Overweight cat - ideas?

[kittiei]

I have two 3 year old female cats (Tulip and Pansy). Tulip has gained some weight over the past 6 months or so. I think part of the problem is that at the beginning of this year, I was away a lot so I couldn't monitor their food very well. I'm home more now and I've switched their dry food to a weight control food from the vet's office. I also give them each 1 tsp of wet food twice a day. I give them the wet food because I've had two cats in the past that have died from UTI and I was told that the moisture in the wet food can help prevent that.

I try to play with them for at leat 15 minutes every evening (I have to prod Tulip to get up and play so 15 minutes is pushing it with her).

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what else I can do to help her lose some weight. She's a big cat anyways but her belly is hanging down so I know she's fat ;) Despite my efforts, she hasn't lost much, if any, so far.

Thanks!

[Karen]

Leash train her and take her for walks ...
If you leave food down for them, stop that habit, feed them a set amount, then pick the dishes up.

More exercise, and there is weight-control food for kitties ...

[kittiei]

I read somewhere that feeding cats wet food only instead of dry will help them lose weight because the high carbohydrates and grains in dry foods contribute to obesity. I always thought that the wet foods were higher in fat. Has anyone else heard anything like this?

[jazzcat]

I don't feed my cats wet (except Ripley now and them just because he's in kidney failure and the vet recommended it to help add fluids). Anyway, I used to free feed all my cats - food available 24/7 - but several got too fat so at the first of the year I started scheduled feeding of Nutro Indoor weight control. Now almost all my cats are back to their idea weight so I've started adding regular adult food and reducing the weight control for them.

I feed them measured amounts three times a day and take the bowls up as soon as they walk off so no other cat can graze. I wanted to get them to just two feedings a day but with two growing active kittens it's been too hard. Maybe when the kittens are full grown I can get to just two feedings instead of three.

Best of luck!

[kittiei]

Thanks. I currently feed my cats dry food just twice a day and I don't give them any extra no matter how much they whine. But maybe I should try taking the bowls away when they walk away. That would teach them to finish their food and it would stop Tulip from eating Pansy's leftovers...

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have converted all my guys over to a wet food only diet (because one of them gets REALLY sick on the dry food), but they all seem to be a healthier weight now and they only eat twice a day.

[Randi]

My vet recommended Hills W/D when Fister was getting a bit plumb, that helped him lose weight. :) I now mix it half/half with S/D dry. There are several other good products, but ask your vet.

You also have to avoid them getting UTI's, Hills C/D is supposed to prevent that.

Good luck finding the right diet for them. :)

[Catty1]

I use 1/2 and 1/2 raw kibble and Royal Canin SO for urinary health. The raw kibble is ALL protein, so it is better.

My vet says videos show that cats gorge at night, so I take the bowls up for the night.

But if Pansy is a food thief, taking the dishes up between meals and at night sounds like a great idea!

[Catlady711]

If you want to know if your cat is overweight THIS (http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IAMS_Page.jsp?pageID=A&articleID=333#1) is a site that has a diagram of cat shapes from thin to obese as a general guide.

I feed my kitties dry food 4 times a day. Some are allowed to eat until they walk away then I pick up the bowls, others have measured out food and when the bowl is empty I pick it up and guard the other bowls so they don't get more. I feed about 1 tbs of wet food in the morning only, mostly because Jack (and previously Dusty) require special medicine in the food and wet is the easiest way to give it. I give the wet to the others to keep them occupied so the one with the medicine can eat in peace.

A pet fountain really does help to get a cat to drink more water, which would help some with preventing UTI's.

Cutting back a bit on the food and feeding more often helps cats from feeling as hungry. More exercize helps. And you don't want them to loose too much weight too fast, a gradual reduction in food and more play time should get the results you and your vet want.

BTW: some cats are just prone to underbelly 'dingle-dangle'. I know several cats, and have a couple myself that have the 'dingle-dangle' and have NEVER been fat a day in their lives, seems to be genetic.