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How do I get weight on my 13 year old tom? he's quite skinny. he has a healthy varied diet, however, he will not eat biscuits of any description as he vomits with them. he's not unhealthy and is active but I would like a little more weight on him just in case he gets poorly as he can't afford to lose any more weight. thanks
Optional Information: Pet's Gender: Male Pet's Age: 12 Name of Cat: Murphy Already Tried: fatty ham. every cat biscuit known to mankind. I worm and de-flea regularly as I was worried that it may be something like hook worm that was keeping his weight down.
Hi there,
I am sorry you are concerned about Murphy.
How much does he weigh?
Is he neutered?Does he go outdoors?
What foods does he eat now?Thanks,
Terri
he weighs approximately 3 - 3.5 kilos. he is neutered. he does not go outdoors other than in our patio, however, we have another 6 year old male who does go out and they inhabit the same areas in the house and patio in other words they have a close relationship. he eats tinned tuna in brine the occasional cat food sachet however too much of this makes him vomit. he has lean chicken, ham and the occasional cooked prawn (body only, not the head) as this is his favourite food.
thanks again
Dear Jayne,
Thanks so much for the helpful information.
Please give me a few minutes to type detailed answer.
Thanks,
I am sorry you are worried about Murphy.
When a cat his age cannot maintain his weight , my first suspicion in abscessed teeth in the gum giving him pain. The next is acid reflux. Then there is hyperthyroid, dehydration, renal and liver disorders.
There are a few possibilities for these symptoms. I will try to cover everything.
Weight and or hair loss is usually related to hyperthyroid. The cats eats great but the excess thyroid hormone burns up all the calories.
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyperthyroidism.html
The problem is that this disorder can lead to your baby developing diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments.
We do have excellent meds for this but is is necessary to do a T4 thyroid blood test.Any other thyroid test can be inaccurate.
It can also be related to renal issues especially if there is excess shedding because the hair becomes very dry.
Stress weakens the immune system and can lead to illness.Dental disease also depresses immunity and sends bacteria into the organs.
It is also possible he has parasites or the other cat takes all his food.The things you listed are all kind of low calorie. Cats are obligate carnivores that must eat meat to keep their weight normal:http://www.catinfo.org/
Try to feed Murphy small frequent meals as that is the best way for his body to metabolize calories.
Cats are attracted to smelly foods,the stronger,the better. Try tuna, salmon,. fancy feast, canned foods like Halo, Werruva, or Merrick.
Bring in a stool sample to check for worms.
He should have blood and urine work done to check for:
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyperthyroidism.html http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/diabetes.html http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/renal.html
All of these are treatable so try to have him seen straight away.
Please let meknow what happens. If you still have questions or wish to talk further just press reply or continue conversation and I will be here for you.
Murphy is VERY lucky to have YOU!
Best wishes for him,
Experience: Expert in feline health and behavior. 20 years experience with cats.
hi terri, so sorry I haven't replied sooner, been away from the office and I've just got your answer. really great to hear so many possibilities. I'll take him for the blood tests after I've wormed him. he has had hook worm once about 4 years ago so I'll see if the worming works first. His teeth are perfectly fine. I'll keep him on the tuna and give salmon a try. unfortunately, I've never hear of the other three, as we live in Gibraltar the choice is limited unfortunately. I really appreciate your help and advice it's put my mind at rest. thanks again
best wishes
Jayne
It is my pleasure to help someone as wonderful as you!
Thanks you so much for your accept and generous bonus. VERY appreciated.
Any tinned cat food would be fine for Murphy.I agree worms could be an issue however, I really suspect he is hyperthyroid because the excess hormone burns up a lot of calories. So please do have his tested as soon as you can. Medication will make a huge difference.
Please keep in touch and let me know how he is doing.
Very fondly,