How to help cat re-gain weight

[StuntNun]

My cats were in a cattery for eleven days while I was on holiday and one has come back looking much thinner than when he left. Does anyone have any tips for helping a cat to re-gain lost weight? I have two other cats (one of which is slightly overweight) so I have to be careful not to overfeed them. Would switching him to kitten food for a few weeks make a difference?

Ive always found Iams is very bad for weight, ie cats put on weight so perhaps some of that, but if its because he didnt eat while in the cattery, then no doubt now he is back home and comfortable, he will simply eat as normal again and put the weight back on?

I hope so. I bought Felix instead of the usual supermarket food to try and tempt him and he has free access to two types of dry food. He's always been on the small side though so I don't like seeing him so skinny. I'll think twice before putting him in a cattery again.

Dreamies. They're 5 calories apiece.

Does he like cheese, ours goes mad for it, cream too although apparently you shouldnt give cats cream, no one dare tell our cat that

To be honest we have never used catteries, we leave enough food and water down around the house and we've always had cat flaps. We have a camera into the eating area down stairs too, if we didnt see them for a day then we would have to come home.

I dont trust anyone with them and wouldnt want them in a cattery

@bellac11 surly it would be less stressful for you. To have someone look after them?

Our lost weight at the cattery too - vet said it’s the stress of it for them. Gave ours
cream/milk/treats but I think they’ll catch-up on their own now their back home! X

Its not stressful at all? Where did I imply that?

Thanks for all the tips. I got some of those Lick-e-Lix things and Dreamies and he's been enjoying those. He's quite the hunter and im wondering whether he lost weight because he wasn't able to hunt. Maybe he only eats cat food when he's run out of mouses?! I wouldn't normally put my cats in a cattery but we were away much longer than we would usually be so I thought it would be less stressful than them being home alone.