Gato is WAY overweight! please help!

[Gato'smum]

Gato has been gaining a lot of weight lately; I don't even know why. :confused:

I weighed him, and he's ( :eek: ) 18 pounds!!! I don't know why he's gaining so much weight so fast, he's perfectly healthy.

If anyone has any ideas as to why he's gaining so much, and/or what i can do, please say so. :D thanks!

[Catty1]

I put away the food dishes at night. My vet says it's been proved via video that cats really gorge at night - they're nocturnal hunters, so that makes sense.

Cats can sneak food when we don't even know it!

Also, if he hasn't had a checkup for a while, that might be an idea.

My Oscar is getting quite 'fluffy' and I have him on less food as I want him around for a few years yet.

Good luck. :)

[Gato'smum]

That's a really good idea, Catty1, thanks! I think I'll try that. :D

[Freedom]

Hi and welcome to Pet Talk!

I had to stop "free feeding." Now I only put food out 3 times per day. First thing in the morning which is 7 AM in this house, 4 PM, and before I go to bed. (I want to sleep through the night!) The 4 PM feeding is light, more of a snack. The other two times, they get the proper portion based on the bag. I am feeding a lite food for the overweight ones. Everyone gets put in a separate room with their dish. After 10 minutes, the dishes get picked up, whether or not they are empty.

Good luck!

[sasvermont]

My girls, 3 Abys and 1 barn cat, all free feed. Only the barn cat is over weight and she is never at the dish. For my cats, its in their genes. The Abys just have a different metabolism. Little Lucy, the barn cat is much more active (only one allowed outside) and spends much less time at the dish.....but has a puffy body on her......the others are under 7 lbs. and all weight exactly the same! I have never had such slim cats before having the Abys. I suspect Siamese are similar in genes.

I have to give folks credit for taking up the food and suffering through the meowing!

:eek:

[kimlovescats]

Candace, thanks for the tip about night time gorging ... I should have known that, I do that too! :rolleyes: ;)

[Kater]

What is his age and activity level? Maybe his metabolism is just slowing down and you need to adjust his caloric intake accordingly.

I would get some bloodwork done if you have a yearly or 6 mos. checkup in the near future....just to rule out bigger problems.

As others have suggested you should probably measure his food carefully and enforce a meal schedule. I would also try to increase his activity if you can find some toys or games that interest him! ;)

Good luck! :)

[Gato'smum]

Gato is only about 4 or 5 yrs old, so I don't think that's a problem; but his activity level is very low. He doesn't seem to have very much interest in excersise, and he has a habit of snacking when he doesn't need to :rolleyes:.

He's already on a very strict diet; he had a really bad UTI (urinary tract infection) two years ago that almost killed him:( so he can only eat a certain kind of food that prevents him from getting crystals in his urine again. I also have a meal schedule set out for him, but, as I said, he just likes to snack. :rolleyes:

thanks for the advice, though. I'll see what I can do. :)

[inlovewithanimals]

So you still leave the food out for the others????



Justin,

[Gato'smum]

no, I don't; I don't have any other cats.

...but if I did, I'm sure Gato would try to sneak as much of their food as he could, the furry little oinker... :rolleyes:

[momtomany]

It may have to do with the food you are feeding your fur baby. I have to feed my clan (11) the prescription science diet C/D for the same reason. My vet warned me that it makes cats heavier and it does. So you may want to ask you vet if it could be contributing to the weight issue.

[catmandu]

Thefood that worked for the Found Cats was the Nutro Complete Indoor Light. Its pricey but it did trim down the Cats.
And I think that the Pet Talkers are right , no food out at night, no human food and controlled portions.
Gato will YELL but its for his own good.

[Gato'smum]

yes, catmandu, you're right; Gato YELLS when i take his food dishes away. I keep telling him that it's for his own good, but he's not buying it. :p


Anyway, i just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of the Pet Talkers who have given me advice for my problem! I really hope it helps Gato lose some weight.




Thanks again!!! :D ;)