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Zoltan M. - 20 Oct 2003 22:19 GMT

Hi cat lovers,
What to do with a cat that gets fatter and fatter.It is now 6 kilograms,
which is a lot for a cat that is not particularly long. If I feed him / it
less, it goes to the neighbours, who spoil him.
The cat is neutered and 5 yrs old. It is extremely kind and very polite
(coming in in the morning, it allways raises its nose to my face as if to
say hello, even if in a hyrry, because on its way to the food), so it is
sometimes difficult to say no, when he is sitting in front of the fridge,
staring at the doorhandle.
This must be a very common problem.
So, what is the consensus"
I do not trust those diets you hear about, can't be healthy; but too many
calories is certainly bad for any animal.
Any safe tricks, or strategies, psycholgy?
thanks
zm

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Mary - 20 Oct 2003 22:52 GMT

>This must be a very common problem.
>So, what is the consensus"
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>thanks
>zm

Calculate your cat's desired weight, probably 8-10 lbs, 3-5 kg. Look at your
box/can of catfood. Calculate his caloric instake based on his desired weight
plus 10%. Give him this amount per day. When he loses a little weight,
calculate his caloric intake based on desired weight. Try to exercise him more
with toys. You may have to either keep him inside or tell your neighbors not to
feed him.

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Rich Cacace - 21 Oct 2003 02:52 GMT

It strange that some cats will overeat & yet our neutered male will never
eat more than necessary. He's been a loner since we got him 12 years ago &
we feed him as much as he wants (we always have dry available).
Occasionally he'll get a chipmunk or bird & then not eat his canned food. I
suppose if he had a companion he would eat more because of competition.

> >This must be a very common problem.
> >So, what is the consensus"
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> with toys. You may have to either keep him inside or tell your neighbors not to
> feed him.

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Ted Davis - 21 Oct 2003 14:46 GMT

>It strange that some cats will overeat & yet our neutered male will never
>eat more than necessary. He's been a loner since we got him 12 years ago &
>we feed him as much as he wants (we always have dry available).
>Occasionally he'll get a chipmunk or bird & then not eat his canned food. I
>suppose if he had a companion he would eat more because of competition.

I don't think that has much to do with it. I am feeding fifteen cats:
twelve established residents, one new resident, one neighbor's cat,
and one feral. The neighbor's cat (the champion mouser in the
neighborhood) and the new resident are obese, two of the residents are
skinny, and the rest are about normal weight for their size and
musclelature. They used to have dry food available 24/7, but I
recently started picking up the food bowl at bed time to discourage
the possum and coon from coming inside.

T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
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Zoltan M. - 21 Oct 2003 20:36 GMT

> It strange that some cats will overeat & yet our neutered male will never
> eat more than necessary. He's been a loner since we got him 12 years ago &
> we feed him as much as he wants (we always have dry available).
> Occasionally he'll get a chipmunk or bird & then not eat his canned food. I
> suppose if he had a companion he would eat more because of competition.

This is interesting; I did not tell my cat had a companion but he has (she
is smaller but perhaps relatively as flabby)- anyway, this fits with your
"competition theory". Unfortunately this does bring the solutiuon close.
I think there is definitely a genetic compound to the story (the Leptin gene
etc.)
Some people also wolf down what they want but... no that is another
newsgroup.

ZM

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