Why is my cat so thin and how can I help him gain healthy weight?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Male | neutered | 6 years old
My 6 year old cat seems too thin. I can feel his spine, ribs, and hips quite easily. Last year I mentioned this to his vet and he agreed that he was a bit thin. On a body composition of 1 to 9 Choo Choo was a 4. He wasn't overly concerned at the time. Choo hasn't got any fat on him. What causes this? Should I be concerned? How can I put some fat/weight on his bones (only a little because too much isn't good)?
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 28th, 2019
Cats can be thin for a variety of reasons. Make sure he has been checked for parasites or dewormed recently. Some cats will also become thin due to kidney disease or hyperthyroidism. Sometimes this can happen even before kidney disease begins. Any GI disease will also cause a thin body. Lastly, some cats have a fast metabolism. Make sure Choo Choo's bloodwork is all normal and that parasites are not a concern. Then you may try focusing on nutrition. I recommend the brand Royal Canin. It's diets are all tested and formulated to contain appropriate protein levels that are high quality and easy to digest. Feed one of the higher calorie diets available. This may help to put weight on him. You can also supplement with a high calorie canned like A/D or R/S.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on April 27th, 2019
Poor Choo Choo. I am sorry to hear he is having weight difficulties. I would strongly recommend that you take him in to your regular veterinarian for a thorough physical examination and some bloodwork. They can check for things like kidney disease and hyperthyroidism that can lead to excessive weight loss. Cardiac disease, dental disease and cancer can also be disease processes that could cause weight loss. If your veterinarian does not find any evidence of disease, they may recommend some diet changes to encourage extra calorie intake. I hope Choo Choo feels better soon.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on July 2nd, 2017
Not eating is a serious matter in cats. They cannot go more than a few days without eating or they risk liver damage. You might consider getting him seen by your vet for an exam and bloodwork to rule out any medical conditions that might cause him to not want to eat and be thin. If he is very active, this too will contribute to his inability to gain weight. Feed the highest quality pet food you can afford. My personal favorite brands re Science Diet and Royal Canin, both of these have money-back guarantees if you cat doesn't like them. Try enticing your pet to eat with beef or chicken baby food that does not contain onion or garlic powder. Onion and garlic causes anemia. Warm it in the microwave for a few seconds. Stir it with your finger first to make sure there are no hot spots and that it isn't too hot. This makes it more aromatic and appealing to your pet. Wetting dry food or mixing wet food with low sodium chicken broth, also warmed, might entice your pet to eat.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on April 24th, 2018
If your cat is losing weight because of a poor appetite I would be concerned that there is an underlying issue going on. This could be anything - a metabolic issue (like diatbetes or hyperthyroidism), a infectious disease, or an autoimmune disease (like irritable bowel). I would recommend taking Trio in to the vet to be examined and have some lab work performed. In the meantime you can encourage him to eat by offering him canned kitten food which has more calories than regular cat food. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
My cats is very skinny and not gaining weight at all, we've fed him all different types of soft and hard food, we have even tried dieabetic cat food and has not shown signs of gaining any weight
He weights 3.95 kg ( 4.3 pounds ). He looks pretty thin to me. How can I know if it's normal and enough?
My cat Choo Choo is a 5 year old neutered male. I've had him since he was about 10 weeks old. In the last few months I've noticed that his body looks as though he has been losing weight. He had his yearly checkup and vaccinations two days ago. I men
My cat is finicky and thin what should I feed him
Hi, took in a stray cat 4 weeks ago. Took to vet had all shots. Is getting along great with our other two cats. Does not have much of an apatite. Very skinny, no worms. Other 2 cats nice and plump. How can we get out new cat to eat? He is abou
My cat is 7 years old and very skinny. I took her to the vet in my town and she weighed 5lbs. They gave her food (hills), but it didn't make her gain weight at all. She always seems cold and walking to her seems very uncomfortable. (I also should men
My cat is a male orange short hair and he is at least 15 years old. Hes a rescue so we cant know for sure. I regularly feed him 2 small cans of wet food per day and he has a bowl of dry kibble that I leave out all day. He eats both cans of food and n
My cat is not gaining weight. He eats ok. But it seems like he isn5 gaining. He is active
Hi! I just adopted a rescued 9 yo male cat. He is very skinny and barely has muscle on his back legs. He also had FUS and had a surgery to relocate his urethra. I would appreciate any advice on how to feed him and any other recommendations
My cat is very skinny and she eats soooo much any food recommendations for high fatty foods?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
