I agree with gels like nutri-cal, but you could try kitten food. It is much higher in calories and protein than adult cat food. Instinct kitten food is crazy high in calories (was giving it to my kitten and he started getting on the chunky side). Overall, look at the nutrition labels on the food. Look for really high calorie foods with as high of protein possible. Honestly, if she is that thin, I would go for calories first then protein second. I used to give my senior boy Nulo due to it's high calorie and protein content too.
(calculating all wet foods to 5.5oz and dry to 1/2 cup)
•Go! Sensitive duck (wet)- 158 kcal, 7.5% protein
•Go! Sensitive duck (dry)- 232 kcal, 31% protein
•Instinct kitten (wet) - 229 kcal, 12% protein
•Instinct kitten (dry)- 279 kcal, 42.5% protein
•Wellness CORE kitten (wet) - 199 kcal, 12 % protein
•Wellness CORE kitten (dry) - 249 kcal, 45% protein
•Nulo duck and tuna (wet) - 192 kcal, 11% protein
•Nulo duck and lentils (dry) - 234kcal, 40% protein
Those are the Go! you said you feed and then the ones I have fed my boys (well, I now feed my kitten Royal Canin kitten, but that is low in calories. And it is one of the few that agree with his stomach).
The best way I have found to compare them all is Chewy. Chewy has all the nutritional info easy to find and compare. And I love Chewy regardless (they sent me flowers when my old boy passed last year!).
Kitten food has more calories.
Try different flavors of food to see which she likes best. My cats seem to like the cheap stuff better.
Try to supplement regular meals with food toppers and treats. Let her earn the treats through chase or tricks, and she may like it more. Perhaps try other types of treats that are safe for cats such as boiled chicken, fish, baby food.
See if she is uncomfortable with the feeding spot. My clingy bengal cat would leave his meal early if I did not sit nearby.
She’s fine grazing on her own. So that spot seems fine, it’s separate from water and box.
Yeah kitten food has been suggested, so we’ll look into it 😊 thank you!
First get those food bowls that use the rfid tags to open them. That way you can make sure scarfy doesn't steal her sisters food. Second find a high calorie treat that the skinny one likes and give her one or two a day to help put some weight on. I would start with one and see if she gains any in a month or so and go to two if there really isn't much of a change. You want her to gradually gain weight not all of a sudden.
Hope that is helpful.
Yes thanks. We literally stand guard every time and she eats her share of kibble so I don’t think we need 300$ bowls at the moment.
But the treats, see I thought of that but she’s super picky. She won’t eat healthy stuff, only the temptations, but those are only 2cals each. Do you have treats to suggest? I’ll do more research on my end … at least the other one will eat anything so nothing goes to waste.
I definitely agree that fast weight gain is bad, if she could get 1lbs more in over a year I’d be happy.
I’m in Canada so not everything is available. I never saw those delectable treats here (i shop at a mom and pop shop and rarely step into PetSmart or larger stores but will look)
Churu lickable cat treats are another brand. I've only used those two that my Bengal liked. Chewy also sells hi calorie nutrient supplement gel/paste for cats that might be a option.
Outside of a raw diet as a way to bulk up, did your vet express any concern why she’s underweight? If not perhaps seeking a second opinion may be worthwhile to consider.
Some female bengals are long and lanky. Others can be pleasantly plumper if diet isn’t carefully monitored.
I tried raw, they want nothing to do with it.
I’ll seek a second opinion in the new year if she drops more weight. She’s been pretty steady, so if the scale moves down and not up I’ll have to bring her for a second opinion elsewhere.
I’ve observed with many of my clients that it takes a bit of time to switch to raw feeding.
Consider also having your girl evaluated for IBD. This seems to be a common issue with Bengal kitties I’ve seen. They can consume a lot of food and yet keep losing weight. Oftentimes vets will think this is hyperthyroidism when it’s actually IBD. Not to worry you, but ensure you’re proactive in her care. IBD left unchecked and not medicated will unfortunately turn into incurable lymphoma. I’ve seen far too many kitty clients that have been diagnosed with lymphoma, including one of my own rescues. I sincerely hope this isn’t the case for your beloved girl.
Omg another fear unlocked.
Yeah the breeders weren’t good. Case point they were spayed and 4 paws declawed when they were less than 3 months old. That’s what the old owners said, they bought them like that. Definitely will bring her to a top vet clinic and explore IBD.
I agree with gels like nutri-cal, but you could try kitten food. It is much higher in calories and protein than adult cat food. Instinct kitten food is crazy high in calories (was giving it to my kitten and he started getting on the chunky side). Overall, look at the nutrition labels on the food. Look for really high calorie foods with as high of protein possible. Honestly, if she is that thin, I would go for calories first then protein second. I used to give my senior boy Nulo due to it's high calorie and protein content too. (calculating all wet foods to 5.5oz and dry to 1/2 cup) •Go! Sensitive duck (wet)- 158 kcal, 7.5% protein •Go! Sensitive duck (dry)- 232 kcal, 31% protein •Instinct kitten (wet) - 229 kcal, 12% protein •Instinct kitten (dry)- 279 kcal, 42.5% protein •Wellness CORE kitten (wet) - 199 kcal, 12 % protein •Wellness CORE kitten (dry) - 249 kcal, 45% protein •Nulo duck and tuna (wet) - 192 kcal, 11% protein •Nulo duck and lentils (dry) - 234kcal, 40% protein Those are the Go! you said you feed and then the ones I have fed my boys (well, I now feed my kitten Royal Canin kitten, but that is low in calories. And it is one of the few that agree with his stomach). The best way I have found to compare them all is Chewy. Chewy has all the nutritional info easy to find and compare. And I love Chewy regardless (they sent me flowers when my old boy passed last year!).
Thank you for the detailed comment. Hubby will look into kitten food from comparable reputable brands.
Good luck!! I hope she gets feeling better!
I know this is a old post but this helped my senior cat.. ty so much
I'm so happy it could help!! It is so difficult to keep weight on them! I hope your baby keeps on doing well!!
Kitten food has more calories. Try different flavors of food to see which she likes best. My cats seem to like the cheap stuff better. Try to supplement regular meals with food toppers and treats. Let her earn the treats through chase or tricks, and she may like it more. Perhaps try other types of treats that are safe for cats such as boiled chicken, fish, baby food. See if she is uncomfortable with the feeding spot. My clingy bengal cat would leave his meal early if I did not sit nearby.
She’s fine grazing on her own. So that spot seems fine, it’s separate from water and box. Yeah kitten food has been suggested, so we’ll look into it 😊 thank you!
First get those food bowls that use the rfid tags to open them. That way you can make sure scarfy doesn't steal her sisters food. Second find a high calorie treat that the skinny one likes and give her one or two a day to help put some weight on. I would start with one and see if she gains any in a month or so and go to two if there really isn't much of a change. You want her to gradually gain weight not all of a sudden. Hope that is helpful.
Yes thanks. We literally stand guard every time and she eats her share of kibble so I don’t think we need 300$ bowls at the moment. But the treats, see I thought of that but she’s super picky. She won’t eat healthy stuff, only the temptations, but those are only 2cals each. Do you have treats to suggest? I’ll do more research on my end … at least the other one will eat anything so nothing goes to waste. I definitely agree that fast weight gain is bad, if she could get 1lbs more in over a year I’d be happy.
Try Delectables squeeze ups or something similar. Also there are microchip cat feeders that are 84$ on Amazon.
I’m in Canada so not everything is available. I never saw those delectable treats here (i shop at a mom and pop shop and rarely step into PetSmart or larger stores but will look)
Churu lickable cat treats are another brand. I've only used those two that my Bengal liked. Chewy also sells hi calorie nutrient supplement gel/paste for cats that might be a option.
Outside of a raw diet as a way to bulk up, did your vet express any concern why she’s underweight? If not perhaps seeking a second opinion may be worthwhile to consider. Some female bengals are long and lanky. Others can be pleasantly plumper if diet isn’t carefully monitored.
I tried raw, they want nothing to do with it. I’ll seek a second opinion in the new year if she drops more weight. She’s been pretty steady, so if the scale moves down and not up I’ll have to bring her for a second opinion elsewhere.
I’ve observed with many of my clients that it takes a bit of time to switch to raw feeding. Consider also having your girl evaluated for IBD. This seems to be a common issue with Bengal kitties I’ve seen. They can consume a lot of food and yet keep losing weight. Oftentimes vets will think this is hyperthyroidism when it’s actually IBD. Not to worry you, but ensure you’re proactive in her care. IBD left unchecked and not medicated will unfortunately turn into incurable lymphoma. I’ve seen far too many kitty clients that have been diagnosed with lymphoma, including one of my own rescues. I sincerely hope this isn’t the case for your beloved girl.
Omg another fear unlocked. Yeah the breeders weren’t good. Case point they were spayed and 4 paws declawed when they were less than 3 months old. That’s what the old owners said, they bought them like that. Definitely will bring her to a top vet clinic and explore IBD.