my cat after pregnancy

Question
Hi I was just wondering if it is normal for a cat to be skinny after giving birth. My one year old cat gave birth to five kittens five weeks ago. She is a really small sized cat but was a good weight according to the vet. She is eating normally and I am feeding her kitten food. But she is extremely skinny. I was wondering if this is because she is nursing or if it could be something else. The kittens have begun to eat the kitten food and are nursing less now so I am wondering will my cat begin to gain weight or is this something I should go to the vet about. Thank you

Answer
Hello and thank you for the question. Cats can look dreadfully skinny after having a litter and when the kittens are about 5 weeks is when they look their worst !! Probably you do not have to worry but do watch her behaviour as an indicator of a problem. If she is listless, not caring for her kittens, not cleaning herself or not eating then there is something wrong. If she is just boney and eating lots then she is just skinny because of the kittens. Even though the kittens are now starting on solid food they are still getting most of their nourishment from her. Her milk will not look full because they are eating more regularly now but trust me... she is producing a LOT of milk and feeding those kittens a LOT !! ... just give it time. By the time the kittens are 8 weeks old she will be starting to wean them and they will be eating a large volume of cat food and then she can start to gain her weight back. Until then continue feeding her a high quality kitten food and keep her inside so she doesn't get bred again. Teresa