How to get cat to gain weight when not interested in food?

[liviadrusilla]

I have two lovely bengal cats. One is extremely small - she is about the size of a 1 year old even though she's six. We got her from the RSPCA and she had health problems - she basically has a permanent snotty nose and she sneezes and coughs a lot. She has a mucus thinning powder for her food and a lysine fish oil supplement.

She's currently feeling a bit more coldy than usual (has been to the vets and had antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory). She's now acting much more like herself, but has no weight to spare and isn't eating. She's sniffing at food but not actually eating it. I'm heating it so it smells more and hoping that she'll fancy it a bit more later.

The problem is that she is generally not interested in food. I really want her to gain some weight so that when she is more run down than usual she has a bit of fat reserve. Is there anything I can do to help her gain weight? (Complicating things our other cat, who is healthy, eats like a maniac and would eventually eat all the food for our small one). Would be grateful for any advice!

I expect you've tried all the usual things like cooked chicken and fish? Rice/scrambled egg? Hasn't the vet been able to advise you? It's a wonder they haven't tried to sell you some of their expensive cat food.

Thanks for the reply. The vet suggested giving her cooked fish, but she has no interest in human food. She used to eat exclusively dry food, she now eats a bit of wet, particularly in gravy and she likes felix sauce toppers. (I think it's all made harder because she is missing a tooth too!) She makes such a performance out of eating everything as well, sniffing for ages then eating one kibble. She's started eating a bit just now thank goodness but not very much. I've got dry out and have bought a couple of different brands of wet/liquidy food for her to try. I did wonder about a special diet, some sort of high calorie food - are any recommended?

I used kitten food when Fatty was loosing weight. As it's high calorie.

Thank you, she's been mostly eating kitten food for the last few months because other cat is under a year - I might keep her on it for longer.

Somebody just recommended this one on another thread.

What sort of food are you giving her? Plus what is she prepared to eat?

Ideally you want her to eat something that is all protein/calories. Unfortunately it sounds like she just likes messing about with the gravy which is usually not v high in calories. Also dry food is v variable in quality.

When I wanted to put weight on my cat (different reasons, had an ageing thin cat wasting away) I found the best thing to do was leave the high street brands which are often full of cereals and junk and head for Zooplus. They stock a lot of European brands with grain free dry foods so more protein if your cat likes dry and better ranges if cat is being tempted by wet.

My cat went nuts for Schesir if it helps. It is a complementary food, not a complete food but the little tins disappeared like they had never been there. Bowls clean like out of the dishwasher

Our Bengal likes tinned salmon, have you tried her on that?

He hated amionda carney though. He also likes arden grange biscuits and they are relatively high in calories.

What he would happily stuff himself silly on is gourmet.

Thanks so much for the advice, I really appreciate it.

For the past few months she has been eating Royal Canin kitten wet food and dry food (because of our other young cat), her usual diet is Royal Canin Bengal kibble and Intense Beauty wet food (awful name but it's meant to be very good for coat/skin etc and I thought it might help her put on weight).

I haven't tried her on tinned salmon, is any kind ok? We usually get our food on Zooplus so will give some of the recommendations a try!

Well we buy own brand and he picks out the bones himself.....her mouths not hurting her is it?.

Have a look round Zooplus at some of the brands you have never heard of which are grain-free. Royal Canin is basically marketing over substance.

I've gone for Sanabelle dry and Animonda Carny wet but some cats don't take to Animonda - it is really really meaty! As before, old cat lost it over Schesir wet and her coat was amazing on it - had the soft jelly content, smelt dreadful which cat seemed to love and she put condition on, rather than fat, in no time.

It is just hit and miss as to what your cat likes. My kittens and old cat love Animonda but Bozita chunks were a waste - licked all the jelly off and left the chunks. It is just trial and error, until you get a combination of what you want them to eat, and what they will eat.

Cosmas Snackies seems to be incredibly popular though - cheaper version of the Thrive treats. Even our neighbour's cat comes running at the sound of the tube being rattled

Purizon is very high in protein and a good source of dry food for cats. You can buy a trial pack off Zooplus and try it see if she goes back on it.

Also has your cat been tested for Calishi or does she need any dental work?

And have you considered CBD oil for her, just to see if it helps with her immune systems etc. I get from Simply-CBD the simply light one which is for pets and only costs £10 for 30ml. There is a support group on FAcebook called Simply CBD user support they have a few vets on tehre. Have you also spoken to other Bengal owners to see whether it is a general issue with Bengals. Unfortunately sometimes it takes a bit of sleuthing from us as not all vets are quite clued up on feline conditions. I would also take her to see another vet just to get a second opinion to be honest.

Also can I mention have you tried her on a raw diet? You can buy the frozen packets at Pets at home in their freezers, cats love the chicken one which is best for them. OR you can buy some minced chicken breast at Iceland, I just defrost it and my cats gobble it up or some steak mince with a 5% fat content. They dont like turkey mince but chicken mince they love Also the frozen chicken blocks which you just unfreeze, warm up a little bit in microwave just to get the juices flowing but do not cook, just defrost the night before. And it is only £1 a block at PAH but only get the chicken one.

Might be an idea to try on her.

Will give salmon a go. I don't think her mouth is hurting her, but because of the gap in her teeth food seems to fall out easily - I think that's why she prefers liquid bits of the food so she can just drink it up. Her appetite is much better today and she's asking for food a lot so that's good - I had a tin of gourmet and she seems really keen on it (though still mostly licking and ignoring the bigger chunks).

I don't think she needs dental work (although like a lot of bengals it's really hard to look in her mouth) - I mentioned the teeth to the vet when she saw her. She has been tested for multiple things for the sneezing, she's had numerous goes on antibiotics and other medicines - steroids have reduced the symptoms in the past but aren't a long term solution. She has seen two vets with us (and others at the rescue). Health problems aren't bengal specific, its because she was rescued from a very neglectful home and didn't get medical treatment early :(.

I haven't tried a raw diet, although they mention it a lot on American websites. Interesting that it works for yours. Cat diets in general seem so difficult, with some people saying all dry diets are better and some saying completely wet! I will definitely look into CDB oil.

If you are trying to get weight on your cat, then what is best is what she will eat!

Dry is better for their teeth and wet is better for their kidneys. But if yours is just a tiny bag of bones, then food is best

Thanks Anna

Have you tried kitten milk? I gave it to my tiny little girl and she loves it. Turns her nose up at almost anything else

Aww I will give kitten milk a go too! She might like that and drinking calories is a great idea for her.