Scottish cats have a medium, but rather dense, build when compared to other breeds. They have thinner and lighter bones than their closest relatives, the British, but they should still resemble teddy bears. From time to time, owners are faced with the problem that their Scottish cat is thin or their Scottish kitten is not growing well. Let's figure out why this happens.
Determining the norm
Before we understand what to do, let's understand what a skinny Scottish cat or skinny Scottish cat is. Many owners suffer that their animal is not fat enough, although, in fact, its weight is within the normal range. So first, check out the normal weight chart for a Scottish cat. Of course, you need to pay attention not only to weight, but also to height: what is a lot for one animal, is not enough for another. But the general rule is this: if a cat’s pelvic bones and ribs are visible, you should sound the alarm and solve the problem urgently.
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On the left is a normal Scottish cat, in the center is a slender cat, on the right is a cat with malnutrition
Well, now let's look at the main reasons why the Scottish cat is thin.
World record holders included in the Guinness Book
Not all fat cats ended up on this not-so-honorable page of dubious fame. Only those animals were registered in the Guinness Book whose owners not only intensively fattened their pets, but also applied for registration of their records.
SpongeBob
SpongeBob the cat
Weighing in at a whopping 15 kilos, he was dropped off at a shelter in SoHo, New York. A cat was left homeless after his owner had to go to a hospice. Because of its size, it was difficult for him to find a new home. The reason for so many extra pounds was most likely due to uncontrolled eating during the day.
Shelter workers put him on a strict diet and exercise program, and his weight began to drop. At this time, he was picked up by a couple from Manhattan - Courtney and Matt Farrell. The new owners continued to diet and maintain a proper routine. In the first two weeks of living in his new home, he lost almost two kilograms. Unfortunately, during treatment for asthma, SpongeBob was diagnosed with serious heart problems, and due to his high weight, surgery was impossible.
Cat Meow from Mexico
A cat named Meow
When the cat's 87-year-old owner, Meow, was unable to care for him, the cat was taken to a shelter in southeastern New Mexico. His staff was forced to turn to colleagues in Santa Fe because this two-year-old orange and white tabby cat weighed about 18 kilograms. But despite this, the cat was everyone's favorite. He was a very cute cat with a stunning cute face. Just very thick.
After some time, new owners were found for Meow. He was prescribed a special diet that was supposed to help him lose weight. The goal of the diet was to initially lose at least 4.5 kilograms. The shelter reported on his achievements on its Facebook page. But after some time, Meow died from complications caused by morbid obesity.
"Little" Himmi
Record holder Himmi
In previous editions of the Guinness Book of Records, editors included the heaviest animals in the list of record holders. For example, the heaviest cat was Himmy, who belonged to Thomas Wise, who lived in Cairns (Australia). This “baby” weighed 21.3 kg. He died on March 12, 1986 at the age of 10 years 4 months. Himmi was so large and heavy that he could not move independently and had to be transported in a wheelbarrow. It was after this incident that the category with the fattest cats was excluded from the book of records.
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. The situation is completely different with pets that are bred without permission, pedigrees and prior training in felinological courses. From incorrect crossbreeding you can get Scots with an insufficiently dense physique and a host of other shortcomings. If your cat is not so much thin as miniature, there’s nothing you can do about it: genes take their toll.
One of the common reasons why a Scottish cat is thin, or rather too petite and slender for a Scot, is that its breed is unclean - there are some impurities. The kitten could have been sold as a Scottish one, but it did not grow up quite as expected, because... This kitten is a mixed breed. Or, perhaps, he was born from two parents, one or two of whom had other breeds in the family. If so, then there is no need to try to make the cat fatter. If her ribs are not visible and when palpated the cat does not resemble a washboard, then she has a normal constitution for her genetic type.
Alarming symptoms
If the cat is very thin, first of all it is necessary to observe his condition and behavior. The following symptoms should cause concern :
- unpleasant odor from the mouth;
- lethargy, decreased activity and apathetic state;
- increased body temperature;
- diarrhea or constipation, vomiting;
- purulent discharge from the eyes;
- refusal of food.
These signs can occur with helminthic infestation, infections, gastrointestinal disorders and other serious diseases. If one or more symptoms are detected, the animal should be examined by a veterinarian.
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Unbalanced diet
No matter how trivial, but most often the reason for the thinness of a Scottish cat is poor nutrition. The cat does not receive enough vitamins and microelements, as well as protein, and therefore muscle and fat mass are insufficient. Let us remind you that cats must receive meat and protein daily in an amount of at least 70-80% of the diet, and preferably 90%. It is from meat that the cat receives most of the nutrients the body needs.
And under no circumstances should you stuff it exclusively with pasta and vegetables, adding only a little meat. However, pasta and cereals, even in small quantities, often lead to the kitten not gaining weight: most cats do not have a good relationship with grains (cereals interfere with the absorption of nutrients from other foods), so it is better to exclude them from the diet.
Often the problem of unbalanced nutrition is low-quality ready-made factory feed: this is the majority of feed that is sold in supermarkets. If you give your cat food, it should only be premium and super premium. Although, it is worth noting that often good premium food is simply not suitable for a kitten, as a result of which it does not gain weight.
“We had a weak, thin, fold-eared kitten. We adopted him when he was 3 months old; before that he lived in a nursery with a professional breeder, i.e. There shouldn't be any problems. His brothers and sisters were also not very plump, but this one was completely thin and weak. At 3 months I weighed 1 kg! At the nursery he was fed Royal Canin. My animals are all natural, so in any case we planned to switch him to meat. I generally have a bad attitude towards food. But, on the other hand, I understand that cats have been growing up on Royal for generations - and everything is fine with them. Therefore, I think that the reason was that this particular cat’s body did not accept this food, and perhaps it would not have accepted other foods either. He ate normal portions, but was skin and bones. In general, in the very first days we switched him to raw meat. More precisely, he transferred himself by stealing food from an adult cat. And what do you think? After 2 weeks he already weighed 1.5 kg. The rate of weight gain, of course, is too high, but it turned out how it turned out. At 4 months it was already 2.5 kg, at 5 months - 3.2 kg. Matured. He became well-fed. No protruding ribs or spine. This is how proper nutrition works wonders,” says Ekaterina, the owner of a Highland Fold cat.
Read more about what to feed your Scottish cat.
The whole day is spent on the couch
In the wild, cats eat as much as they can and don’t get fat. The fact is that they are simply forced to move, getting food for themselves. In addition, they are constantly in a hostile environment, where they have to flee from larger predators. During the winter season, a lot of energy is spent on heating the body, which further increases the overall calorie expenditure.
Of course, in a city apartment it’s impossible to repeat all this, and it’s not necessary, but spending the whole day on the sofa is also not a good idea for a healthy cat. Encourage her to move with interactive toys and teases. Some cats love to play with rubber mice and chase laser pointers. Others become active in the presence of a companion. Look for what suits you.
Low appetite
Do you offer your cat good food, but she still doesn't eat well? There are different reasons for poor appetite. These are worms, which will be discussed below. This is also stress. This includes teething. These are behavioral problems: read about them here.
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But most often, poor appetite is observed in uncastrated cats and unsterilized cats during rutting periods: then the desire to eat fades into the background or may practically disappear. And if estrus is frequent or the cat’s sexual desire is not systematically satisfied, then the endless rut can exhaust the body. If you plan to castrate an animal, then after the operation (about 1 month) the pet’s body will be rebuilt - and its appetite will become excellent.
Alena, owner of a Scottish Fold: “We had the problem of low weight from about 5 to 9 months. The cat was almost skinny. She didn't eat well. When they put food on her, she acted like she was doing us a favor. I ate little. At 5 months, she began to go into heat, which occurred every 2 weeks. During heat, the cat could not eat for days on end, only wailing. As a result, even veterinarians gasped that we were so thin. At 8 months she was sterilized (at that time she weighed 2.9 kg) - after 2 months the cat began to weigh 4.2 kg. We have become much plumper (but without going overboard, maybe just a little), and the appetite is such that the cat no longer goes overboard with food: she eats everything we offer. And loudly asks for food if she’s hungry, without any coquetry.”
The animal has been spayed (neutered)
There is an opinion that weight problems begin after surgery to remove the gonads. But this does not mean that it is worth torturing the animal and tolerating its behavior during sexual hunting. You just need to take some preventive measures:
- feed the cat after sterilization strictly at the rate recommended by the food manufacturer;
- Weigh your pet weekly and record the result;
- if necessary, adjust the rate downwards.
Practice shows that with a normal diet and sufficient physical activity, most sterilized cats remain in good physical shape for many years. While with improper feeding and a sedentary lifestyle, even an animal with preserved reproductive function can quickly gain weight.
Teenage years
Scottish cats stretch in length during adolescence, and their weight does not keep up with their height. During the ugly duckling period, they often begin to look ugly, and owners get upset, thinking that it will always be this way. There's no need to get upset. But you need to pay attention to the quality of the diet, because if a cat does not receive enough calcium, vitamins and other nutrients during adolescence, its skeleton and muscles may not form correctly - and subsequently it will not grow up to be as beautiful a cat as it could have grown up to be.
How to feed
If a cat loses body weight, the fault may lie with its owner, who incorrectly compiled his daily menu. There are rules, if followed, the cat’s weight will always be normal:
- Mixing dry food and homemade food is unacceptable. A cat develops one type of digestion, which is aimed either at “artificial” food or at natural food. When feeding dry food, your cat needs more fluid. If you change your diet frequently, your stomach will not be able to adapt in time, and you will begin to lose weight.
- Don't trust advertising. Such well-known brands as Whiskas and Kitiket are not a sign of quality. They are accessible to everyone, but contain attractions. These components are addictive. This is a serious burden for the pet’s stomach and intestines. You can extend your cat's life if you feed him food from a specialized store.
It is necessary to give preference to only one food option, otherwise, in addition to weight loss, various diseases may develop. This is natural food or branded industrial food.
ATTENTION! The packaging must be labeled holistic, premium and supreme. These are classes that indicate that all production standards have been met.
Disease
Underweight may also indicate a serious illness. For example, disorders of the thyroid gland, resulting in hormonal imbalance. Another possible cause is diabetes. Oncology also gives a similar picture.
Let's talk separately about such a disease as anorexia of the Scottish fold and straight-eared cats. Thinness in this case is only a consequence. The reason is the lack of feeling of hunger due to impaired sense of smell (this can happen even with nasal congestion) and pathology of the digestive system.
If you've tried everything and your cat is still skinny, she may be sick with something. We need to take her to the veterinary clinic and have her thoroughly examined.
Unknown reason
It also happens that a cat is examined and no visible reasons for thinness are found. And all the measures taken do not produce results. In this case, there is still a reason for this problem, it just hasn’t been found out.
If we are talking about a young cat under 1 year of age who is developing poorly and gaining weight very sluggishly, then the drug “Catozal” (analogous to “Vetozal”) can work wonders. This drug greatly helped the thin kitten of the author of the article, who was sick all the time and was developing poorly. The veterinarian prescribed him a five-day course, and already on the second day changes began for the better: the kitten became active and stopped lying down all day. After the fifth day, changes in appearance were already noticeable. After stopping the drug, the problem did not return. But you can take this drug only after consulting a veterinarian, because it has contraindications.
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