try the skinny cat on that (we have one skinny one, one very fat one who is taking full advantage of adlib biscuits down!).

FennelTea and fluffycloud thank you - we stock raw food at work (Anglian Meat) but had sort of discounted it because we have a 15mo and I am due again in April - the 15mo is in to EVERYTHING. The skinny cat also tends to drag meat (like chicken if he's given it) around - we call it channelling his inner lion. I'll think again about that though.

MalletsMallet I'm sorry about your first NFC :( Fingers crossed history doesn't repeat itself and you get some ideas too!

If it was my cat I would be investigating further faecal samples to check for giardia, tritricomonas and crytosporidia. If those were normal bloods for FPLi, folate and cobalamin. If all of those were normal I would consider endoscopy for biopsies.
We see a lot of pedigree cats with the first three parasites (not covered by ordinary wormers at regular doses). And we also see a fair few with IBD and at your cats age Lymphoma has to be on the list. Even some forms of lymphoma can have long term management.

Nature's Menu do raw food for cats now in bite size nuggets or pouches, which might make it easier if he tends to drag it about.

Thank you Lonecat - Panacur was suggested because of Gi, vet discounted triticomonas due to his age & the fact he's an indoor cat who only mixes with our other cat (also an indoor cat). He said if it was crytosporidia it would resolve in time. I will get DP to get a fecal sample (I picked up a pot when the vet did the bloods) as I'm pregnant so not doing the litter tray. He did mention lymphoma as a possibility but said it wouldn't be top of his list, having examined him. It is still in the back of my mind though.

Fennel, thanks will get DP to order some (we work together!).

I have a minor embarrassing thing to admit though I asked the vet what he would do if DCat was his and he said he'd change the food. As it happens, we still have the Exigent left and DP put a bowl down for him. It went in minutes. So he put another down. That went too. He's back to eating normally now so the poor bugger must have been starving and only eating as much Arden Grange as he had to :( Not sure what the tray has been like - DP hasn't reported any difference - but I haven't been woken up in the night by him pooing, so I'm hoping changing his food back will put the weight back on. I don't think it will sort the bum out though - we changed food originally because of The Bum....

I'll give it another couple of weeks, see if he puts on weight, if not will persist at the vets and in the meantime will send the sample off.

The feacal sample needs to be a three day pooled sample to be worth while. So 3grams of faeces from 3 different days.
A single dose of Panacur rarely cures giardia. I wouldn't rule out anything as indoor cats often regularly have access to rodents.

Hope you get an answer.

I have a Ragdoll cat that was adopted from rescue 5 years ago.
She had the most terrible diarrhea. I researched what the cause was and was suggested to give either a raw meat diet, which at the time with eight cats was not on as one cat was a hoarder of food in bedrooms,wardrobes etc. The other suggestion was Butchers Classic Cat as it is all animal products no wheat or rice. this has helped considerably. She occasionally has diarrhea but it never has the horrendous smell it once did.