How to fatten a cat: effective ways to gain weight in a pet

Regardless of how thin or obese the cat is, this will in any case negatively affect its health. Regardless of the condition, the animal develops a phalanx of certain pathologies. If you are faced with the fact that your cat has lost a lot of weight, we will tell you what to do in this case.

Normal weight and causes of exhaustion

The average weight of an adult cat varies from 3 to 6 kg. This indicator depends on:

• Way of life.
• Genetic factors.
• Type and quality of food.
• Age and health status.
• Gender and breed.

Healthy pet A veterinarian will help determine the ideal weight for a particular cat. In addition, in order to monitor your pet’s health, it must be shown to a doctor once every six months.

If the cat does not reach the lower limit of weight (based on the table above), this indicates exhaustion of the body. The reason may be:

• Forced starvation (if the animal was lost and lived on the street for a long time).
• Stress (for example, a change of place of residence or the arrival of new people in the family).
• Lack of appetite (results from a number of diseases).
• Dysphagia (eating disorders, inability to swallow food, caused by diseases or injuries of the esophagus, foreign objects entering the esophagus).
• Regurgitation or vomiting (results from a number of diseases).
• Metabolic disease.
• Diseases of the urinary system.
• Increased energy consumption due to high activity.

Wasting Wasting can be considered an animal losing more than 10% of its initial body weight. The causes of this condition may be different, in any case, the cat needs care and treatment prescribed by a veterinarian. In such situations, it is better not to self-medicate.

We fatten the cat so that he is fat: large sizes

Should a real cat be skinny? Any “cat person” (and not only him), when he imagines a furry representative of the feline family, sees him, if not fat, then at least moderately well-fed. There are such responsible owners who may not have enough to eat themselves, but the cat will always be fed “to its fullest.” This article discusses the reasons why an animal has low weight, as well as ways to gain body weight.

Anorexia

The disease can be called an extreme degree of exhaustion only conditionally.

Anorexia is characterized by severe thinness due to a dulled feeling of hunger. And if in humans the reasons are obvious, then in cats everything is not so simple. Let's list some of them:

1. Chemotherapy course. Treatment of malignant tumors is often accompanied by a host of side effects. One of them is a radical refusal to eat. The cat loses interest in food, refuses to play, prefers to hide in secluded places and sleeps a lot.
2. Consequences of a major operation . Medicines, including anesthesia, greatly affect the pet’s mood and its orientation in space. They can have a detrimental effect not only on taste preferences, but also completely deprive them of interest in food. Even months later, your cat may still feel the effects of a major surgery.
3. Failure of the senses. Usually associated with traumatic brain injuries. This leads to disturbances in neural communication, loss of taste or smell. The cat simply does not understand what is edible and what is not. She can experiment, but in most cases she will get a negative experience. All this leads to the described illness.

Anorexia is very different from simple weight loss. In this case, simple fattening is not enough. In any case, you should contact a veterinarian, get tested and undergo a course of treatment.

Obesity leads to a host of animal health problems.

Diabetes, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease and a number of skin problems in cats can be caused by excess weight. In addition, fat animals are at risk of developing arthritis. All this results in the need for constant visits to the veterinarian, treatment, and also negatively affects the quality of life of your pet.

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What to feed to gain weight?

There are feeds for increasing the weight of animals, called medicinal, but they are more expensive than usual. However, if the pet is in critical condition and does not digest natural food well, this is the only feeding option.

If the weight loss is insignificant, you can fatten your pet with natural products. Weight gain is achieved by intelligently replacing proteins with carbohydrates. It is better to avoid fatty foods (or reduce them to a minimum); strive to gain muscle mass, not fat.

From hand

What can you feed your cat to make him fat?

• Meat : rabbit, chicken should be in the diet daily (60-75% of the total diet). To eliminate the risk of infection with worms, the meat must be deep frozen (sometimes it can be boiled) before consumption.
• Fish : ocean only. Make sure that there are no bones in the fish, as they contribute to the development of diseases of the urinary organs.
• Eggs (white and yolk): boiled and raw. Use no more than 2 times a week, 1 pc.
• Dairy products : cottage cheese, sour cream, unsweetened yogurt. It can be introduced into the diet gradually; it is better not to use store-bought products.
• Milk should be completely excluded from the diet of a domestic cat, as it puts a lot of stress on the liver and is poorly digested.
• Hard cheese . Useful in small doses; if overused, it can overload the liver.
• Cereals : rice, buckwheat, millet, etc. 1 teaspoon for each meal.
• Fruits . If the cat doesn’t mind, then you can, but you shouldn’t force feed it.
• Greens : parsley, dill, lettuce. Greens help improve digestion, so it is useful to add them to every meal.
• Oils : sunflower, flaxseed, olive. Only as a supplement.

Your task is to formulate your cat’s daily routine so that the body has to spend as little energy as possible. Reaching the golden mean is difficult, especially if the pet is overly active and picky about food.

Attention! Avoid sausages, canned meat and fish; such products contain a lot of salt and spices. They can harm the cat's digestive system.

Nutrition needs to be reviewed

To speed up the weight gain process, use vitamin supplements. They activate metabolism, which will force the body to digest and absorb food faster. It is important to consult your veterinarian before using vitamins.

Feeding rules

You need to feed a kitten to gain weight taking into account general recommendations and rules. Among the foods that will contribute to moderate obesity in your pet, it is worth highlighting the following:

• lean meat. This product should make up the lion's share of the diet;
• carbohydrates. It is recommended to feed your cat cereals. Nevertheless, it is better to immediately remove rice and pearl barley from the daily menu; sea ​​fish. Give preference to low-fat varieties;
• dairy products. In order to stimulate digestive processes, you should definitely worry about feeding your cat kefir, cottage cheese, and sour cream.

If you want to fatten up your cat as quickly as possible, but do not want to bother with creating a menu of homemade products and constantly purchasing them, there is an alternative option - industrial food. If you buy a premium composition, you will provide your pet not only with ingredients that are important for him, but also with various vitamin supplements. Such mixtures are distinguished by a balanced composition, which will solve all nutrition problems.

Interestingly, some modern manufacturers produce cat food specifically for malnourished animals. They contain large quantities of mineral supplements and vitamin complexes that quickly normalize your pet’s health. As a result, he will begin to gain weight actively.

How to identify excessive thinness in a pet

Due to the large number of breeds, many cats have significant differences in appearance. This is why some people may mistake a slender and lean animal for an emaciated one. You need to know the difference between physiological and pathological thinness.

Signs of a healthy cat with a slender physique:

• the proportions between the sizes of the head, torso and limbs are observed;
• ribs and vertebrae are not visible through the layer of wool, but are easily found when palpated;
• the waist is pronounced;
• there is a thin layer of fat in the chest and abdomen area;
• the animal is active, plays a lot and eats with appetite;
• The coat is smooth, shiny, easy to comb and does not fall out.

Oriental breed cats have well-developed muscle mass and a small layer of fat

With pathological thinness, the following signs are observed:

• protruding shoulder blades, ribs, hip bones are visible to the naked eye;
• the head and ears are sharply enlarged compared to the body, the limbs are thin;
• the muscles are poorly developed, fatty tissue on the abdomen and back cannot be felt;
• the fur falls out in uneven tufts, there may be tangles;
• the animal spends a lot of time sleeping, moves little, and changes in appetite are observed (ravenous hunger or complete lack of desire to eat).

When a cat is emaciated, bones can be seen through the skin.

Genetic miniature

Experienced breeders build genetic lines so that one of the main characteristics of the breed - resemblance to a teddy bear - is well developed. Thin and scrawny cats are removed from breeding.

The situation is different with pets that are bred without permission, pedigree or prior training of the owner. Suppose the cat was not bought for breeding, she grew up miniature and could be an excellent pet, but the owners decided to make money from her by selling kittens.

Recipe No. 2

Fresh meat for lunch:

• Chicken breast - 100 g.
• Lean pork meat (can be replaced) - 30 g.
• Rice - 1 tbsp. spoon.
• Chopped parsley - a handful.
• Vegetable oil - 1 teaspoon.

Chop the meat with a knife and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Store for no more than 2 days.

Fresh meat for lunch

Why does my cat need to lose weight?

A single kilogram of excess weight already increases the risk of your pet developing serious diseases. Unfortunately, if your cat is overweight or obese, it is no longer a question of whether she will develop complications and illnesses associated with it, but when exactly they will appear and how serious they will be. Most often, excess weight is accompanied by:

• Type II diabetes – it is three times more common in obese cats than in animals of normal weight;
• Heart diseases;
• Increased risk of joint injuries;
• Osteoarthrosis (arthritis);
• High pressure;
• Some forms of cancer, especially tumors in the abdominal cavity.

Overweight and obese animals tend to live shorter lives than their slender counterparts. If a cat is overweight, it moves less and becomes less energetic and playful. The purr prefers to just lie down, and because of this it is easy to miss the first signs of illness, mistaking lethargy for “normal laziness.”

Now we are just beginning to understand the danger that extra pounds can pose to both humans and their four-legged friends.

Choosing a kitten in 10 steps. Blog of user Mira88 on 7ya.ru

So, you have decided to get serious about buying a purebred kitten and want to know how this should happen.
Below I will give a few key points that must be taken into account so that the purchase does not cause disappointment. Choose and buy a kitten personally. The kitten should be chosen by the future owner himself, or by the owners if the family consists of several people. Remember that you choose not only a kitten, but also a breeder with whom you will have to communicate after the purchase for advice. Before... Discussion

Today there is still a lot of pain that animals endure, so to speak, and you know in such a situation it is still quite important to choose the same kitten with a full package of documents. Yes, I agree with you that this way you will have to spend more money than even buying a kitten from the market, but at the same time you will be sure that the cat is healthy

In addition, when I adopted the kitten three months ago, even though I had documents, I took the kitten for examination to a doctor.

Recipe No. 5

Milk breakfast:

• Powdered milk - 1 tbsp. spoon.
• Chicken eggs - 2 pcs.
• Cottage cheese - 3 tbsp. spoons.
• Chopped vegetables - 2 tbsp. spoons.

Add a few tablespoons of cold water to the milk powder, then beat in the eggs and bring the mixture until smooth. Gradually stir in cottage cheese and vegetables. Pour the mixture into the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Cool, cut and serve to your pet.

Milk breakfast

Attention! Remember, no salt or spices should be used in any recipe. They will irritate the animal’s receptors, which will negatively affect its sense of smell and perception of taste.

Additional measures

Unfortunately, mustachioed striped animals often find themselves in dangerous situations and their emaciation leads to pathological changes in eating behavior. It is often necessary to awaken a cat's interest in food before feeding it. There are several means for this:

1. Vitamins . You should choose a suitable vitamin complex for your pet, which will help restore the animal’s body and provide it with useful substances. Cats are not always happy to take vitamin supplements. But even if the pet resists, the owner should be persistent. Tablets or dragees can be crushed to a powder state, diluted with water and poured into the cat’s mouth using a syringe without a needle. Also, drugs in solid forms can be crushed and mixed with food.
2. Beneficial bacteria . It is recommended to give your pet probiotic products consisting of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli 30 minutes before meals. They normalize the intestinal flora, suppressing the activity of microbes that cause dysbiosis. In addition, lactobacilli are involved in strengthening the immune system, which is important for both sick and healthy pets. The most useful probiotics that have a positive effect on the animal’s intestinal microflora: Bifitrilak, Zoonom, Subtilis, Enterol, Lactobifadol, Olin, etc. It is allowed to use drugs from a regular pharmacy, for example, Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin.

Sources of fats

This element must be included in a cat’s natural diet, since it is not only, along with carbohydrates, a source of energy, but also supplies the body with many vitamins:

• A - improves vision, is responsible for the condition of the skin and coat;
• D - is of great importance for the formation of the skeleton;
• E - strengthens muscles, regulates the normal functioning of the genitourinary system;
• K - is an important element for strengthening joints and bones, and the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

In addition, fats give food an attractive taste and smell, promote intensive growth and harmonious development of the animal. Their share in the pet’s diet with natural nutrition should be at least 20%.

If it is not possible to provide the animal with food with a sufficient amount of these components, then fish oil can be added to it.

Poultry meat

You should mainly include chicken and turkey in your diet. Poultry meat is very beneficial for cats. If you feed it regularly along with a hearty side dish, the animal will be at its optimal weight.

It is necessary to accustom your pet to proper nutrition from childhood, then in the future it is guaranteed that no health problems will arise.

Mistakes and dangers

A common belief is that cats will not eat anything that can harm them. In fact, this is not so; pets often eat food that is not healthy and even harmful to them. Most often this happens because their owners make the following mistakes:

• They feed from the table. Pets often ask to share human food, and not all owners can resist. Remember, your food contains a large amount of salt and spices, which are harmful to the digestion of animals.
• Mix types of food. Decide on your pet’s type of food: natural or industrial food. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, but combining them leads to indigestion.
• They ignore daily norms. It is easy to feed a cat to be fat, since this simply requires giving him an unlimited amount of food every day. If you do not pursue such a goal, it is better to stick to the daily intake (discuss with your veterinarian).
• They switch abruptly from one type of food to another (from natural to dry food). The change in feeding method must be smooth, otherwise the pet will develop vomiting or diarrhea.

Recommendations from experts

When fattening an animal, it is especially important not to harm it. Therefore, you should listen to the recommendations of experts:

• Do not mix different brands of food. This leads to an imbalance of elements, which will have a negative impact on the pet’s health.
• It is better to avoid food that can be easily purchased in any supermarket (for example, Whiskas, Kitiket). Such economy-class feeds lead to diseases of the genitourinary system, the formation of kidney stones, pancreatitis and other pathologies.
• Cats are clean and groom themselves constantly. Accordingly, wool enters the digestive system. This can cause problems in weakened animals. To help pets, they need to be given Maltpaste. It helps naturally remove hairballs from the digestive tract.

  Maltpaste is designed to remove hairballs from the digestive tract of cats.

What feed is best to use?

If the cat is very thin and emaciated, then a veterinarian will help you choose the right diet. Most often, experts recommend using ready-made dietary products that are sold in pet pharmacies.

The most popular brands are:

• Hill's a/d;
• Royal Canin Recovery;

  Royal Canin Recovery food is well suited for cats that are weak or sick, it is easily digestible and gives the animal a lot of energy.

• ProPlan Convalescence.

All these diet foods are produced in the form of soft food - pates. This form was not chosen by chance. Soft food is easier to digest, and this is what a depleted body needs. The gastrointestinal tract will not be overloaded and the cat will not spend extra energy on digestion. If the cat is exhausted to such an extent that she can no longer eat on her own, then this kind of nutrition can be easily administered through a tube.

The food is distinguished by a high content of elements such as fat and proteins, vitamins and minerals. Thanks to this composition, the body recovers faster.

Wet food is also used for emaciated kittens. This diet is high in calories and also contains more vitamins necessary not only for recovery, but also for growth.

It is better not to use dry food during this period. They belong to tough and solid foods. Depending on the reasons for weight loss, not every cat will be able to easily digest such food.

Features of feeding kittens

Kittens are fed in the same way as adult animals. The only difference is in the volume of portions, frequency of feeding and the list of acceptable foods. If an adult cat needs fewer calories, then kittens need significantly more. In addition, they can be fed up to 8 times a day, but in small portions.

Before all the molars appear, the menu should be less varied, but always balanced. For this reason, it is much easier to use ready-made dry food.

How long does it take to train a cat to go on a diet?

Give your cat a week or two to get used to the new diet. First, mix ¼ of the new food with ¾ of the usual food for 2 to 4 days. Then increase the amount of new food to half, and in the last 3 to 5 days before the final transition to the new diet - to ¾.

To improve palatability, you can heat the food and add flavoring additives, for example, based on fish oil containing Omega-3 fatty acids.

If your cat refuses a new diet, or if you have any questions while introducing her to a new food, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian for advice.

Answers to popular questions

When losing weight in animals, owners have many questions. Answers to the most common ones are presented below.

• How to feed other cats if only one needs to lose weight?

There are several options. You can place plates in different rooms, add different types of food, and then clean everything up. Or, for a skinny cat, place a bowl of food on a high place where a fat cat cannot reach. In general, adherence to a diet is recommended for all sterilized pets, not only those who are overweight, so everyone can be put on proper nutrition at once. Some to normalize weight, others to prevent obesity.

• How long will my cat have to be on the diet?

It all depends on the efforts of the owner, additional actions, the individual characteristics of the animal, the initial weight, and the desired result. On a diet, a cat loses approximately 500 g per month. In most cases, it takes 6-8 months to achieve your ideal weight. However, it should be borne in mind that after leaving the diet, the pet may gain extra pounds again. In some cases, pets need to be kept on a diet constantly. In addition, it is more difficult for a cat to lose weight after sterilization than for a cat. Therefore, many factors are taken into account.

• What to do if your cat is constantly begging for food?

To control excess weight, as well as to normalize body weight, it is very important to adhere to the regime. If a cat constantly asks for food, this does not mean that it is hungry. In most cases, food is perceived as signs of attention, therefore, in order to calm the animal, you can pick it up, stroke it, and talk to it. If the cat does not calm down, put a couple of pieces of food in a plate or pour water. Another option for restless pets is to feed more often, but less. The daily dose is divided into several doses.

• How to lose weight for a cat naturally?

A cat's diet can consist not only of special food, but also natural products. In order for your pet to start losing extra pounds, you need to eliminate carbohydrates from the diet and reduce the amount of fat. The main diet will consist of protein. Products are selected individually based on tolerance. They give beef, chicken, fish, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt. It is much easier to buy special food for cats prone to obesity, but natural food will be healthier.

A well-fed cat needs to lose weight in order to improve its health, prevent serious diseases, and prolong its life. Before taking your pet for surgery, you need to remember that it is much more difficult for a castrated or sterilized cat to lose weight, so you need to feed the animals correctly right away, and not wait until they become overweight.