7 reasons why a cat is losing weight but eating well

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When an animal is eating consistently but not gaining weight, pet owners sound the alarm. Many people believe that if a cat eats, then weight gain is a natural process. This is not entirely true. Animals, like people, are active and dynamic, which burns extra calories and helps the pet lose weight. When a cat loses weight but eats well, this is normal. With active life, weight loss is ensured by normal metabolism. The situation is different with sedentary cats.

Don't expect your kitten to actively gain fat. During the first 9-11 months, kittens develop their skeleton and posture, and the baby gets fat and loses weight. Young cats and female cats become soft and plump 1-2 years after birth.

Why do you lose weight?

If a cat eats a lot but is losing weight, there are a number of reasons that can be identified::

Worms . Helminths or worms destroy the animal's body from the inside. Even if the cat eats a lot, the pet loses weight. Helminths get inside the animal from dirty shoes, unwashed hands, or a dirty tray. Cleanliness and hygiene will protect the cat. To combat worms, special products are sold that are taken on average for about six months.
Damage to internal organs . An analysis at a veterinary clinic will help answer the question of why a cat is losing weight. Disturbances in the digestive system are also noticeable externally. These are impurities in the urine and stool consistency, and an unusual color. During the period of illness, the pet’s appetite decreases and he eats little.
Stress . The problem may be the arrival of a new pet. The cat's health is under serious stress due to nervous stress. Therefore, a once fat cat may begin to lose weight in just a couple of months. Any changes for a pet take a long time to get used to.
Summer heat . If a cat loses weight in the summer and has a good appetite, this is normal. During the summer season, the furry animal sheds its fur, and due to temperature stress, it eats less than in frosty winters.
Age . An old cat eats less than a young one. This is due to low mobility. An older cat that is losing weight should still be checked by a veterinarian, but for animals that sleep most of the time, weight loss is common.
Tumors . Neoplasms on the body, and especially in the body, are not easy to detect. With benign tumors, the cat should not lose weight.
Feed _ The quality of food determines the weight of the animal, how quickly it loses weight, how much it eats, and affects processes in the body. You should not suddenly change your cat’s diet from dry to liquid or to homemade food. Even a dog that is less picky about food will not begin to gain weight from this. Changing the menu for a pet is a consistent and long process, during which it loses weight in any case.

Other signs

Breathing becomes frequent or, conversely, rare and cautious (if painful), wheezing, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath appear. Shortness of breath in a cat can be caused by increased physical activity, asthma, inflammation or emphysema, which, in turn, is a consequence of poisoning. Difficulty breathing is observed with pleurisy, heart failure, anemia, and worms. In older cats, a sign of heart failure may be a cough.

We suggest you read: What does it mean if a cat does not eat, refuses water, and constantly lies lethargic?

Lymphatic system. Enlarged lymph nodes, as a rule, indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. Most often, the submandibular lymph nodes are involved in this process, so you should learn to find and feel them.

Increased thirst may be associated with a cold, diabetes, dropsy, renal failure, or kidney disease, and if it is accompanied by physical weakness and odor from the mouth, this most likely indicates uremia.

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Vomiting develops in response to poisonous herbs entering the stomach and in general during poisoning, helminthic infestation, and travel in transport. Vomiting and increasing physical weakness in combination with constipation indicate intestinal obstruction and the presence of a foreign body in the intestine.

Increased salivation occurs when the tongue and oral cavity are damaged, when a foreign body enters the esophagus, during heat and sunstroke, during poisoning and some liver diseases. It can also be a symptom of such a terrible disease as rabies.

But these signs of diseases, as a rule, do not appear all at the same time: usually one sign is most pronounced, and the rest accompany it (in one combination or another). The improvement in the cat’s well-being and recovery can be judged after the disappearance of all painful manifestations characteristic of a particular disease.

The posture of a cat can tell you a lot. A healthy animal rests or sleeps in a relaxed position, with its torso straightened and limbs stretched out. A sick cat takes a forced position that helps reduce pain or any discomfort. In particular, with heart disease, a cat stands with its forelimbs spread wide apart - this makes breathing easier;

The above symptoms manifest themselves to varying degrees, and their combination also varies widely. If you are concerned about anything in your cat's physical condition or behavior, call your veterinarian or the nearest veterinary clinic (make sure to always have these numbers at hand or in a visible place). A telephone consultation may be sufficient to help your pet.

What is the optimal weight for an adult cat?

Depending on the breed, the pet’s weight varies from 3 to 7 kg. Mature animals are usually fit and lean, especially if it is a male, who is losing weight and gaining weight constantly. The lifestyle of a healthy cat is active and dynamic. After “playing”, the pet wants to drink a lot, the animal eats abundantly, which has a positive effect on the digestive processes.

Dangerous symptoms of weight loss include:

Lethargy, apathy . Sudden mood changes are evidence of anxiety. The cat feels bad and cannot find a place for itself, does not play and refuses food.
Blood, frequent diarrhea . If the cat has lost weight and foreign inclusions are observed in the urine and diarrhea, you need to go to the clinic and have tests done.
Bloating . Do not confuse high weight with a bloated stomach. The cat may become worse and worse due to internal swelling, infection, infection, which is why he does not eat.

When should you not panic?

An animal's activity is the best evidence of health. A cat that constantly plays, runs, sleeps little and constantly asks for food is not at risk and periodically loses weight. The morning amount of food is burned in a matter of hours and therefore in the afternoon the pet will ask for more. But you should not overfeed your cat.

Old cats are already losing interest in games, losing weight, and it’s not a matter of illness. With age, the cat moves and studies less and less, and observes and evaluates more often. The fewer movements, the less energy is burned, and, accordingly, the minimum amount of food will be needed.

Mild poisoning for cats is a common situation, especially if the pet eats the same food as the owner. Diarrhea for two to three days does not indicate a serious illness. If the problem persists for more than a week, it is wise to contact a specialist.

Animals experience stressful situations more difficult than humans, but faster. The appearance of a kitten, puppy, child, scary cat plush toy or new person in the house can completely destroy the appetite and lead to the animal losing weight. There is no need to panic: within a couple of days the cat will return to its usual feeding schedule.

How can a veterinarian help?

First of all, you need to figure out why the cat sheds so much. And only after that solve the problem.

It is not recommended to try to determine the cause on your own.

This should be done by a veterinarian after a thorough examination of the cat and some research (including laboratory blood tests).

If the veterinarian determines that it is an allergy, then antihistamines will be prescribed, and you will have to identify and remove the allergen.

Add vitamins to the diet, but only do this after your veterinarian has told you exactly which vitamins and minerals your pet is lacking.

Wool requires fatty acids (omega-3 and others), thanks to which the fur will shine, sparkle, and become thicker.

Carry out deworming. And don’t forget about it, make a schedule and stick to it.

Get rid of fleas and other skin parasites.

Yes, they may not be to blame for the fact that the cat sheds, but prevention has never done any harm (if in reasonable quantities, of course).

How to feed a cat correctly?

If the cat has lost a lot of weight, the owner may have incorrectly compiled the daily diet and menu for the pet. There are a number of rules thanks to which you can maintain a stable weight of the animal and protect your family pet from threats:

It is important to choose only one food option, otherwise the cat will not only lose weight, but may also get sick. This is a branded industrial feed or natural food. You can find branded food by the labels holistic, premium and supreme. These are classes that confirm compliance with high production standards.

Do not mix natural food and industrial feed. A cat develops one type of digestion, aimed at “artificial” or natural food. Your cat will need more moisture to digest the crackers. With constant changes in diet, the digestive system cannot adapt in a timely manner, which is why the stomach and intestines suffer.

Don't trust advertising. The brand names Whiskas and Kitiket, which have already become household names, do not become a sign of quality . These are affordable feeds to which attractive agents are mixed. These are components that act like a drug and are addictive. This is a serious burden for a pet’s gastrointestinal tract. A cat will live a long time if you feed it food that is sold in specialized stores, and not on supermarket displays.

Norm

Wool acts as a thermostat. In the warm season, its structure and density change and become lighter, making it easier for the animal to adapt and tolerate the heat. High air temperatures are one of the reasons why cats grow hair in the summer. There is no pathology in this.

Seasonal molting lasts about a month. If it drags on, suddenly stops, and after a while it starts again, the hair falls out in clumps and in large quantities, you need to contact a veterinary clinic to determine the exact cause.

How to properly feed a cat natural food?

The menu consists of two types of dishes. These are meat and dairy products.

The basis of the meat diet is lean beef, cut into small pieces. Next you need to provide the dish with vitamins. This can be done using vegetables or special additives . Veterinary stores sell vitamin powders that contain everything your pet needs. The compositions are not cheap, but it saves the housewife time.

The fermented milk set consists of low-fat cottage cheese and one percent kefir. On average, cottage cheese is served “on the table” to the cat 1-2 times a week.