We took in Bailey as a sickly little 1.5 lb 6-week-old stray in Oct 2002. Now, he's between 15 and 16 lbs and a very healthy nearly 2.5-year-old guy - long and lean - very musclely. However, we were told not to let him gain too much by our vet - fat cats can have all sorts of health problems, from diabetes to kidney and liver problems, etc. Not worth the pain it causes them and the extra money in vet bills, if you can help it.

However, when we adopted Leo, we knew he was a big guy with a gut that came from eating whatever he could as a stray before he was rescued (maybe someone owned him and left him behind after feeding him lots of food in his early years - we have no way of knowing). When we adopted him last spring, he was between 16 and 17 lbs, close to 17 - can't remember exactly. I guess he was so happy to be getting regular food and comfy sleep spots that in the first few months he lived with us, he shot up to 18 lbs, 12 oz (by Sept 2004)!! At the time, we were feeding Science Diet Sensitive Stomach (b/c of Bailey's history with stomach problems when he was a kitten) combined with Science Diet Hairball Control Light (b/c of Leila and Leo and hairball issues). Well, we weaned them off the Sensitive Stomach, b/c Bailey's fine now, and now just feed them the Hairball Control Light. It must've made a difference (plus, I think Leo runs and chases with the rest of them more now), b/c in Dec when we took him to the vet, he weighed 17 lbs 11 oz, which is much better! They say it takes several months for a cat to lose a single pound, and they're right. We knew we had to work on his weight so he could remain healthy and be with us a long time (he's only 2.5 after all).

Strive for strong, healthy cats, so they live longer, happier, healthier lives.