Adult Cat Won't Gain Weight

Wish I could give you some of the weight off my cats. Each of mine has enough for 2.


On 18 Aug 2003 17:48:47 -0700, (TysonjM) wrote:

I have a 4 year old Persian cat who is underweight. I rescued him last
January from a shelter. He was underweight then, and the vet
recommended feeding IAMS kitten food for a month or so and then switch
back to the adult formula that he was used to eating at the shelter.

I didn't weigh him, but he seemed to put on a little weight after
settling into his new home. I had to have him shaved due to matting he
had, so it was hard to tell what was fur coming back versus body mass.
He loved being shaved and stayed pretty active as an indoor cat. By
summertime, his fur was back and tangle free. Unfortunately, we live
in Phoenix where it's very hot from late May until mid-September, and
by June he'd turned somewhat lethargic. He began walking slowly, quit
playing games entirely, and hid out in cooler areas of the house. He
also seemed to eat less. It's been this way for the last couple
months, and he's just as skinny as he's ever been. Petting and
brushing him is awkward because he feels so boney.

He weighs in at just under 7lbs now. I've tried feeding him IAMS
canned food and even the fattier Friskies and tuna fish, but he mostly
just licks the juices off of these and leaves almost all the rest. I
give him small kitty treats, and he will eat most of those. He seems
to have an appetite, as every time I go to the kitchen, he comes up
and nudges me to be fed.

Is this behavior related to the heat this summer? It stays 78-81
degrees inside the house. I've even dropped it to mid-70's but no real
change in his behavior or eating habits. In the Winter/Spring the
house was 65-70 degrees. He's hardly affectionate at all, only
approaching me when there's a chance to get fed, which I'll do. He
also vomits a couple times a week, something I didn't see in the
cooler months when he was shaved. I do give him some hair-ball
treatment and brush 1-2 times a day, and that has seemed to help.

I miss his old self, the one who would sleep on my bed at night sit on
my lap, and lay nearby while I worked or watched TV. The one who would
play hide-and-go-seek or pounce on dangling strings. Now he sleeps in
closets and far corners of empty rooms just about 24/7. I work at home
and don't leave often – could he be sick of me?

One thing I've always noticed about his eating, is that he tends to
grab food up with his mouth and as he chews, most of the food falls
out. The area around both his dry and wet food dishes becomes quite
messy as a result. Is this just personality or is there something
wrong? His teeth and tongue look healthy and normal, so this has got
my curiosity.

Thanks for any suggestions/advice you have. Just thought I'd ask
before calling the vet again.

Wish I could give you some of the weight off my cats. Each of mine has enough for 2.


On 18 Aug 2003 17:48:47 -0700, (TysonjM) wrote:

I have a 4 year old Persian cat who is underweight. I rescued him last
January from a shelter. He was underweight then, and the vet
recommended feeding IAMS kitten food for a month or so and then switch
back to the adult formula that he was used to eating at the shelter.

I didn't weigh him, but he seemed to put on a little weight after
settling into his new home. I had to have him shaved due to matting he
had, so it was hard to tell what was fur coming back versus body mass.
He loved being shaved and stayed pretty active as an indoor cat. By
summertime, his fur was back and tangle free. Unfortunately, we live
in Phoenix where it's very hot from late May until mid-September, and
by June he'd turned somewhat lethargic. He began walking slowly, quit
playing games entirely, and hid out in cooler areas of the house. He
also seemed to eat less. It's been this way for the last couple
months, and he's just as skinny as he's ever been. Petting and
brushing him is awkward because he feels so boney.

He weighs in at just under 7lbs now. I've tried feeding him IAMS
canned food and even the fattier Friskies and tuna fish, but he mostly
just licks the juices off of these and leaves almost all the rest. I
give him small kitty treats, and he will eat most of those. He seems
to have an appetite, as every time I go to the kitchen, he comes up
and nudges me to be fed.

Is this behavior related to the heat this summer? It stays 78-81
degrees inside the house. I've even dropped it to mid-70's but no real
change in his behavior or eating habits. In the Winter/Spring the
house was 65-70 degrees. He's hardly affectionate at all, only
approaching me when there's a chance to get fed, which I'll do. He
also vomits a couple times a week, something I didn't see in the
cooler months when he was shaved. I do give him some hair-ball
treatment and brush 1-2 times a day, and that has seemed to help.

I miss his old self, the one who would sleep on my bed at night sit on
my lap, and lay nearby while I worked or watched TV. The one who would
play hide-and-go-seek or pounce on dangling strings. Now he sleeps in
closets and far corners of empty rooms just about 24/7. I work at home
and don't leave often – could he be sick of me?

One thing I've always noticed about his eating, is that he tends to
grab food up with his mouth and as he chews, most of the food falls
out. The area around both his dry and wet food dishes becomes quite
messy as a result. Is this just personality or is there something
wrong? His teeth and tongue look healthy and normal, so this has got
my curiosity.

Thanks for any suggestions/advice you have. Just thought I'd ask
before calling the vet again.

The temperature range you mention shouldn't give
a healthy cat any problems. The eating problem,
mess made, and behaviorial changes warrant a trip to the vet.
This isn't a situation that is going to be cured with
"nutritional supplements". Best for the cat, and ultimately
least expensive for you, if you get to the vet NOW.
A "couple months" is too long to let it go on.


(TysonjM) wrote in message . com...
I have a 4 year old Persian cat who is underweight. I rescued him last
January from a shelter. He was underweight then, and the vet
recommended feeding IAMS kitten food for a month or so and then switch
back to the adult formula that he was used to eating at the shelter.

I didn't weigh him, but he seemed to put on a little weight after
settling into his new home. I had to have him shaved due to matting he
had, so it was hard to tell what was fur coming back versus body mass.
He loved being shaved and stayed pretty active as an indoor cat. By
summertime, his fur was back and tangle free. Unfortunately, we live
in Phoenix where it's very hot from late May until mid-September, and
by June he'd turned somewhat lethargic. He began walking slowly, quit
playing games entirely, and hid out in cooler areas of the house. He
also seemed to eat less. It's been this way for the last couple
months, and he's just as skinny as he's ever been. Petting and
brushing him is awkward because he feels so boney.

He weighs in at just under 7lbs now. I've tried feeding him IAMS
canned food and even the fattier Friskies and tuna fish, but he mostly
just licks the juices off of these and leaves almost all the rest. I
give him small kitty treats, and he will eat most of those. He seems
to have an appetite, as every time I go to the kitchen, he comes up
and nudges me to be fed.

Is this behavior related to the heat this summer? It stays 78-81
degrees inside the house. I've even dropped it to mid-70's but no real
change in his behavior or eating habits. In the Winter/Spring the
house was 65-70 degrees. He's hardly affectionate at all, only
approaching me when there's a chance to get fed, which I'll do. He
also vomits a couple times a week, something I didn't see in the
cooler months when he was shaved. I do give him some hair-ball
treatment and brush 1-2 times a day, and that has seemed to help.

I miss his old self, the one who would sleep on my bed at night sit on
my lap, and lay nearby while I worked or watched TV. The one who would
play hide-and-go-seek or pounce on dangling strings. Now he sleeps in
closets and far corners of empty rooms just about 24/7. I work at home
and don't leave often ? could he be sick of me?

One thing I've always noticed about his eating, is that he tends to
grab food up with his mouth and as he chews, most of the food falls
out. The area around both his dry and wet food dishes becomes quite
messy as a result. Is this just personality or is there something
wrong? His teeth and tongue look healthy and normal, so this has got
my curiosity.

Thanks for any suggestions/advice you have. Just thought I'd ask
before calling the vet again.

The temperature range you mention shouldn't give
a healthy cat any problems. The eating problem,
mess made, and behaviorial changes warrant a trip to the vet.
This isn't a situation that is going to be cured with
"nutritional supplements". Best for the cat, and ultimately
least expensive for you, if you get to the vet NOW.
A "couple months" is too long to let it go on.


(TysonjM) wrote in message . com...
I have a 4 year old Persian cat who is underweight. I rescued him last
January from a shelter. He was underweight then, and the vet
recommended feeding IAMS kitten food for a month or so and then switch
back to the adult formula that he was used to eating at the shelter.

I didn't weigh him, but he seemed to put on a little weight after
settling into his new home. I had to have him shaved due to matting he
had, so it was hard to tell what was fur coming back versus body mass.
He loved being shaved and stayed pretty active as an indoor cat. By
summertime, his fur was back and tangle free. Unfortunately, we live
in Phoenix where it's very hot from late May until mid-September, and
by June he'd turned somewhat lethargic. He began walking slowly, quit
playing games entirely, and hid out in cooler areas of the house. He
also seemed to eat less. It's been this way for the last couple
months, and he's just as skinny as he's ever been. Petting and
brushing him is awkward because he feels so boney.

He weighs in at just under 7lbs now. I've tried feeding him IAMS
canned food and even the fattier Friskies and tuna fish, but he mostly
just licks the juices off of these and leaves almost all the rest. I
give him small kitty treats, and he will eat most of those. He seems
to have an appetite, as every time I go to the kitchen, he comes up
and nudges me to be fed.

Is this behavior related to the heat this summer? It stays 78-81
degrees inside the house. I've even dropped it to mid-70's but no real
change in his behavior or eating habits. In the Winter/Spring the
house was 65-70 degrees. He's hardly affectionate at all, only
approaching me when there's a chance to get fed, which I'll do. He
also vomits a couple times a week, something I didn't see in the
cooler months when he was shaved. I do give him some hair-ball
treatment and brush 1-2 times a day, and that has seemed to help.

I miss his old self, the one who would sleep on my bed at night sit on
my lap, and lay nearby while I worked or watched TV. The one who would
play hide-and-go-seek or pounce on dangling strings. Now he sleeps in
closets and far corners of empty rooms just about 24/7. I work at home
and don't leave often ? could he be sick of me?

One thing I've always noticed about his eating, is that he tends to
grab food up with his mouth and as he chews, most of the food falls
out. The area around both his dry and wet food dishes becomes quite
messy as a result. Is this just personality or is there something
wrong? His teeth and tongue look healthy and normal, so this has got
my curiosity.

Thanks for any suggestions/advice you have. Just thought I'd ask
before calling the vet again.