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About Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.

Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Cats > Cats > Stray cat suffering weight loss

Cats - Stray cat suffering weight loss

Expert: Norman Auspitz - 10/29/2009

Question
Hi,
Thank you in advance, I have found a really underweight kitty about age 8/10 yrs. He is of small stature but weighs only 3.9lb all bones are visable aswell as palpable. almost no muscle tone he is more alert after a small meal walking around. But he is still lethargic and wobbly he has had diarrhea aswell. I need advice on how to feed him so as to gain weight but not cause any side effects he has seen a vet who suggested chicken and rice or potato also what do i need to look out for regarding problems he may encounter.

Thank you Kara-lee.

Answer
Kara-lee,

I am surprised the vet did not do more. However, the best thing to put muscle tone back on a kitty is raw meat, If you do not have access to raw meat for pets, you can feed boiled chicken or rabbit. I would also go to your friendly neighborhood pet supermarket and get a kitty vitamin which he will eat, especially if he is getting raw meat. In addition, supplementing with bone emal powder would also help.

In the longer run, it is vital to find out what is causing the diarrhea and the weight loss and treat for that. My guess is a stry kitty would have intestinal parasites which are probabl;y getting as much out of what you are feeding as your kitty is. There are fairly easy treatments for round worms and tape worms which are fairly benign to the kitty, but will get rid of the worms.

Rice and potato are next to useless in a cats diet. The rice will help stop the diarhea, but, as I said before, without knowing the cause, that may not be a good course of action.

At this point, he needs to be fed many small meals in the course of a day to see if he can begin to recover. Although I am not a vet, I would also suspect some kidney involvement in all this which could also result in severe weight loss.

Concerned regards... Norm.

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