Why is my spayed cat gaining weight even though she barely eats?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | 1 year and 6 months old | 15 lbs
Have a spayed female, bearly eats maybe about a cup of dry food every 2 days. She drinks plant of water, pops are normal. She is heavy she weighs 15 ld she she has a little bone structure how do I help her lose weight if she wont eat?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 7th, 2018
If she eats very little but still gains a lot of weight it is not normal, she could be suffering from hypothyroidism which is an hormonal disease. you need to take her to the vet ASAP in order to have a blood test done first.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on December 13th, 2017
Her weight may be ideal for her. It is hard to say without seeing a picture of her. I would recommend reposting a pic of Shenzi so that we can determine her body codition score. She likely weighs a perfect amount but your perception is a bit skewed because you are used to seeing a bit of an overweight pet. We look forward to hearing back from you soon. Best wishes and take care.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Savvy got spayed a week ago ive noticed shes lost weight is this normal? She eats constantly!!! Poor thing looks like shes emaciated
It’s not normal for a pet to lose weight after being spayed. In fact most cats have a weight gaining problem after they get altered. I would recommend having her examined by your vet and also to have her stool checked for parasites. Most weight loss is due to an intestinal worm in pets this young. I hope everything works out well for your pet Savannah. Best wishes and take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My cat that is approximately 12 months old and fairly recently spayed seems to have `suddenly` put on a lot of weight compared to how she has been through the summer, and she has a very good appetite. I rescued her when I found her in my garden, lo
Hello thank you for your question. It is possible that the recent weight gain is secondary to her history of being spayed. Slaying removes the majority of sex hormones from circulation. One of the effects of these hormones is boosting the metabolic rate. This means that Puss’ metabolism is likely slower now that she doesn’t have these hormones. If Puss is becoming overweight I would recommend making a small decrease in the amount of food that you offer to her. If she is a good weight now, I would try continuing to feed her the same amount and keeping a close eye on her weight overall. Hope this helps, good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat seems to be gaining weight after being spayed. She gets lots of exercise. I don't want her to become obese. What can I do?
Cats can be prone to weight gain after being spayed due to the hormonal changes this causes. I would recommend switching her to a weight management food that is lower in calories than a regular adult diet. If you are able to, feeding her canned food only will also help, since canned food is less calorie dense due to its water content. If you want to leave some dry food out for her, consider feeding it from a puzzle toy like an Eggcersizer or Kibble Nibble - this way, she has to play with the toy to get the food out, which provides her with some additional exercise and also limits how much she can eat at a time.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My female cat mittens who is 2 years old, I just got her fixed at the beginning of June. Mind you she was a very petite cat. Well gradually she started gaining quite a bit of weight since shes been fixed, I know cats gain weight but Im just not sure
Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. On average, most normal sized cats should be between 8 and 12 pounds. Any cat over 12 pounds (unless it is a large breed cat like a Maine Coon) would be considered overweight. So, Mittens is at the high end of the range already. Based on the photos she does look to be overweight. Due to her body frame I would say 10-11 pounds would be a more ideal weight for her. You just need to cut back on her food. Typically wet food is very high in calories so I suggest you cut that way back or stop giving it all together. My recommendation would be to work with your vet on weight loss if you attempt to get her to lose weight and she doesn't. Sometimes a prescription weight loss diet is needed. Many cats are just vocal - it doesn't mean they are hungry. If you give in to her every time she begs you she will continue to gain weight. Many times it is not food they are after is that they are getting something from you (it's like a type of bonding). You man
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is probably a coupple pounds overweight according to our vet. However, I just looked up the suggested serving size (for indoor cats) for the specific cat food he is eating and he’s eating less that he should if he was two pounds lighter (the w
The first thing I would ask myself in these sorts of situations is if there is ANY POSSIBLE WAY he is getting food from any other sources. This can include other people, hunting, scavenging on the ground, the garbage, etc etc. If this is not possible, then he may just have a slower metabolism that a cat normally would for this young of an age. You are right in saying that hypothyroidism is rare in cats, to the point where I have not really ever met someone who has diagnosed this without the help of a surgical complication. There are other metabolic disorders and organ dysfunction that can result in weight gain, all of which would require further investigating with your regular veterinarian or through an internal medicine specialist. Hope this makes sense.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
I am a little worried about my cats weight? She seems to be really lanky and you can really feel her hip bones. She is a small cat and always has food in her dish available but she just seems thin and boney. I'm pretty sure she was the runt of the li
Overall being thin could be a result of an underlying metabolic, endocrine, or gastro-intestinal issue. (such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes,or inflammatory bowel disease) It would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian, and consider having blood work and urine tests run to see if there are any abnormalities. She is listed as unspayed--keep in mind that metabolism tends be slower once they are spayed. If everything on her lab work checks out to be normal, I would recommend you have her spayed for her overall health and for pet over-population concerns; another positive for her may be weight gain! Thanks for asking Boop by Petco!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
I have 4 cats all 18 years old. One was a stray I've had for more than 19 years. He is painfully thin. They are all neutered or spayed and the others are all normal if not slightly overweight. The thin guy eats a great deal more than the others,
In senior cats who eat but don't gain weight, there are three common conditions that could be causing it: Diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney failure. It could also be caused by cancer. Amigo needs to see a vet, and I would take him into one today. I recommend getting a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis, which can test for those three diseases I mentioned above. If cancer is suspected, that will require more testing. Once a diagnosis is reached, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
For the last 9 - 10 month, my 11 year old neutered cat has been eating more and more. He isn't gaining weight or losing it. He howls when he wants more food. I offer wet and dry food. He will eat some dry food but mostly wet.
Increased appetite and no weight gain (or even weight loss) could be commonly due to a metabolic/endocrine disorder like diabetes mellitus or hyperthyroidism. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Blood test will be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat eats continuously since she had uterus removed a year go. I'm aware of illnesses she can develop. Any advice for Miss Piggy? She now weighs 14 lb. and waddles when she walks! Tony
Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Miss Piggy. I love her name! Very cute, Tony, and she is beautiful. I would speak to her vet about putting her on a weight loss cat food, and feeding her twice a day with measured amounts. That way, you can control what she is eating, and how much she is eating. You can also try to get her some exercise by playing with her. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Good day I had Kleintjie spayed recently. About 3 weeks ago. We gave her deworming tablet abouf 6 weeks ago and with being sprayed all her injections is also up to date. She is loosing weight and eating her food in the morning as if she is starved. S
She could have a different type of intestinal parasite that the particular dewormer you gave did not cover. If she is really active she could just be going through a little growth spurt and expending a lot of energy/calories. You could start offering her canned food twice a day as well as the dry food. Be sure she is still on a kitten food as it has more calories per serving. If she is still losing weight, I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to do a fecal and even bloodwork to look for other causes of weight loss. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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