[The Minkey]

Back in the late Spring when my youngest was still a kitten of 5 months or so, he would turn up his nose at food and it was really hard to get him to eat. At 6 months, on his return from being neutered, he suddenly seemed quite skinny. The vet didn't think there was an issue, and said stuff like he's the correct weight for his age, failing to take into account that he'd been a very big kitten and hadn't actually put any significant weight on since he was about 4 months. So of course I was concerned even if the vet wasn't.

Well, what I eventually found that worked, even now when he occasionally does a 'picky' thing, is to give him one of his Natures Menu treats near his bowl. Once he's started the process of eating, he moves on to his main meal with gusto. It's almost like he needs reminding what to do. Has anyone else had a kitten/cat that does this? Anyway, I thought I'd share this tip in case it helps someone else.

 

[Treaclesmum]

At 5 to 6 months, they are teething and will sometimes have a sore mouth or a loose tooth. Mine were the same at that age. Kittens often grow lengthwise instead of filling out, and then they fill out later

Did the vet actually weigh him and say he'd not put weight on since 4 months? If he was big for his age then, he may just be levelling out now.

Mine sometimes need to be encouraged to eat - in fact Jumpy today, who's just had an operation, had to be tempted with some pate before he would eat his main food - then he started eating it!! I think sometimes they are scared of food if they've had any soreness related to eating, and they need to be shown that it doesn't bite!!

 

[The Minkey]

Yes, I assumed he was having eating issues because he was teething so I didn't worry too much at first. It was when his hip bones seemed to be sticking out with no apparant increase in overall size that I got worried.

Actually, I started to think I was being over-anxious seeing as no one else in my house seemed to think there might be an issue, neither did the vet. So, I took Kato back in to get his gums checked and while we were there, I pressed the point home by asking them to check how much he weighed when he was last there - at about 4 months when he'd had the second part of his jabs - and his weight had changed by only a couple of pounds or so which they finally conceded wasn't very much.

So my poor boy went from being a very large kitten to being a relatively small 1 year old. I've got no worries about him now though, he's very stocky, muscular, and full of beans