Expert: Tina - 4/4/2011

Question
why would my 9 month old female cat have normal size head and body and a small neck she is healthy has her shots and is wormed eats mostly hard food but is offered canned food twice a day but usually doesn't eat it she is playful and friendly her brothers neck is starting to look small also he is fixed and has shots and wormed

Answer
Hello,

THe neck shouldn't have much fat, so it is probably muscle that your cat is lacking. What food are you feeding her? She may be lacking protein. Please take a look at the following websites to learn more about cat nutrition and their need for a high protein diet:

http://www.catinfo.org

http://www.felinenutrition.net

Also you should have your vet test a fecal sample, because you say she is "wormed" but there are many kinds of worms and several  types of medication to kill the different kinds of worms. You should never give a cat a general "wormer" because those are not very effective and they can be dangerous. It is better to de-worm a cat only if you know for sure she does have worms and you know exactly what kind.

Good luck!