OVERWEIGHT cat

[dog_pug123]

My cat is very, very overweight. We tried a diet but her weight wasn't wearing off. Her weight overflaps on her tummy when she sits down and you can see it bulge on her sides. She needs help to get onto my bed and sometimes help to get up on the dryer to her food bowl, but we cannot move it because Alli loves cat food.

[Greyhound~lover]

I cant help too much, as I dont know much about cats, Im kinda a dog-person. Is your cat an indoor- or outdoor-cat?

[CalliesMom]

I would suggest taking her to a vet to see if there may be some underlying issue. My cats have been on a "diet" for almost a year and actually gained weight. After speaking with their vet, she suggested I switch them to a diet specific food--they are now on Science Diet RD. She also told me that I was still feeding them too much; they've been cut from a 1/2 cup each/day to a 1/4 cup/day. They still get treats but not as often, and I'm trying to play with them at least half an hour-hour each day. Good luck!

[AlleyCat]

Callie's mom said it all. Your kitty really should go to the vet. My Millie is seriously overweight and has been on a vet-prescription diet since October. She has successfully lost 3 pounds, with another 3-4 to go. It is slow-going, but a vet-monitored diet is the way to go. Andif there's some other underlying health issue, taking care of that may be all it takes.

[catmandu]

A Few Of The Found Cats Were Getting To Be Heavyweights,but The Introduction Of Science Diet,nutro And Iams Low Calorie Diets And The Kittens Chasing Them Around Had Done Wonders To Streamline The Once Portly Ones.
Good Luck With Tour Tubby Tiger.

[Jessika]

I would really recommend feeding him in a separate room. Put out food for him, leave it out for fifteen minutes, and then take it away. He will soon learn to eat then, and if he doesn't then he doesn't eat, you know?

This way you will also be able to monitor and regulate exactly how much food he eats throughout the day instead of just leaving it out for him to snack on when he pleases

[Catty1]

Yep, a checkup at the vet can't hurt at all. And if you have the patience to read labels, you can likely get your cat's diet food at a pet store(the price will be better, and some posters here have listed brands of food).

Also, could you train her to use a raised eating area(even if you have to arrange furniture etc for her to climb up til she gets slimmer), just high enough so your doggie can't get it?

[Catty1]

I am dumb! Just reread the post below and you already have thought of putting it on the dryer. Can your cat get up there?

I liked the idea - Catmandu's I think - of having a clear plastic/plexiglass house secured to the floor(with a liftable lid) with a kitty size door in it. You can maybe secure it with double sided tape or something - or if it is a big plastic box with hinged lid and a bottom on it, then you don't have to do that.

[dog_pug123]

I cant help too much, as I dont know much about cats, Im kinda a dog-person. Is your cat an indoor- or outdoor-cat?

She's an indoor cat, she only goes outdoors about once a year or so.

I would suggest taking her to a vet to see if there may be some underlying issue. My cats have been on a "diet" for almost a year and actually gained weight. After speaking with their vet, she suggested I switch them to a diet specific food--they are now on Science Diet RD. She also told me that I was still feeding them too much; they've been cut from a 1/2 cup each/day to a 1/4 cup/day. They still get treats but not as often, and I'm trying to play with them at least half an hour-hour each day. Good luck!

I think she may have an issue. OK, switching food it ptobubly a good idea, although I just switched to IAMS... is IAMS a good food? She only gets treats every month or so. And she is free to eat whenever she likes... should we change this? When we had her on a diet and we gave her a cup a day she'd hear it and meow heckticly in relif as if she was being stared. I gave up on her, and put her back on her regular ruitine. I'm too soft hearted, I know.

Callie's mom said it all. Your kitty really should go to the vet. My Millie is seriously overweight and has been on a vet-prescription diet since October. She has successfully lost 3 pounds, with another 3-4 to go. It is slow-going, but a vet-monitored diet is the way to go. Andif there's some other underlying health issue, taking care of that may be all it takes.

Thanks. Last time we took her to the vet they told us to put her on the diet and we did... but it didn't work out well, as said above.

A Few Of The Found Cats Were Getting To Be Heavyweights,but The Introduction Of Science Diet,nutro And Iams Low Calorie Diets And The Kittens Chasing Them Around Had Done Wonders To Streamline The Once Portly Ones.

OK. We have her on IAMS right now. She was abondoned and we found her, she was overweight as it was.

I would really recommend feeding him in a separate room. Put out food for him, leave it out for fifteen minutes, and then take it away. He will soon learn to eat then, and if he doesn't then he doesn't eat, you know?

I will try that. Thank you!

Yep, a checkup at the vet can't hurt at all. And if you have the patience to read labels, you can likely get your cat's diet food at a pet store(the price will be better, and some posters here have listed brands of food).

Also, could you train her to use a raised eating area(even if you have to arrange furniture etc for her to climb up til she gets slimmer), just high enough so your doggie can't get it?

I thought I could handle it myself, since the vet's checkups cost around $30-$40. And I really don't want to pay that much for a checkup, but I see I cannot handle this all by myself. I could try training her for that, I'm not sure how though?

I am dumb! Just reread the post below and you already have thought of putting it on the dryer. Can your cat get up there?

I liked the idea - Catmandu's I think - of having a clear plastic/plexiglass house secured to the floor(with a liftable lid) with a kitty size door in it. You can maybe secure it with double sided tape or something - or if it is a big plastic box with hinged lid and a bottom on it, then you don't have to do that.

lol Well usually she can get up there by herself but sometimes she falls, I've thought about moving it but Alli would be happy to eat it every chance she got.

I'm not sure if I saw that... that's a great idea though! I'll be sure and ask my father to build one of those. But the only problem is... she's a Maine Coon/Tabby so she's the size of my pug (approx.) so my pug could easily get in that house.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!

[Catty1]

Y'know what? If your pet store has really well informed staff, ask them. If your cat is used to eating all the time, at least put her on the weight loss food.

The staff can likely recommend a food that is good quality and won't cost the earth - and they may have some diet tips too!

Who knows? Maybe your Pug will hate the diet food!