Help! My cat is obese.

[crg]

Our 5-year-old, Stewie, is a hefty cat, and it has me worried. We lost a cat a few years ago to pancreatitis, and know that an overweight cat has a much higher likelihood of so many health issues.

His first few years we free-fed him, but when he started to gain too much weight we started feeding him set amounts at set intervals. We feed him 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Science Diet Sensitive Skin (since moving to the desert with its dry air, he has gotten pretty bad dandruff) dry food each evening. I use a measuring cup to portion his food, and we NEVER give him human food. He is an indoor-only cat, and the only thing he eats besides his Science Diet is the occasional fly or moth that he chases down.

A little over a month ago, we brought home a new Siamese kitten, and she and Stewie have become good friends. We had hoped that with the extra exercise that a little sister would bring, Stewie would lose a little weight, but that hasn't happened. In fact, he has GAINED weight. His little sister does chase him around and wrestle with him, so he should be getting more exercise, but he still has gained quite a bit of weight. He is now well over 20 pounds.

Does anyone have any ideas for helping an obese cat lose weight in a healthy way?

Sincerely,
CRG

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi and welcome to PT. Since you've already stopped free feeding him, I would suggest trying a different kind of cat food. Many of them have a lot of carbs in them and very little protein which is what cats need.

I currently feed all of my cats Innova Evo which is a grain free cat food and you can buy dry and canned food in this brand. I don't free feed either and 5 of my 6 cats have lost weight while eating this food because it's a very high protein diet. It has a lot of calories too so they don't need to eat as much of it as regular cat foods. My 6th cat is on prednisolone which has caused him to gain weight due to drinking a lot of water. You can buy this brand at most independent pet stores.

Another great way to help your cat get more excercise is to buy him a laser light. You just sit on the couch and let him chase the laser all around the room. Most cats love it. Good luck.

[crg]

Do the cats like the taste of the Innova? Stewie is pretty picky about his food (odd for a fat cat, I know) and has utterly refused to eat the weight loss formula foods we've bought him (Iams and Science Diet to name a few).

For a while he wouldn't play all that much as he had gotten pretty lazy, but with a pesky little sister making him more active I'll try a laser. I could see him enjoying that.

Thank you so much for your time and concern!!

CRG

P.S. Stewie looks a little like Storm and the new kitten (lynx-point Siamese) resembles your Pearl. Beautiful cats they all are. And what incredible eyes Ziggy has!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Yes, all of my cats love the Innova Evo. I think that most pets stores now have a return policy that if your cats don't like the food then you can return it for a full refund. I've done this before.

Thanks for the nice comments about my cats. Storm is almost 13 years old, Sunny is 8, Sky is 6, Starr and Pearl are 3, and Ziggy Stardust is 2. There's never a dull moment in my household. They keep me busy.

[crg]

Thanks! I will try the Innova. We are out in the boonies and only have one pet store within 60 miles of here, but if they don't have it, they can probably get it (or I can order it online). They have very good service, so I would guess that you're right - they will probably take it back if the 'kids' don't like it.

[Karen]

You could also try getting him used to walking on a leash - some cats will easily adapt, other do a great "fur-covered anchor" impression, but if you can get him used to that, you can enforce some exercise - and probably make new friends around the neighborhood. Exercise will always help. I am glad you are trying to curb his weight, for his health's sake!

[crg]

A leash is a great idea, thanks Karen! I love to go for walks, and he always enjoyed going out into the yard when we lived in the city. We're out in the country now, so I don't let him outside at all - too many things around that would love to have him for dinner - but on a leash it would be safe and fun. I could get the kitten involved too and train her while she's still young.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I hope that you'll be able to find something that will work for Stewie. Both of your cats sure are gorgeous and they do remind me of my Storm and Pearl. You should go over to cat general and post some more pictures of them. We all love seeing pictures here.

[crg]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate all the great ideas! And Stewie appreciates them, too, even though he doesn't know it.

I will head over and post some photos! Thank you for the nice comments!

[critters]

My boy Koi came fat, worse for him since he's a spinal cord injured fella. He's getting a lot more exercise than he was, but he's still fat. We feel your pain!!

[LionHart]

We encourage the other cats to 'play chase' Munchie, and he loves it! They rip snort around, take a flying leap to one of the cat trees and down again. He's moving and that's what counts.

[kittykatharine]

Do you know what breed your baby may be? I was told by my vet that different breeds are allowed to weigh more - due to the larger frame (i.e. cats with Maine Coon in their genes). Also, the Innovo is a great food for your kitty (if he will eat it). My cats loved it a great deal. Let us know if he looses any weight!

[crg]

Thanks everyone for your ideas and comments!

I am not sure what breed Stewie is, other than Heinz 57. His coat has some characteristics of a Russian Blue (that thick shimmery silver coat), but his brother was solid black and sleek. Both he and his brother are big guys - tall, with large heads and paws. But he is definitely overweight, even for a large cat.

With the new kitten, he is getting more exercise. We discovered, though, that he has been sneaking her (much more calorie-dense) kitten food. So we've put her food up high so that he will be less likely to eat it (and if he does eat it, at least he'll have to jump up to get onto the ledge where it is). I'm hoping that will help. Of course, I suspect that she is sneaking his food, too, so we've got to get the food sorted out so everyone's eating their own.

As soon as I get a chance to go to the pet store, I am going to see about getting the Innova and a leash. If we switch to the Innova, do you think there is a problem with feeding Stewie and the kitten the same variety? She is about 12 weeks old. He is about 5 years.

I'll keep you updated. And thanks again for all of your interest and help!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

If you buy the Innova Evo it's for kittens and adult cats so that won't be a problem. They also sell other Innova formulas which do contain grains and they have them for kittens, adult cats, and senior cats. Here's a link to their website: http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp. I have it on the Evo section. Just scroll down towards the bottom to see the cat foods that are available. You can also click on the Innova link to see more cat foods that are available. Good luck.

[kittykatharine]

If you have some problems with the leash, I have always had much luck with a harness. The leash attached to the harness is less "threatening" and they tend to be more accepting of the whole thing. Let us know if it works!