Is My Cat Too Skinny?
Cats have different body types – there are fat cats, big cats, small cats, thin cats, and all those adjectives for cats out there! But when is thin too thin for cats? Is it something that should be dealt with accordingly? Is my cat too skinny? Well, let's find out, shall we?
Cat appearances vary because of the variation in body features brought about by the variation in cat breed. What is skinny in one cat breed may mean not skinny at all in another. It all depends on your cats’ body type, overall health, eating habits, and lifestyle.
Signs indicating that your cat is too skinny
Here are several signs that will tell you if your cat is skinny. These signs concern mostly about the physical appearance and physical deviation of your cat from other cats.
- You can see that your cat has a significantly very narrow waist as compared with other cats.
- The rib cage can be easily seen and is more prominent than most cats The shoulder blades are also protruding.
- The spine and the ribs can be seen, the outlines of these bones can be traced from the outside.
- There is a significant lack of fat on her back and ribs, which explains the protrusion of the bones found there. You will notice the lack of folds in your cat’s body.
- Your cat’s tummy is likely to be tucked in.
- Aside from significantly very narrow waist, you can also observe thinning on the neck area.
- By simply looking at your cat’s body shape and appearance, you can tell that it is too skinny if it deviates from the normal cat body shape that looks a lot like an hourglass.
How To Identify If They Are Skinny
If you are not satisfied with the indicators above, you can check and see for yourself. There are ways that you can do to gauge if your cat is indeed skinny compared to other cats.
1. Use your hands
Your hands can be a good way of gauging your cat’s body fat content. Cats with long coats will be difficult to weigh because it would mean the removal of fur to accurately get their weight. Using your hands, get a feel of your cat’s body – its ribs and its back.
Lightly do a rubbing motion to gauge if there is enough presence of fat that the ribs and the spine remain protected. If the spine and ribs are prominent and protruded, your cat could be skinny for its own good. Too much fat is also not ideal and helpful for your cat.
2. More bone examinations!
Just like how you check for fat content in areas near the ribs and the spine, you can also check areas around the pelvic bones and the shoulder blades. A skinny cat will be more angular and appear to be really bony due to the lack of layers of fat in their bodies.
3. Check for its diet
It is good to check for the nutritional content of the cat food you are giving your cat. If it has been your brand of cat food for the longest time, perhaps it is now the time for you to do away with it and look for other cat food that are healthy and contains the nutrients and minerals that your cats need.
What Could Probably Cause Your Cat to be Skinny?
1. Your cat is not getting the nutrients it needs
There is a possibility that despite the amount of cat food we feed our cats, it does not equate to them getting the nutrients they need to sustain their lives. There are specialized cat food made for weight gain. Perhaps you should try shifting to these cat food instead!
2. Level of activity
Check if your cat is extremely active and energetic. This can also become a probable cause as to why your cat is skinny. It may be burning all those calories because of the high levels of activity it engages itself in.
3. Fast metabolism
It is also possible that your cat’s metabolism works really well. That no matter how much food they eat, no matter how healthy and well balanced their diet is, it seems that efforts are all in vain. Consult your veterinarian to find out ways on how to help your cat put up that weight!
Round Up
There is more to your cat's health than simply looking at its appearance! Just make sure that your cat has all the necessary nutrients and vitamins it needs, and you're good to go!
