A few of you already know I recently found out that my old cat has a thyroid disorder. He is taking meds now and has put on some weight. I can pet him now without feeling his bones. However, I would like him to gain a little more. I give him wet food whenever he wants it. Also, when I cook chicken or ground turkey I set some of that aside for him too. His dry food is down all the time and its not one of those foods that have a lof of fillers or anything.

I guess my question is if there is anything else I can feed this old man that will make him put on weight faster. If I can look at a piece of bread and gain weight I was thinking there was something that made cats do the same. Any ideas?

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What brand do you feed him?

is he putting on weight at a steady pace? maybe it'll take him a bit longer to reach the ideal weight with his diet now.

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[ do want ]
...: anything in a TTS 23-22 or SFAM kids sz 10-12 :...

I feed my cat Science Diet, the naturals stuff, and she loves it. We also alternate with the Purrrrfectly Fish wet food, and I always feed her twice a day. Treats help too, and some milk. Just a couple tablespoons warmed in the microwave for 8 seconds. Not more than that though because milk can upset their tummies. This is all just IMO. We (including kittie) love the Greenies treats.

I thought milk was absolutley terrible for cats?

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I must confess I'm here to kill the pain.

One of my cats has an overactive thyroid, which is why he went from chubby to lean. I don't know what my mom did, but I just remember that it took him awhile to gain some weight back. Now he's healthier, but not the little porker that he was before.

His sister on the other hand...still fat...and her metabolism has slowed down since my cats are both ten years old.

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Allie
Want: SFAM NYD Flip Flop A Pockets (24)

It's typically better if you give them the stuff specifically for cats, and you can get that at any pet store, but small amounts don't hurt them. I also don't give her milk everyday, it's more like a random treat every once in a while. See link below:

Cats Q and A - Is Milk Okay for my Cat?

Also like the article says, pay attention to your cat. If they seem to be having a digestive problem with it or it is giving them diarrhea then it's probably best to switch to cream or a cat specific milk.

I understand the premise of the special lactose-free cat milk, but I don't know the author of that article as I am skeptical to trust things from about.com

My vet has all ways told me it's one of the worst things for cats.

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I must confess I'm here to kill the pain.

How about some fatty fish?

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If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

vienna sausages.

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*Jesse*

I never give any of my cats milk. They can't handle it at all. I can't remember what brand of food he eats so I will have to look at the package. It is very expensive. I have been looking for a good replacement that does not have fillers and is not made by a company that does animal testing.

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Spam Light! or Plumrose Ham in a Can!

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I must confess I'm here to kill the pain.

Hmmm...well I am not an expert either, but I do think if your cat isn't having any diverse reactions to it, that it doesn't hurt. My kitty still uses her restroom regularly and has no issues, so I will continue to give it to her. If it becomes an issue we'll switch. But I think people saying milk is bad for cats is like how the news changes everyday with what's good/bad for us. Then next week it's the total opposite. Like I said, I just think it depends on the kitty and the owner's discretion, IMO

Did your vet tell you to fatten him up? I seem to remember that it's very dangerous for cats to lose/gain weight quickly, that it can kill them. I could be wrong.

BTW, cats are true carnivores, so definitely meat.

I think he would eat both. Anytime there is any meat around he goes ape shit over it. We can't even use the grill without harassment. If I am cooking meat inside while he is outside he peeks in the windows. About the only thing he wont eat is seafood. He does like fish though but I can't go buy him Mai Mai or anything. I have no idea if I spelled that right.

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Yes the vet said he needed to gain weight. He put on a little after just taking the pills for a few days. I am not trying to blow him up like a blimp though. I would just like him to gain about another pound.

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I want to see a pic of him. I love kitties. What's his name?

Here's a couple different ones not from about.com But I think you can find both sides to the argument. Some people are solidly against it, some people aren't. I think it depends on paying attention to your cat.

Can Cats Drink Milk?

Cat Milk

Cat Milk

Go to your vet and get some Hills a/d its made by Science Diet and is a special diet for sick debilitated animals that is very high in fat.

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WANTED LIST:
Rigid Earth Rainbows-24
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Rigid Pink Rainbows-24

Isn't that weird how they won't eat seafood? I thought it was a given until I tried some salmon and a little crab meat on Ela, and she wouldn't TOUCH it. I was making a chicken stock though and gave her some of the shredded chicken, and she gobbled it up. Weird... But she loves tuna out of the can, I haven't tried the whole stuff from the meat counter yet though.

I don't think that Hills Science Diet is really a good cat food at all. The smallest amount of research will tell you that. If you do a forum search for "cat food" or "dog food" you will find several "heated" threads concerning pet food.

Try salmon or tuna (with oil) out of the can. Its pretty cheap and it probably won't take much!! Maybe even some real, shredded cheese!

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At some places they play football, at ALABAMA, WE LIVE IT. 2009 & 2011 NCAA College Football National Champions.

Lawgal if you have links to any of that I would be more than interested. I did do research on food prior to getting Ela but we have only had her since March. I didn't find anything about it being bad for her. I tried some other stuff, I can't remember the name; but it was suppose to be top of the line and she HATED it. She wouldn't eat, and she would run around after you mewing constantly. I finally switched to SD and she likes that more than wet food. I don't know what to do, she's finicky.

I just did a forum search but the threads I was looking for didn't pop up. Perhaps Jenn will come back and we can ask her for the links.

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At some places they play football, at ALABAMA, WE LIVE IT. 2009 & 2011 NCAA College Football National Champions.

^^Science Diet isn't really the best stuff. I would recommend going to a pet food specialty store and getting some samples of high quality food. Brands like Innova, Felidae, Wellness, Wysong, etc. You won't find these in Petco or PetSmart. I would go with the samples first since your cat is finicky. You can also sweeten the pot so to speak by adding some tuna or clam juice or chicken broth. Sometimes cats prefer low quality foods because they are full of junk that may make it taste or smell better. It's sort of like how a toddler would rather have Doritos than broccoli.

To the OP: I know this sounds really obvious, but what about just giving him a little more food? Will he eat more? It's better for him to gain the weight gradually anyway. Or you can switch to a higher calorie formula.