How can you feed the cat so that it gains mass and becomes thick: high -calorie feed for gaining weight

It may be time to consider a diet change for your cat if it is underweight or finds it difficult to maintain a healthy weight. A cat may lose weight for a number of reasons, including malnutrition, stress, or just not getting enough calories. You must give your cat high-calorie, easily digestible foods in order to support their growth in size and overall well-being.

Certain kinds of cat food, full of proteins and healthy fats that aid in the growth of muscle and the addition of body fat, are made specifically to encourage weight gain. These foods contain vital nutrients that maintain your cat’s overall health and glossy coat in addition to giving them energy.

In addition to selecting the appropriate food type, it’s critical to consider feeding schedules and portion sizes. Feeding smaller meals more frequently throughout the day can help your cat gain weight in certain situations. You can encourage your cat to develop a fuller, healthier body with the appropriate methods.

How to fatten up a skinny kitten (cat, cat) who has been starving?

The fundamental idea behind fattening is that food should have more calories than energy used. It should primarily come from meat. Small animals are fed five or six times a day. The digestive system is overworked when a lot of food is consumed at once. Dietary changes cannot be made suddenly.

Food is best absorbed when it is warm (30–40 °C); it also smells better, which stimulates appetite. Pre-grinding food makes digestion easier. The animal must always have access to fresh water. Supplements of vitamins and minerals should be given to a starving cat, as it has not been provided with the necessary nutrients. A tired cat needs vitamins A, C, D, E, and group B first.

How to understand that a cat is underweight?

Whether an animal has short hair or no hair, it can be identified by its eyes if it has a body weight deficit. His belly is sunken, his spine protrudes, and bones protrude in the sternum and pelvis. Cats with long hair are palpated. They consider someone to be underweight if their muscle and fat are essentially nonexistent.

Veterinarians use the body mass index to objectively assess the animal’s condition. They measure the circumference of the chest and a portion of the hind limb, from the knee to the ankle, in centimeters in order to compute it. After dividing the first number by 0.7062, the second digit is deducted. The second digit is deducted once more after the result is divided by 0.9156. When the index falls between 9 and 30, the cat’s weight is regarded as normal. The animal has a weight deficit if it is lower.

Also read: Ingredients, benefits, and drawbacks of "Brit" premium and care lines’ dry and wet cat food for kittens and adult cats

Why the animal is not gaining weight?

There are several pathological and physiological reasons why the animal might not put on weight. In hot weather, during the early stages of pregnancy (because of nausea), and during the hormonally induced period of sexual hunting, cats tend to eat less. If the food has changed and the cat does not like the new product, it may refuse to eat. One can even induce a cat to refuse food by simply rearranging their bowls.

Stress may be the root cause of weight issues. It may be brought on by relocation, a visit to the veterinarian, the owner’s departure, the arrival of a new pet or child, etc. Cats that are nursing frequently experience weight issues because producing milk requires a significant amount of energy that the body cannot quickly replenish, even with a healthy diet. This is especially true when there are many kittens born. All of these explanations are regarded as physiological; eventually, everything goes back to normal.

Often excessive thinness is a sign of illness. Pathological reasons why a cat cannot gain weight:

• Parasitic diseases. Helminths absorb a lot of nutrients, and even with a good appetite, the cat cannot gain weight.
• Diseases of the oral cavity (caries, tartar, stomatitis). The animal experiences pain while chewing, so it refuses to eat.
• Infections (calicivirus, panleukopenia, viral peritonitis and rhinotracheitis). The waste products of pathogenic microorganisms enter the blood and cause intoxication, against which the animal refuses to eat.

• Pancreatitis. When the pancreas is inflamed, enzymes do not enter the duodenum, as a result of which nutrients are poorly absorbed.
• Diseases of the endocrine system. Lead to hormonal imbalance, which causes a decrease in the volume of fat and muscle tissue.
• Diseases of the liver, biliary tract, intestines. They are accompanied by enzyme deficiency and poor absorption of nutrients in the small intestine.
• Diabetes mellitus. Due to insulin deficiency, glucose is not absorbed, and the body begins to draw energy from fat reserves, which affects body weight.
• Tumors. Cancer negatively affects hormonal levels, causes intoxication and digestive disorders, especially if localized in the stomach, pancreas or liver.

You can feed a cat high-calorie food intended for weight gain while also making sure it gets the proper ratio of nutrients to help it gain weight and get healthier. To pique its appetite, give it wet or dry food that has a higher fat and protein content. You might also want to serve it small, frequent meals. It can also be beneficial to add some treats or supplements that have been approved by the vet, but it’s crucial to speak with a vet to make sure your cat is progressing in a safe and healthy way.

What to feed a cat with natural feeding so that it gains weight?

Many times, pet owners think that feeding their cat fatty foods (lard, sour cream, pork) will help them overcome their weight deficit. This is untrue; eating fatty foods impairs the digestive tract’s ability to function, which affects the liver and pancreas. Cats should be fed high-energy, low-fat foods frequently. This should be done gradually. It is not recommended to serve dishes from the human table because they are high in fat, sugar, salt, and other ingredients that are toxic to cats.

See also: "Sanabel" brand of dry and semi-moist cat food: composition, class, and purpose (Bosch).

The staple foods of the diet are rabbit, veal, lamb, and chicken. Meat is served raw or boiled. To eliminate parasites, it is pre-frozen in the second instance. The animal can first be fed light chicken broth and baby food with meat if it is recovering from surgery, an illness, or extreme exhaustion.

You can give eggs, sea fish, and liver from cattle or chicken twice a week. Cereals (oats, rice, buckwheat) and low-fat dairy products (kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, and additive-free yogurt) should be included in the diet in addition to meat.

Contrary to popular belief, milk is not only bad for cats, but it can even be harmful because adult animals cannot digest lactose, which upsets their digestive systems when they consume it.

Review of high-calorie cat foods

Natural food can be substituted with high-calorie medicinal foods. They are made with balance and purpose in mind, so the animal can put on weight without the owner having to spend a lot of time cooking. There are lines of emaciated cats from several manufacturers. These foods are higher in calories, more palatable, and contain more protein. They include minerals and vitamins that are essential for healing.

Food with a pate consistency is better absorbed, so if the animal is extremely malnourished, it is best to start with canned food. They can be given via a syringe or feeding tube after being diluted with water. You can feed them to a kitten or an adult cat. These foods should not be consumed when suffering from pancreatic or liver diseases because they are high in fats and proteins.

Food from cans to gain weight:

• "Royal Canin Recovery". Well suited for animals with a reduced appetite – has good taste and is high in calories, so even a small amount of food will provide the pet with nutrients. It contains a complex of antioxidants that protect cells from oxidation, helping to strengthen the immune system.
• «Eukanuba High Calorie». It has a high level of nutrients and an optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Contains sugar beet pulp, which has a beneficial effect on intestinal function. Can be used as a therapeutic food for diabetes, heart disease and vascular diseases.
• «Hill’s a/d». Contains easily digestible components, a lot of protein, has a rich vitamin and mineral composition. The food is highly palatable.

See also: Grandorf cat and kitten food: types and composition, benefits and drawbacks, and comparison with other producers

Animals with a body weight deficit can be made fatter by feeding them the following dry food:

• «Royal Canin Convalescence Support Cat». Designed for recovery after illnesses and operations, suitable for exhausted animals. Allows you to quickly gain muscle mass due to the large amount of protein, has a pleasant taste, contains antioxidants and chondroitin, which improves the condition of joints and cartilage.
• "Eukanuba Renal". The food is suitable for cats whose thinness is associated with kidney and liver diseases. Contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.

• "RENAL SPECIAL RSF 26". Designed for pets with chronic renal failure, accompanied by loss of appetite and poor digestibility of food.
• "Royal Canin Senior Consult Stage 2 High Calorie". High-calorie food for cats over 7 years old. With age, the ability to digest fats decreases, so food should be more caloric. The product contains antioxidants and chondroprotectors, helps maintain normal kidney and urinary system function.

Give your cat high-calorie, nutrient-rich food if you want them to gain weight and get healthy. Select high-quality commercial feeds that are specifically made to help them gain weight, or supplement their diet with calorie-dense natural foods like cooked chicken or fish.

Make sure your cat eats small, frequent meals throughout the day by keeping a close eye on their eating habits. To promote a better appetite, always have fresh water available and make sure their surroundings are stress-free.

If you are changing your cat’s diet significantly, always get advice from a veterinarian. They can offer tailored guidance according to your pet’s weight and health objectives.

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