How to Help a Feline Gain Weight

While more cats are overweight than underweight, there are plenty of felines that struggle to put on pounds. It may be that the cat is a recent rescue or it is overcoming an illness. Or it may be nothing more serious than the cat being a finicky eater. Regardless of the reason you need to help your cat gain weight, the primary way to accomplish this---once you've ruled out the possibility of medical issues---is to increase your feline's caloric intake.

Things You'll Need

Chicken baby food (without onions)
Chicken broth
Canned cat food
Canned fish

Instructions

- 1
  Take your cat to the veterinarian to ensure there are no medical reasons for it being underweight.
- 2
  Have the veterinarian perform a fecal test to ensure there are no intestinal parasites that are robbing the cat of calories. If the cat does test positive for parasites, use the appropriate de-worming medication recommended by the veterinarian.
- 3
  Have the cat spayed/neutered. Constant fluctuations in hormones in animals that aren't altered burn calories.
- 4
  Discuss with your veterinarian adding supplements and vitamins to your cat's diet.
- 5
  Increase the caloric intake for your cat. If your cat is a finicky eater, try different types of foods. You can mix chicken baby food in with the cat's regular meals, pour chicken broth over its kibble, or mix some canned fish in with its dinner. Offer the cat canned foods instead of dry food.
- 6
  Ensure you're feeding your cat a high-quality cat food or discuss a homemade diet with your veterinarian. You may also want to discuss a prescription diet that is higher in calories with your veterinarian.
- 7
  Feed the cat often. Rather than one large meal a day, try offering your cat three or four meals throughout the day. Or, try free feeding, which simply means leaving food out at all times.
- 8
  Keep your cat indoors. Many cats that go outdoors eat bugs and reptiles that can cause weight loss.