Fat cat

[Catfan5]

Our newish cat PG who came to live us recently was already a bit tubby but he is so greedy he looks even bigger now! He was 5.8kg a month ago and although not a small cat he looks fat round the middle. He normally eats three pouches of Felix a day plus a little dry down overnight but if the others leave any food, he wolfs down all the leftovers dry or wet. I now have to pick up the other bowls when the other cats aren't around which means they can't graze as they used to. He was a stray at one time and I'm hoping his eating will slow down eventually when he realises he doesn't need to steal all the other cats food! Any suggestions welcome

[Crewella]

My Daz is an ex stray with bad scavenging habits and I have to keep a very firm grip on any spare food that's around, pick up bowls with leftovers and stop him from trying to steal the other's food. I cut down on the dry, as that is the most calorific.

Mine are all older cats, Daz is the youngest at 6, and they actually only get half a pouch twice a day with a handful of dry sprinkled on top, with the odd treat in between. I have to add a little water to Daz's wet food because of a history of urinary problems, but I find that also serves to fill him up, and slow him down, when eating it.

That regime got Daz down from 6.5kg to 5.5kg last year, though since we moved he's hunting a lot and his weight has gone up again ..... but at least he's having to work for those extra calories, so seems quite fit!

[Catfan5]

Thanks for that Crewella, I'm obviously going to be much stricter then in future. PG is approx 2 yo and the others are 6- 7. He is less active now he's with us but he was a hunter and we used to find leftover mice parts in the garden! It's possible he still 'eats out' even now when he's out and about during the day.

[Walesgang]

Both of my boys are a tad chubby.

Henry has always loved his food.

Mr Grey was a farm cat, and didn't always know where his next meal was coming from.

I feed them is different places from the girls. Mr grey is locked in the garage until everyone else has finished. I don't leave any food down at all. Probably tough on the girls, but the boys' health was getting risky.

Good luck

[Catfan5]

I used to feed PG in the garage to start with but moved him in to integrate him with the other cats but I have been thinking about putting his bowl back in there again, not much room in there though. Not had a fat cat before so am a bit concerned for his health. Our other ex strays calmed down on eating after a while but I think PG is a bit of a piggy!

[Crewella]

I just play 'lunch monitor' with my lot and watch whilst they eat. Daz is fully aware of the concept of 'that's NOT your bowl - leave it alone' now ..... though I wouldn't trust him if my back was turned. I used to have to put old Minnie's food down several times a day towards the end of her life, and he became so used to that being nothing to do with him, and not getting any, that he stopped bothering to even look.

Much easier to do all that when you work from home a lot, though, I'll admit!

[Kay]

I've got two fat cats too, though neither are very interested in food - Tiffany was overfed by next door when she was confined to a porch, and was much too fat when I finally got control of her food, but she has never lost it - Tosker stuffed himself when living as a stray, and won't eat anything like the amount or variety of food he ate then, but again, the damage was done

they both prefer biscuits, and I have stopped the rot by weighing out the portions, and not giving them the ones they like best - there are usually a few left in the morning - now I don't need to keep putting food down for Trigger I am hoping I might get some of their excess baggage off them in time

[bobbys girl]

We've decided today's the day we take our little butterball in hand. Gracie can't say she's 'just big boned' - she's not, she's actually a very dainty little cat. I was watching her this morning, after finishing her own breakfast she went around everyone else's and tidied up. Then she tried to wash herself and couldn't reach around.

All bowls are washed and empty now. If the others want food, they will have to tell me! Pickle Puss is on a diet!

[Catfan5]

Well they all look a bit put out with the new arrangement at teatime! I haven't refilled the dry food bowls just the wet food. May put a little dry on it as well if they'll eat it like that. It's a bit tough on them for now until tubby tipple learns his place at meal times! Harry has hcm and needs to eat well to keep his weight from dropping any more so will have to keep an eye on him..