Happy Medium?

My cats eat ENTIRELY too much. I've got two indoors, two outdoors, and one indoor/outdoor. The ones outside seem to be doing fine, and while they eat quickly at mealtimes, they're happy and fat, and have no problems.

My problem is my little indoor piggies! They're going through entirely too much food, considering up until now I've pretty much been free feeding them.

I need to put them on a diet, because both are starting to gain a lot of weight. I just switched to Pro Plan indoor ($27 per 18 lb bag... whew! That's no science diet, but it's a shock from $10 per bag!) How much do I need to make sure they get? They're pretty active (play together a LOT, roughhousing and zooming), so I don't want to underfeed and leave them hungry, but I'm tired of the enormous amounts of food they're eating. I know they'll eat less on the good stuff, but I still want to make sure that I give them the right amount. The small one is 4 1/2 pounds (and growing), the larger is 9 lbs (and growing >_<).

The old one (indoor/outdoor, 16 YO) eats as much as he wants, when he wants, and gets wet food treats. Considering his age, I want him to stay fat, spoiled, and happy. :)

Anyone?

Did't mean to ignore you, I just am not sure how to answer. I have 4 furkids all of varying sizes. My two boys are big, but one is kind of tubby and my 2 girls (Gidget & Fluffy) are both about the right weight. They eat moist food in the morning and at night. About a 1/2 can each of Fancy Feast/Friskies or combination of the 2 both morning and night. Of course Rusty (tubby one, trys and get more than his share, but the girls usually hold their own. My other boy, Garfield is fed seperately because if he has to fight for food he won't eat. Anyway, in addition to that, they get a mixture of dry food which is given out in small handfuls to each a few times a day. The mix includes Purina One Healthy Weight Management, Friskies Meow Mix, Purina One Urinary Tract Health and Friskies Dental Diet. Also, because they are spoiled they get a little bit of cooked chicken as a treat in the morning and at night. I don't know if I underfeed or overfeed. I don't think underfeed. Anyway if you are looking for something diet I think it is a 4 pound bag of the Purina One Healthy Weight Management and it costs about $5/bag. If that is all you would feed them, I am sure it says on the bag how much. I'm not home right now so I can't look. I hope I have given you some suggestions.

Before I give me opinion I was wondering how old your 2 indoor cats are...4 1/2 lbs and 9 lbs are not big. My little one Vixen who is 1 year old and is quite tiny is 7lbs and Lilith my big girl who is 15 months is double that. She is a little big overweight but the vet said she is very healthy. So those weights are not big at all. So just wanted to know their ages and maybe it would help us too if you could post a pic or 2 of them. That way we can kind of see their size as well.

It's not that they're fat. The kitten is fine, honestly, it's the older one (9lbs) who needs to stop being such a glutton. He's HUGE, for all he doesn't seem to weigh much, and he is getting fatter by the week. I need to re-weigh him. It's not that he's fat... yet... but as much as he eats, it won't be long. I'd rather head him off at the pass than let him get overweight and have to lose it.

Don't have any recent pictures that you can really tell anything from, but I'll attach the most recent one I have of them. It won't tell you much.

I feed Mitzi Pro Plan Indoor formula. She's 11.9 lbs. and we're trying to get her down to 10. I give her half a cup every day and she rarely, if ever, finishes it. Check the label - it gives detailed directions on how much to feed.

Also, instead of free-feeding, try switching to twice a day feedings. Put the food down for about an hour once in the morning and once in the evening, and then take it up and put it where they can't get to it. At first they will scream that you are starving them, but they do get used to it and it does work to help them lose weight; albeit VERY slowly.

Zam and Logan free feed. I used to give to fill their bowl whenever it was empty but realized that Kia was eating it too. :rolleyes:

Zam could stand to shed a few pounds, so I cut back and I give them a little in the morning (they then free feed what little is left or Kia sometimes eats it) and then I fill their bowl in the evening when I feed Kia.

They get wet food once in awhile as a treat.

People have told me that Zam looks like she's lost weight, but I can't tell. *laughs*

Quote:

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Originally posted by RedHedd
I feed Mitzi Pro Plan Indoor formula. She's 11.9 lbs. and we're trying to get her down to 10. I give her half a cup every day and she rarely, if ever, finishes it. Check the label - it gives detailed directions on how much to feed.

Also, instead of free-feeding, try switching to twice a day feedings. Put the food down for about an hour once in the morning and once in the evening, and then take it up and put it where they can't get to it. At first they will scream that you are starving them, but they do get used to it and it does work to help them lose weight; albeit VERY slowly.

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That's the stuff I just switched them to. Hopefully it will work. They're already eating less, so that's a good sign. :)