Fat cats

[maxandmolly]

So, Max has always been kinda chunky. Vet was a bit concerned at one time. Then Max got sick, got too skinny. Never *quite* gained it all back.
Molly has always been on the scrawny side. She nearly died once, lost half her body weight, and I had to put her on canned food to get her eating so she could get some weight back.
So I've had 2 normal-sized (or so I believed) for their body structures cats for last few years. But they're getting older (how can it be?)-Molly will be 8 next month, Max will be 6. And all of a sudden, they quit ignoring their canned food that they'd been eating for years (so I switched) and decided Friskies canned was the best thing ever. Both of them have been caught pushing the bowls around the floor while trying to lick every last morsel from it.
So, that brings me to today's furmomma problem-how fat is too fat, really? Molly for the first time in her life, has a little bit of a round shape when she sits in typical cat pose. She's always been pretty straight down, now she has the kind of shape Max normally has. Max, meanwhile, has gotten bigger too. H's always had a few pounds on her (her average was 9, his about 13), but he's looking rounder than he was.
How fat is too fat, and how do I slow it down? I've been so paranoid for so long about them getting sick and losing weight, I am having a hard time with the idea of cutting them down, but I don't want other health problems from overwight, either.
HELP!

[Smilin13]

Well I just took Ozzie back to the vet for something and the vet weighed him again. He was originally 16lbs when we got him from the shelter, in the month and few days that we've had him, he has gained 2lbs (I'm such a sucker).

The original vet said nothing about Ozzie being overweight. The second vet (gotta love going to a practice) said that he was overweight and should ideal be at 12 or 13 lbs. To be honest, I don't give that much hope. Ozzie is a big cat.

But we did cut back on how much we are feeding him....because he has gotten chunky as well.

Somewhere on the Hill's Pet Food site (http://www.hillspet.com) I once found a place that showed you how an average weight cat should look. It is actually under the Pet Fit Challenge.
But I do remember that you should be able to feel their ribs relatively easily, and that there really should be a belly when you look at them from the side (and they are standing).

My vet also told me that I could call up and ask to come in and put Ozzie on the scales, since I don't have any at home, and it is my understanding that they'll do it for free. So you might wanna call and ask if they would weight them for you that way you'd know.

Good luck
:)

[maxandmolly]

Nobody else with a fat cat?

[jnettie]

Well, last we went to the vet, we were told that Jade is too fat. She's only 10 pounds, but she certainly has a gut. And her sister is the same lenght as she is and is only 6 pounds. While I think Sissy should be fatter (very skinny kitty), I don't think Jade is fat.

The most noticable time to see Jade's fat is when she sits on her butt. DH says she looks like a Hersey's Kiss! :p

She's only 3 and is still very active. She doesn't overeat, I know that for sure. I only put out enough food for one day for both kitties. They graze equally. Jade hasn't lost any weight, but Sissy seems to have gained some. And they only occasionally get wet food as a treat. And both gobble it up like I've been starving them or something! But if I give them wet food, they get less dry food in their grazing bowl.

I found the Pet Fit Challenge! Apparently, Jade has a pound to loose. ;)

Pet Fit Challenge! (http://www.hillspet.com/Petfit/challenge/Challenge.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=98527236966978 34&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673414071&bmUID=1144889629596)

[nettreefrog]

I used to have a few fat cats. While many were "big boned" and old male cats, I did become concerned about over feeding them. We generally fed one can of wet food per day (half in the morning and half at night)--per cat. We supplemented with dry food as well. Since they were indoor cats, it was hard for them to get sufficient exercise too... So, we tried to cut back on some of the extra food, and switch to dry food at night. Hope that helps?

[jnettie]

It's funny, because when you look at the directions on my wet food, it says 2 pouches of food per 5 pounds of cat. Even if Jade should be 9 pounds, thats 3-4 pouches of food a day. She coudn't eat that now! She eats 1/2 at a time then another 1/2 cup of dry.

Even when we were feeding Sissy only wet so she'd take her antibiotics, she ate only 1 pouch a day, really.

[maxandmolly]

Mine go through one can per day total, not each. They'd be big as houses if I gave them that! They each get a spoonful in the morning and a spoonful at night. And I've always free fed the dry food. The only pther time I had a problem was when Molly got into Max's kitten food, and got pretty big-I put him on adult food early and had no more problems. I've spent most of their lives-hers especially-trying to keep weight ON them, not off!
But I can still easily feel her ribs while she's standing up, and his too. So hopefully that means they aren't too big. Yet.

[sabrespa]

My cat weighs 22lbs. But he's just a really big cat. He really doesn't look all that fat. He eats mostly dry food, I try to give him canned food everyday, but sometimes I forget. Our vet has never said anything other than he's a REALLY big cat! lol!

[MLA]

My cat's not fat. He's just big-boned. So what if his bones are soft and squishy????


Both of my cats are fat. One has always been big and the other has just started to get fatter. I don't know what to do. They're on low-cal cat food, and the one that's recently begun to gain weight runs around all the time. The other one doesn't run around very much and isn't that interested in playing.

How can you really make a cat lose weight? I think it's really hard when the cats are strictly indoors, which is what mine are.

[eli1126]

My cats are big, but I don't think they are overweight. I feed them three scoops (using 3/4 measuring cup) of dry food and they get 1 soft food packet split between them per day. The dry food is out all day the soft food they get in the morning. But Beau our male is a large cat and Belle has a little fluff to her :D Their parents were large cats also; Dad was a purebread Siamese and mom was a purebread Persian. So I am hoping that their size is due to large genes and not being overweight.

Beth

[SingleWhiteFemale]

Yeah, my one cat was 23 lbs at the last vet visit. He was found on the street as a kitten with his sister. For the longest time, he would lay over the other 3 food bowls and eat from the fourth--he was starved, so now he makes sure that he always has food. It has gotten better, he eats at the bowl like a normal cat. He runs and chases the newest beast in the house, but he still is fat. Light kitty food? Didn't help matters. Organic kitty food? Won't touch any of it. Wet food? Turns his nose up. Cat treats? Never eats them. He'll only eat one food.

My one-eyed meezer was my first "normal" sized cat. She was 7 lbs, a midget compared to my others. I could pick her up without losing my balance or throwing out my back.

The oldest was a heavy guy, but he was long and lean. It fit his body type, yet he was marked as fat. Very active, ate sensibly, but 14-15lbs. I would love to have him up there again, but unfortunately, he's now a diabetic. He lost a chunk of weight, is now at 11 lbs. Being sick, he can have whatever he wants. He gets 2/3 of a pouch of Meow Mix in the morning and the same in the afternoon for his insulin shot. This beast holds out for his wet food--if I give treats in the morning instead of wet food, he'll bug me non-stop. 12 hours of meowing? No, thanks! I feel guilty that if he is sick... no telling how much time he has left... he deserves whatever he wants. My vet isn't against letting him have at it, he just needs to stay stable and deal with his insulin well/stay a constant weight. Unfortunately, he came from a pet store so he was no way well bred (the other cat died at 10 after a year-long bout with kidney failure; both are lucky they survived kittenhood with all their illnesses). I guess I'm trying to explain myself through what may be a bad choice, but.... not much I can do.

My Russian Blue is a lazy pain who isn't as active as he should be. Maybe he has 1/3 pouch wet food (usually the other cat will eat his). He sleeps all day, or stares at birds. He doesn't run much. Very lazy, and his tummy almost hits the floor when walking. I think he needs a tummy tuck or some lipo... he doesn't eat a lot, he walks away after a treat or two, grazes a little on his food.

My Balinese only eats the organic cat food. She looks fat.... but that's all fluffy fur :) A solid 8-9 lbs.

I think it just varies based on cat. If every cat's ideal weight was 7-8lbs, I'd have some sickly looking skinny cats. Seriously, my cat in renal failure looked so frail and thin at 8 lbs (and she was frail).

[jesvet]

I use what is called a Body Condition Score to determine whether or not a pet is overweight. The numbers on the scale are less important in this type of system. Purina has a good description of how it works here (http://www.purina.ca/cats/nutrition.asp?article=459) .

Most housecats I see are in the 6-7 range; it is uncommon for me to see a truly ideal cat. Although it would be nice for every cat to be in the ideal range, being mildly overweight is something that, while I mention to the owner, I don't stress out over for the most part. Moderately to severly overweight cats DO have a multitude of problems they are predisposed to; off the top of my head things like diabetes, respiratory problems, hepatic lipidosis.

Getting weight off a cat is hard, especially in multi cat households. Prevention is much easier. Most people tend to overfeed their cats without even realizing it. When I started letting my husband feed the cats instead of me they both put on 2 pounds in a matter of several months... :rolleyes: So I fired him. Now that they are back to better sizes he keeps saying he thinks they are sick, but he is used to seeing his mother's houseful of obese heavyweights.

[shellbell516]

We've got a really fat cat. I think he's at least 30 lbs now. Normal for him would be about 20 lbs because he's a bengal. He's just so lazy. I don't know how to get the weight off him. He only gets dry food and is a grazer.

Here's my fat boy Saboo.
http://images.snapfish.com/3467%3B657%3B%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D3238%3E588%3E872%3EWS NRCG%3D3233474755%3B54nu0mrj

[jesvet]

He is a good candidate for a prescription weight loss diet!

[shellbell516]

We tried a weight control food before, but it gave him urinary issues (blockages).

[greenbunny]

We are on portion control with both our cats. They aren't obese, but since we've had them, they gained too much too quickly, and I want to nip it in the bud.

Bella went from 6.8 pounds to 8 pounds in a matter of 6 months, and Summer went from 8 pounds to 11 pounds in 4 months.

The problem with Bella is that we have had trouble switching her to scheduled feedings. She just freaks out if there isn't food available all the time, even if she doesn't actually want to eat it.

Summer's problem is that she has been locked up in the bathroom since September while we've dealt with her litter box and behavior problems. She's also on an anti-depressant, which I'm sure puts on weight. When we let her out for supervised time, I play with her and get her moving, but she does sit in there doing nothing for most of the day and night.

[Daisy]

~~ Joining the Fat Cat Club! ~~

I have two cats and my tabby is overweight at 21 lbs. He's a big kitty anyway and his ideal weight is about 18-19 lbs. He has been on prescription diet food for almost a year now and I don't think much weight has come off (we'll see at the next vet visit anyway).

My fatty gets a meager 1/2 cup of food a day and occasionally some dried bonito flakes as a treat. We had the thyroid and diabetes tests done last summer as well and we're all clear - thank god!

So we separate our cats during their feeding times (breakfast / dinner) and put away their bowls if they're not empty so my fatty doesn't clean up the other cats bowl. :rolleyes:

My cats are pretty active for being indoor most of the year - they chase each other around and have tons of toys. Side note - I just bought them a really cool cat condo off ebay! They're going to love it.

[solongtogo]

I've got a mcfatty too. He weighs 22 lbs, which is around 5 or so pounds heavier than my almost 8 month old daughter :D He's always been a big guy though, he was a stray and was huge. If he didn't have his kitten teeth when we found him, we would have no idea of how old he is. I have a 6 lb cat as well, and when they rumble, he can really knock the little cat around (however she instigates most of the time and gets a few good licks in herself)

[keska]

You put a cat on a diet the same way you put a human on a diet. You feed them lower calorie food with smaller portions and increase their exercise.

My 10 year old cat lost 2.5 lbs in about a year. He was 15.5 lbs and the vet said he should ideally be around 11 lbs. So, we buy Iams or Science Diet weight loss formula and keep him on strict portion control. He gets 1/4 cup morning and night. We also try to play with him more so that he gets exercise, though we're not always great at that. He has lost weight this way but it takes longer in a cat to see an appreciable difference. They're not very big to start out with, so even a little loss is a big deal. If you are strict on the portion control with the diet food, they will lose weight - no matter how lazy. They can't help but lose weight if they are getting less to eat than they were.

It's not easy, though. It's not fun to have to watch him and make sure that he doesn't get into the other cat's food or the garbage or lick the dirty dishes. It's really not fun to listen to him cry like he's starving to death (especially with that loud Siamese voice). But, it's worth it if it will keep him in better health.

When I started letting my husband feed the cats instead of me they both put on 2 pounds in a matter of several months

This is an issue with us too. Every time I go out of town, DH overfeeds and Peko gains weight back. It drives me nuts that DH is too soft-hearted. He can't stand to hear the cat cry. I keep telling him that the diet is actually better in the long run for the cat's well-being. I'm thinking about buying an automatic feeder for the next time I have to go out of town.

[vwinkel]

I thought my Kenney was fat, but compared to 21-30lbs - I think he's okay! He's got a pouch of a stomach that swings when he walks. That picture cracked me up. Please post pictures of your fat cats!

maxandmolly - How much wet food do you currently feed them? Do you have a dry food continual feeder or do you regulate? I would call your vet and find out what the safe weight is.

I went through the no-eating thing with my Kenny, so I understand you want to make sure they are eating properly.

[maxandmolly]

Well it's good to know I'm not the only one with chunky monkeys on her hands!
I think Molly's 'baseline' weight is somewhere around 9lbs., where she was when we left California. She wasn't so scrawny anymore-thanks to eating Max's kitten food, but not chunky either. I would say she's gained at least a pound, if not t2. But that's based on her feeling heavier when I pick her up. I would compare her to Max-baseline around 13 & 1/2 lbs., but he's gained weight too! I think he's probably up around 15 by now. They only get one can of food split between them per day (in addition to free fed dry)-it's not so much, really, is it?

[Smilin13]

They only get one can of food split between them per day (in addition to free fed dry)-it's not so much, really, is it?

I think that really depends on how much they are eating of the dry food.

I feed Ozzie only dry food, and he only gets 3/4 of a cup of food a day. If I let him, he would eat...oh, maybe 2 or 3 cups an hour (okay, maybe not that much, but I have seen him wolf down a full cup in mere minutes).

There is no way I could free feed Ozzie, because if there is food in the bowl, he should be eating it.

I'm gonna try and shed him back down to around 16 lbs, because the original vet didn't say anything about that being too much weight for him, and to be honest, he didn't look like a fat cat at that weight.


*giggles* And I'm the softie in the house.....my fiancee has no problem listening to Oz meow and meow...but then again, he doesn't get whacked in the face with a paw at 5:30am to be fed in the morning either.

:)

[tlew12778]

Wow... OK now my fatty doesn't seem so fat. He's about 17 lbs. He has been on Royal Canin Obesity for the better part of 3 years now. Vets orders. He sometimes switches out to Purina Vet. Diet O/M (obesity mgmt). RC also makes a wet pouch of obesity so sometimes he will eat that, sometimes he lets it go bad.

When we first got him, he was 4 weeks old and was already a butterball. He couldn't do the stairs until almost a month later bc his stomach got in the way. I think this is just his normal shape.

His brother, on the other hand, is from the same litter, but has a different dad. He is skinny and muscular and weighs about 12 lbs. He eats Nutro Indoor and I leave it on a high shelf where only he can jump up. Sometimes he eats RC Fit 32. He won't touch wet.

Fatty is very jealous that his brother has different food, so sometimes I have to leave him a "treat" of some of his brother's food. But I try not to make a habit of it. I measure out fatty's food once a day (80 grams a day or 50 grams plus one pouch), then I give it to him in 3 meals.

[kerrykate]

I'll join the club. My cat is almost 11 years old and has been a big boy his entire life. His weight has been pretty steady at 18-20lbs. My vet isn't worried about him, she said that she also has an orange male tabby that is overweight and it's quite embarrassing considering she's a vet! My kitty seems to eat around the same amount as our other cat that weighs around 10lbs, my friends and family laugh when I say this but I really think he is big boned, with a little extra meat:p .
Here's a picture:
Fat Cat (http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SgAJA2MWQEe0Ny13044g2pDqcnOhhZf3bc*LPZWO79fqbpB8C 2!g6fpZ8ysekft9UTTfXr3KZkjrkSg3M4wRAcvHalkZ8oN088G mXiCTKQ*E0WtAjaF0kw/lazy%20baby.JPG?dc=4675440868946616113)

[maxandmolly]

I honestly have no idea how much dry food they actually eat. For probably about 4 years, I never even saw Molly eating dry food, I suspect she ate some at night, but I never really knew. I just fill the bowl when it's empty, and I know it's empty because Max will start immediately screaming at me. Even if he isn't hungry, if that bowl is empty, mommy better fill it, dammit, or I will that pitifully annoying little MaineCoon mrowl from here to next year. As soon as I fill it he'll take 2 bites and walk away. Goofy cat.

[vwinkel]

I honestly have no idea how much dry food they actually eat
If your cats are obese and you want to slow down their weight gain, you are going to have to regulate their food. I know how convenient the continual feeder is, but if you are concerned, you will need to measure their food. Molly will learn quickly that she has to eat at the time it is served or Max will gobble hers up too.

Honestly though, compared to other kitties posted here, I don't think you have too much to worry about with Max and Molly.

Good luck!

[artist]

We now have a really fat and fluffy Maine Coon male cat! He is so fat but it is adorable! We got him in January and haven't taken him to a vet yet. I am sure a vet would tell us he is too fat and try to get us to get the cat diet food, but our other cat is much thinner and we kind of have to feed both cats the same food as they'd eat each other's food anyhow.

I am not sure what our fat cat weighs. I haven't weighed him and our scale doesn't work, so I just don't know. I know he is at least 15 pounds and it wouldn't surprise me if he's at least 20 pounds. After picking him up, if I pick up our other cat, she feels like a feather!

[sabrespa]

Here's a picture of my fat cat. Poor guy, I couldn't even feel his ribs! He only gets 1 cup of dry food every other day, so really he doesn't eat that much. But he does love to sleep and lay around all day and night. Every once and a while, he'll slap a toy around, but it's rare.

http://static.flickr.com/50/128641674_ed12f72c6d.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/51/128641675_dfc73efe86.jpg?v=0