Gato is WAY overweight! please help!

[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.

[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!

[kimlovescats]

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

[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 .

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.

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