The Best High Calorie Cat Food for the Underweight Feline

If you are concerned about your cat’s weight, then along with a vet check, switching to high calorie cat foods is a good route to take. We look at what may be causing your cat’s weight loss and how to choose the best weight gain diet.

Before you opt for specific cat food for weight gain, you need to make sure it is appropriate for your pet. And that means determining whether your cat is actually underweight. Ideally, your cat should be sleek with an athletic body but this normal shape may not always be immediately obvious depending on their breed or coat type.

Knowing the typical weight for your cat breed is a good place to start as you can quickly monitor them if you suspect there has been too much weight loss. There are also some physical checks you can do. To evaluate whether your cat is underweight, you should assess the following:

• Their Ribs

Run your hand over your cat’s side. In a healthy cat, you should feel a natural ‘ripple’ of their ribs, but it shouldn’t be too pronounced. You should also be able to feel some soft flesh between the rib cage and skin. If you can feel too much rib and little or no flesh, then your cat is under its normal weight.

• Their Spine

Now run your hand down the full length of your kit’s spine. You should be able to feel the vertebrae but not too much bone. If your cat’s spine feels very knobbly or there’s no discernible flesh between their vertebrae and skin, then it’s likely that your cat is underweight.

• Their Skin

While a cat’s skin gets looser with age, in a healthy adult cat their fur and skin should wrap their body neatly, and tuck in closely against their undercarriage. So, if your cat has skin that feels excessively loose, with little fat underneath, their weight has become an issue you need to address.

With the average weight of a domestic cat around 10 pounds, even a pound underweight can be a significant loss. And if your cat has lost more than 10% of their healthy body weight, this should be a cause for concern. There are numerous reasons why your cat may be losing weight or be unable to put weight on so if you are worried or the weight loss has been rapid, then a visit to the veterinarian is the best thing to do.

But to help you understand what may be going on, here are the most common causes of unintentional weight loss in cats.

• Old Age

As cats age they tend to lose their muscle mass and start to look a little scrawny – this is known as sarcopenia. This reduction in body condition is most likely because senior cats are not as efficient in metabolizing their food, so can’t store the energy as well.

• Younger Cats

Kittens require more calories than adult cats as they are growing and developing so need all the energy their diet should provide. So, if a kitten is being fed a poor diet or insufficient quantities of food to support their development, they can experience weight loss.

• Underlying Health Issues

If your cat is underweight, especially if the weight loss is sudden, then an underlying health issue could be the root cause. The most common health reasons for feline weight loss include diabetes, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), chronic kidney disease, gum disease, and cancer. Some viruses as well as neurologic or central nervous system disorders can also cause your sick cat to shed weight.

• Stress or Anxiety

Anxiety, stress, or depression can reduce your cat’s appetite or cause them to avoid their food bowl. Issues such as whisker fatigue or competition from other cats who may be bullying your pet or stealing their food can also lead to weight loss due to insufficient calorie intake.

• Intestinal Parasites

Certain parasitic infections such as intestinal worms can cause gastro infections or distress, which may lead to unexpected weight loss. If you suspect parasites, keep an eye out for other symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, or vomiting, and always ensure your cat’s worming program is up to date.

As well as seeking veterinary advice, switching your underweight cat to a high-calorie diet is a good way to help cats gain weight.

High-calorie cat food is not as simple as looking for a high number of calories in a recipe, as you need to ensure these calories are coming from the very best sources. And the core ingredient to any high-calorie cat food is quality animal protein.

Not only will a good source of animal protein add the calories and energy your cat needs but the amino acids will also support their muscle condition. Animal protein in more calorific foods also provides the right fats as well as micronutrients your carnivore cat needs for good health. However, you should avoid a calorie-rich cat food that includes excessive carbs as your cat is not very efficient at processing carbohydrates so won’t necessarily gain weight.

Your cat should have the body condition and energy levels to be an active and happy cat at every life stage. So, maintaining their weight is not just about how they look but also how healthy they are on the inside.

After ruling out any underlying health conditions, a cat that's struggling to maintain body weight should be given an appropriate high-calorie diet to gain weight. A high-calorie diet for weight gain contains higher levels of fat and protein than ordinary cat food to help your pet to gain weight. But it's important to ensure the cat food is also nutritionally balanced, so your pet is getting all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they need for good all-round health.

High-calorie products can be used short-term, for example after a period of illness to bring your pet back up to their optimum weight. Alternatively, for underweight cats who struggle to keep on weight due to their age or are picky eaters, a high-calorie diet can be used long-term to ensure your cat can gain weight then maintain a healthy body condition.

If you are concerned about your cat’s weight, a trip to the vet is always advised. As well as appropriate treatment, your veterinarian may also advise putting your pet onto high-calorie food for weight gain. Here are the main things to consider when buying cat food with higher calories:

• Protein

The cat food must have a high-quality protein from an animal source as its number one ingredient. Protein is needed by your underweight cat to support lean muscle mass.

• Carbohydrates

Any carb included in the recipe should be cat appropriate. And avoid any cat foods that have excessive carbs as fillers to boost the calorific value.

• Fiber

Your cat needs to be able to digest their food easily so look for a source of fiber that will help to maintain healthy digestion.

• Nutritionally Balanced

As well as calories, your underweight cat needs all those essential vitamins and minerals for energy, immune system support, and good health.

• Non-Allergenic

The last thing you want for your underweight pet is a negative reaction to their cat foods. Ensuring their diet is safe with ingredients that are appropriate for your cat, especially if they have known food allergies, will help prevent digestive issues which could put them off their food.

• Your Cat’s Specific Needs

If your cat has an underlying health issue that is contributing to their weight loss, then you need to ensure the high-calorie cat food is appropriate to their specific dietary needs while supporting weight gain. Cats with chronic kidney disease, for example, also need a diet that is also low in phosphorus.

• It’s Appetizing

Many underweight cats also experience a loss in appetite, so the best food for weight gain in cats should also look, smell, and taste good and also have a texture that is appealing for them to eat.

1. Hilary Parker (Reviewed by Amy Flowers, DVM), Unexplained, sudden weight loss in cats, Pets WebMD
2. Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN, How to Assess Your Cat's Weight, WikiHow