Food to fatten up a scrawny one...

[Lorifrances]

Hi, my 12 year old indoor Persian recently had a bad bout of vomiting a few weeks ago (turned out the Nutro dry food was making him sick as well as a certain Fancy Feast wet food Turkey & Giblets). Due to that ordeal, he seems noticably kind of scrawny where I can feel his spine more than I used to when I pet him, Gizmo. He used to be kind of smooth and hefty.
So I was wondering if anyone knows of a type of food that is rich in calories yet safe for a sensitive stomach. It dawned on me when I was in bed that this would be the perfect place to ask. I kind of feel a little nervous that he's not more filled out. I've been giving him some 'special diet' turkey & giblets Friskies and Purina Naturals dry kibble which never gives him trouble.
I'd feel more peace of mind though to beef this guy up!
thanks for any advice:), Lori

[Catty1]

Ask your vet about Hills A/D. It's post-surgery food and is crammed with all sorts of good stuff. Your vet should carry it, and hopefully will recommend it for a few weeks until Gizmo is nice and round again! :)

[critters]

I'd go with feeding more of the usual food if he has stomach problems; eating supercharged stuff like Nutri-Cal has been known to make some of mine squirty. :(

[kb2yjx]

I think I'd start out with a visit to the vet. Your boy may have an underlying medical problem, like hyperthyroid or even kidney disease.Gizmo may have been losing weight all along, but the vomiting just brought that fact out. Then you also will have the opportunity to talk to the vet about what to feed Gizmo. Gizmo is an older fellow, and that is usually the time these problems show up. Good luck and please let us know how things turn out...

[GILL]

I agree the frist place to start is a vist to the vet. Our Little Bear was very thin ( 6 lb ) and feeding a kitten. Our vet recomended that we start her on kitten food, she is still feeding the kitten but she has also gained 1.5 lb over the last 3 weeks. Her coat is now shinny and soft. The kitten food is high vitamin and high fat. We will be feeding it untill the kitten is weened. I hope to get upto about 9-10 lb.
Again please check with your vet.

[momtomany]

I agree that you should check with you vet to make sure there are not any underlying problems. It is better to be safe rather than sorry. Please keep us posted.

[columbine]

It's true - a cat can be thin for so many reasons! Your vet can decode the situation and recommend the right kind of food.

Love, Columbine

[Lorifrances]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful replies. I think that only makes sense to let a vet evaluate Gizmo as a cat his age will be prone to diseases like kidney problems etc. I almost wish that when you buy an animal or adopt one, that they would give you a pamphlet on how to take care of your animal beyond the obvious basics. I had another dear cat that was almost humanlike in her ability to sense people's moods and was like a 'referee' whenever one of the other cats were being a bully. Anyhow I didn't realize that she'd dramatically cut back eating and by the time she saw the vet, I was so depressed and stunned to learn there is a certain kind of liver disease where the fat builds up suddenly in that organ when a cat stops eating for even a couple days. (we had to incorporate my brother's three cats for awhile and it threw her for a loop so she'd taken to being super reclusive). Plus the problems with urinary blockages, I had another cat that had that and I thought I was doing fine giving him a good quality dry food and avoiding the so-called more calorie dense wet foods. There are just so many things a new pet owner really should be made aware of.
I'm just glad to have these boards as a resource, too bad I didn't have this back then! Thanks again everyone for your advice and for the interest you took. I didn't expect to find so many replies. I really appreciate it!:love:

[kb2yjx]

O, yes!! We have had several cats with Hepatic Lipidosis(fatty liver). Unfortunately, Nicholas had it last December, but did not make it. The others did.....Good luck with Gizmo!!! ANd please keep us posted!!!! Is he still vomiting????

[Catty1]

Any news on Gizmo? :)