[Boncatgirl]

I have two cats one is an Adult and the other is a kitten. Both of them are underweight. I have been buying treats for them to help them gain weight but they're not really improving. I don't know what else to do. I leave their reg. food out for them all day long. My adult cat I feed her Speical Kitty Food. My kitten I feed him Kitten Chow.

[koriani]

Boncatgirl,

The first thing you should do is upgrade their diets. Special Kitty is one of the worst cat foods you can buy. Too many fillers and preservatives, not enough nutrition.

Rule of Thumb: The cheaper the cat food, the worse it is for your cat. The doctor at the clinic where I work always likes to say... "You can pay for it now, or pay me later" meaning that spending a bit extra on good food will save you hundreds of dollars and lots 'o heartache later by helping to prevent food related health problems.

My highest recommendation is Iams Hairball (or any of the Iams flavors if they don't like Hairball). Iams is easier for cats to digest and they absorb the nutrients easier which means they don't have to eat as much. It helps their stools smell better and you'll see a huge difference in their skin/coat condition as well.

If the cats have never been dewormed, that should be done as well. Don't use the over-the-counter stuff available at Wal-Mart... that stuff is practically worthless and can actually cause problems. Drontal (available at your local vet) is an effective triple dewormer that take care of Tapeworms (they get those from fleas), Roundworms, and Hookworms which are the most common type found in cats.

Also available at most pet stores and veterinarians is a product called Nutri-Cal. It's a high calorie nutritional supplement that will help your cats put on weight. I'd only use it until they put on a pound or two.

How much do your cat's weigh? An adult cat should weigh, on average, about 10 to 12 pounds. Kittens generally gain about a pound a month until they get about 8 to 10 months then they slow down.

Try to stay away from canned food as it is about 80% water with little nutritional value. It does have a high calorie content, but can promote plaque and tarter buildup on teeth as well as spoiling their appetite for the healthier dry foods.

I hope this helps. Let us know how it works out!

[Boncatgirl]

My cats are doing better and gaining weight. Thanks for the advice.