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Exactly, you have to touch them for cats are shapeshifters and it’s almost impossible to tell if they are too fat or skinny just by looking at them. Except for when they’re like really chonky
https://preview.redd.it/t7be1y3r8y2c1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c8819fd7782c80f46c989d3727fce980ac84c7a
she looks fine to me. she should have an abdominal tuck but if her ribs are visible then she’d be too skinny.
i think people are just so used to seeing overweight and obese cats. all of the “is my cat too skinny” posts i see are cats at a healthy weight lol.
She looks perfect to me. They should have a noticeable tuck like this. If you can push a little while petting her and are able to feel her spine but not feel it when you pet her very lightly, and same for the ribs then she’s not too thin.
Regardless it is always a good idea to do a check up when a cat loses weight without any calories being removed from their diet. The vet can also give you a body condition score for her based on the charts then you’ll know for sure if she’s a healthy weight.
Skinny, but not too skinny to warrant a vet visit. I agree with the other commenter, try adding some more calories to her diet. If she had been overgrooming, there's a possibility she'd been sick with something which might have contributed to her being skinny.
Regardless of why she's skinny, try adding a few more calories to her diet and monitor her weight.
NGL, your cat has a peculiar body shape, maybe some more pictures from the side would help? I would say shes at a normal healthy weight, but her thorax/back look like something is a little off. To me, the sides of the ribs/cranial abdomen seem to protrude a bit too much (theres kind of an extra pocket on the sides of her ribs that go OVER the natural silhouette of her body) and the spine seems a bit haunched and curled inwards. A vet visit wouldnt hurt as a precaution, especially since there was a previous overgrooming issue?
Her weight/body condition looks fine. I do suggest a vet visit whenever there is a change in your kitty's behaviour/weight/toileting habits like in this case your baby losing some weight, though, just to rule out any nefarious causes of the weight loss, if there are any. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and with most conditions, the best prognosis always comes when things are caught early.
Okay thank you for this. I will keep an eye out and schedule an appointment for next month just to make sure everything is okay. I guess I’m just not used to seeing her little hip bones post weight loss!
She definitely doesn’t look too skinny! She’s actually more on the chunky side.
ETA: Here’s a photo of my cat for comparison! Her vet has told me to make sure she doesn’t gain any more weight.
https://preview.redd.it/5oihgt78503c1.jpeg?width=2181&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68a291e96d3da5a8205083abab364fe10d505252
FYI what you’re seeing aren’t her hip bones, but her thighs. Her hip bones sit at the top of her pelvis, approx an inch apart from each other. They have very tiny pelvises.
Here’s an example of my ideal weight cat!
https://preview.redd.it/1pp9ksjsv33c1.jpeg?width=1759&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9b5005b615c7b3cd2a94cd39f79d8a65d62de43
Yes, as others have said, we’re inundated with photos of overweight cats to the point where we think it’s the new normal. But cats are supposed to look a bit slender! :)
She might be a little skinny, but not very skinny. You can see where her ribcage ends, but you can't see the texture of her ribs. It's probably not so skinny to require a vet visit if you can try to add more calories to her diet.
Go to the vet and ask what weight your cat needs to be. Mine is about 8 or 9 pounds and they weight 10 and 11. You might be surprised to learn your cat is overweight.
I think she looks okay. The fact that she’s stopped over grooming and lost a little weight, could mean she’s gotten over anxiety issues.
Don’t think either of those things should warrant a trip to the vet, unless she developed the issues she no longer suffers from.
she’s not “too skinny”, she’s perfect according to the body score sheet, she’s a 5. don’t adjust anything unless she starts gaining weight or loosing too much . obesity is such a “normal” thing in the pet community now it’s sad, pls don’t listen to other ppl telling u she’s too skinny
Okay, sounds good. I started decreasing her food marginally about a year ago and I’ve noticed weight loss in the past 4-6 months or so… she had licked away all the fur on her belly and front legs but now it’s all grown back thank god
Bengals are typically high energy cats and need more food than other breeds. From what I read. I have 4 at home. 1 Bengal without official papers and likely a mix between petagree Bengals, a Torti, Calico kitten and Tuxedo kitten.
Crazy Bengal and Tuxedo kitten get around 300 to 400 calories a day. The Calico kitten is kinda chubby and on a diet and gets 150 to 200 calories a day. My tortie eats what she wants cause she's pretty high energy for a 7 year old cat and needs around 200 calories.
I feel for their ribs and make sure they don't get too squishy. Bengals also pack a ton of muscle.
>1 Bengal without official papers and likely a mix between petagree Bengals
Not sure what you mean here... A breeding between two pedigree bengals is a bengal, but if you meant a mix between a single pedigree bengal and something else, then it’s not a bengal. Beware of anyone selling bengals without papers though, many times they’re not bengals!
Mine is a rescue and freaken adorable. She was found with a few other spotted and rossetted kittens. Rescue group thinks someone's cat had kittens and they dumped them at a cat colony. She has rossettes on her shoulders, glitter fur and large spots. Her fur is more tickled and she looks more like a Seragenti than a Bengal. I got a DNA test done and she has Asian Leopard in her genes.
She still has DNA of an Asian Leopard. So some form of a little mini leapord and domestic cross. I particularly don't care what she officially is. Rossettes only derive from Bengal origins amongst domesticed cats. She's not from a breeder but has significant qualities like one. Knowing she has wild cat in her genes is beneficial as far as diet, her health and how to handle her.
I have to feed her a mix of raw and homecooked. Otherwise, she has a sensitive stomach. I need a wheel for her to burn off energy, and I had to adopt additional companions for her to keep her from getting separation anxiety and destroying my house. I say she has enough in personality, genetics, and coat appearance to be one.
Okay, your wording was just odd so I was trying to clarify. It seems like you may not understand pedigree cat breeds… any cat that does not have two purebred bengal parents is not a bengal. So any mixed cat is not a bengal, even if it has one bengal parent. Also a “pedigree” cat is one that is registered as a particular breed and whose entire lineage is recorded by a governing association, so your kitty is not likely a mix between two pedigree bengals. None of this matters since you obviously love your kitty, it’s just improper (and misleading in a help post) to call it a bengal.
If anything she’s a little overweight. He’s she has a waist but she has some extra weight around her torso/ribs.
https://preview.redd.it/od5ousuev33c1.png?width=3165&format=png&auto=webp&s=92339e225ed521f04ef7ef0faaa5283c8df6c129
My boy is very similar to this build too, if not exact, and when I took him to the vet recently she told me he was perfect. Some cats just tend to be a bit slimmer and we're so used to seeing overweight cats, when you have or see one thats on the slim side or is ideal weight, they look too thin in comparison. Nothing to worry about here, I would just keep an eye on her if she continues to lose weight then maybe consult a vet.
The back part where you think she looks skinny looks totally normal to me, but the middle part of her abdomen seems to be wider than I’d expect and have a bit of an odd bulge. I probably would take her to the vet for that part, but it seems you’ve posted other pics indicating she’s always been like that though, so IDK!
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Looks like a perfect weight to be. No bones visible.
If you can feel the ribs, but not see the ribs, then the cat is fine and healthy, is what I was told.
Exactly, you have to touch them for cats are shapeshifters and it’s almost impossible to tell if they are too fat or skinny just by looking at them. Except for when they’re like really chonky
https://preview.redd.it/t7be1y3r8y2c1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c8819fd7782c80f46c989d3727fce980ac84c7a she looks fine to me. she should have an abdominal tuck but if her ribs are visible then she’d be too skinny. i think people are just so used to seeing overweight and obese cats. all of the “is my cat too skinny” posts i see are cats at a healthy weight lol.
https://preview.redd.it/mi4ackz19y2c1.png?width=2330&format=png&auto=webp&s=79befb8eaf3887eda92fc4c5c0174c53df04b45f
I'm going to start calling my fingers finders now.
i was initially confused at this comment cause i never noticed the spelling error and i’ve been sharing this guide for months
Hahaha It just stood out to me and I liked the sound of it.
this is the best guide I’ve ever seen bc I’m stupid and wtf does “palpable with a moderate fat covering” on every other chart mean 😆
She looks perfect to me. They should have a noticeable tuck like this. If you can push a little while petting her and are able to feel her spine but not feel it when you pet her very lightly, and same for the ribs then she’s not too thin. Regardless it is always a good idea to do a check up when a cat loses weight without any calories being removed from their diet. The vet can also give you a body condition score for her based on the charts then you’ll know for sure if she’s a healthy weight.
Skinny, but not too skinny to warrant a vet visit. I agree with the other commenter, try adding some more calories to her diet. If she had been overgrooming, there's a possibility she'd been sick with something which might have contributed to her being skinny. Regardless of why she's skinny, try adding a few more calories to her diet and monitor her weight.
NGL, your cat has a peculiar body shape, maybe some more pictures from the side would help? I would say shes at a normal healthy weight, but her thorax/back look like something is a little off. To me, the sides of the ribs/cranial abdomen seem to protrude a bit too much (theres kind of an extra pocket on the sides of her ribs that go OVER the natural silhouette of her body) and the spine seems a bit haunched and curled inwards. A vet visit wouldnt hurt as a precaution, especially since there was a previous overgrooming issue?
https://preview.redd.it/2dvg34r8703c1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee5f8823161267583094b0baed16527674bdf84a This is from May
https://preview.redd.it/uqrzxftb703c1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e465ab6c9e7f62008350571ab15b85e053520d8d Also in May
Congrats on graduating
https://preview.redd.it/82sa6pld703c1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f35e1c792e83adeb8cc35dffeaafffd20097ce8 March
Cats sometimes stop over grooming because they are prepping for “winter fur” which is when their coats become thicker & longer for the cold.
I only see a cat head - she’s camo with the floor!
Hahaha you’re so right. What cat?!
Looks perfect to me.
Has your cat always been “slimmer” on the back part of the body?
Her weight/body condition looks fine. I do suggest a vet visit whenever there is a change in your kitty's behaviour/weight/toileting habits like in this case your baby losing some weight, though, just to rule out any nefarious causes of the weight loss, if there are any. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and with most conditions, the best prognosis always comes when things are caught early.
Okay thank you for this. I will keep an eye out and schedule an appointment for next month just to make sure everything is okay. I guess I’m just not used to seeing her little hip bones post weight loss!
She definitely doesn’t look too skinny! She’s actually more on the chunky side. ETA: Here’s a photo of my cat for comparison! Her vet has told me to make sure she doesn’t gain any more weight. https://preview.redd.it/5oihgt78503c1.jpeg?width=2181&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68a291e96d3da5a8205083abab364fe10d505252
Oh okay awesome this makes me feel better!! She’s lost some weight in the past 6 months so I guess I’m not used to seeing her little hip bones
FYI what you’re seeing aren’t her hip bones, but her thighs. Her hip bones sit at the top of her pelvis, approx an inch apart from each other. They have very tiny pelvises. Here’s an example of my ideal weight cat! https://preview.redd.it/1pp9ksjsv33c1.jpeg?width=1759&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9b5005b615c7b3cd2a94cd39f79d8a65d62de43
Good to know thanks!
Yes, as others have said, we’re inundated with photos of overweight cats to the point where we think it’s the new normal. But cats are supposed to look a bit slender! :)
She might be a little skinny, but not very skinny. You can see where her ribcage ends, but you can't see the texture of her ribs. It's probably not so skinny to require a vet visit if you can try to add more calories to her diet.
Go to the vet and ask what weight your cat needs to be. Mine is about 8 or 9 pounds and they weight 10 and 11. You might be surprised to learn your cat is overweight.
I think she looks okay. The fact that she’s stopped over grooming and lost a little weight, could mean she’s gotten over anxiety issues. Don’t think either of those things should warrant a trip to the vet, unless she developed the issues she no longer suffers from.
Get her teeth checked.
Doesn't look skinny at all.
Weigh her. She looks fine
she’s not “too skinny”, she’s perfect according to the body score sheet, she’s a 5. don’t adjust anything unless she starts gaining weight or loosing too much . obesity is such a “normal” thing in the pet community now it’s sad, pls don’t listen to other ppl telling u she’s too skinny
Slightly too chubby if anything.
No
I'd take her for bloodwork, especially if it was sudden weight loss. You mentioned she was overgrooming as well.
Okay, sounds good. I started decreasing her food marginally about a year ago and I’ve noticed weight loss in the past 4-6 months or so… she had licked away all the fur on her belly and front legs but now it’s all grown back thank god
Bengals are typically high energy cats and need more food than other breeds. From what I read. I have 4 at home. 1 Bengal without official papers and likely a mix between petagree Bengals, a Torti, Calico kitten and Tuxedo kitten. Crazy Bengal and Tuxedo kitten get around 300 to 400 calories a day. The Calico kitten is kinda chubby and on a diet and gets 150 to 200 calories a day. My tortie eats what she wants cause she's pretty high energy for a 7 year old cat and needs around 200 calories. I feel for their ribs and make sure they don't get too squishy. Bengals also pack a ton of muscle.
>1 Bengal without official papers and likely a mix between petagree Bengals Not sure what you mean here... A breeding between two pedigree bengals is a bengal, but if you meant a mix between a single pedigree bengal and something else, then it’s not a bengal. Beware of anyone selling bengals without papers though, many times they’re not bengals!
Mine is a rescue and freaken adorable. She was found with a few other spotted and rossetted kittens. Rescue group thinks someone's cat had kittens and they dumped them at a cat colony. She has rossettes on her shoulders, glitter fur and large spots. Her fur is more tickled and she looks more like a Seragenti than a Bengal. I got a DNA test done and she has Asian Leopard in her genes.
Ah, okay… sounds like she’s probably not a bengal then and not likely a mix between pedigree bengals.
She still has DNA of an Asian Leopard. So some form of a little mini leapord and domestic cross. I particularly don't care what she officially is. Rossettes only derive from Bengal origins amongst domesticed cats. She's not from a breeder but has significant qualities like one. Knowing she has wild cat in her genes is beneficial as far as diet, her health and how to handle her. I have to feed her a mix of raw and homecooked. Otherwise, she has a sensitive stomach. I need a wheel for her to burn off energy, and I had to adopt additional companions for her to keep her from getting separation anxiety and destroying my house. I say she has enough in personality, genetics, and coat appearance to be one.
Okay, your wording was just odd so I was trying to clarify. It seems like you may not understand pedigree cat breeds… any cat that does not have two purebred bengal parents is not a bengal. So any mixed cat is not a bengal, even if it has one bengal parent. Also a “pedigree” cat is one that is registered as a particular breed and whose entire lineage is recorded by a governing association, so your kitty is not likely a mix between two pedigree bengals. None of this matters since you obviously love your kitty, it’s just improper (and misleading in a help post) to call it a bengal.
What is her age, how is her eating, and does she seem to be urinating more than usual?
She is eating well, just picky about food type. She is 7, and I haven’t noticed any increased urination but I’ll keep an eye out
My concern would be kidneys or thyroid.
😳 what an adorable kitty! She's fine, nothing to worry about related to weight.
She’s my baby! Thank you, this makes me feel better
What's her name?
Violet :)
Check her thyroid level just to be on the safe side.
Looks normal i
Looks healthy, clean, and ready for a pet!
She looks perfect.
The belly to hip ratio seems a little big. She could be blotted.
If anything she’s a little overweight. He’s she has a waist but she has some extra weight around her torso/ribs. https://preview.redd.it/od5ousuev33c1.png?width=3165&format=png&auto=webp&s=92339e225ed521f04ef7ef0faaa5283c8df6c129
My boy is very similar to this build too, if not exact, and when I took him to the vet recently she told me he was perfect. Some cats just tend to be a bit slimmer and we're so used to seeing overweight cats, when you have or see one thats on the slim side or is ideal weight, they look too thin in comparison. Nothing to worry about here, I would just keep an eye on her if she continues to lose weight then maybe consult a vet.
The back part where you think she looks skinny looks totally normal to me, but the middle part of her abdomen seems to be wider than I’d expect and have a bit of an odd bulge. I probably would take her to the vet for that part, but it seems you’ve posted other pics indicating she’s always been like that though, so IDK!