How do I tell if my cat is too fat?

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James A. Donald - 12 Dec 2004 01:36 GMT

I feed my cat three scoops a day, plus every now and then a scrap from
food preparation. During the summer she also eats rats and gophers, I
have no idea how many, probably not very many. Now that it is
winter, and she does not get out much, she complains vehemently that I
am not feeding her enough, but I think she is a little bit fat, and
needs to go on a diet.

How does one tell if a cat is at a healthy weight?

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Philip Doolittle - 12 Dec 2004 03:17 GMT

Problems properly grooming their hind quarters in front of their tail is a
sure sign they are overweight. The excess fat makes it difficult for them
to twist and lean that far and they slack off a bit.

IIRC, 1/2 cup per day is recommended for an average cat. We free feed our 4
and I can tell you that the only one that ever begs for food is the fat one.
I have often wondered PeeWee has a dietary deficiency since she eats and
eats, and always begs for more (different?) even when there is 5lbs of food
sitting there. We feed only SciDiet and the vet says everything but the
excess weight is normal.

Sincerely,
Philip Doolittle
http://www.OdorDestroyer.com

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>I feed my cat three scoops a day, plus every now and then a scrap from
> food preparation. During the summer she also eats rats and gophers, I
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> How does one tell if a cat is at a healthy weight?

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Judy - 12 Dec 2004 04:03 GMT

What breed is she and how much does she weigh?

If you can't feel her ribs, she's likely overweight.

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James A. Donald - 12 Dec 2004 04:49 GMT

--
"James A. Donald"

> > How does one tell if a cat is at a healthy weight?

"Judy"

> What breed is she and how much does she weigh?

No idea. She is white all over, bright yellow eyes, has a long
tail and superhuman hearing, but I suppose most cats have
superhuman hearing.

> If you can't feel her ribs, she's likely overweight.

Cannot feel her ribs, though she has no problem grooming her
rear, so I guess I will make her stick to her diet.

--digsig
James A. Donald
6YeGpsZR+nOTh/cGwvITnSR3TdzclVpR0+pr3YYQdkG
jrFzIoR9QNe5qu3WhWTYBgTUNUlJ0lb23T+dDnyd
4DwABHGnsWwIfg1TTo28f/TTDvgwPh8CU0QmsobS6

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Dave - 12 Dec 2004 05:21 GMT

>No idea. She is white all over, bright yellow eyes, has a long
>tail and superhuman hearing, but I suppose most cats have
>superhuman hearing.

Mine have "superhuman" hearing, except when I'm talking to them unless
they think there is something in it for them.

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Troy - 14 Dec 2004 08:43 GMT

> --
> "James A. Donald"
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> jrFzIoR9QNe5qu3WhWTYBgTUNUlJ0lb23T+dDnyd
> 4DwABHGnsWwIfg1TTo28f/TTDvgwPh8CU0QmsobS6

You should not reduce the amount you feed your cat too quickly because
cats can not metabolise fat very easily so you should not reduce the
amount any more than about 20% at a time. Perhaps you should start by
cutting back 10% making subsequent reductions every couple of weeks
until you can feel her ribs. Looking down on a cat you should notice
that their stomach is narrower than her chest (just) and, as someone
else pointed out, you can feel her ribs. In summer a cat should look
athletic and sleek - in winter their coats make it a bit more difficult
to tell.

Have a look at this link for a more clinical description of a cat's
build:
http://petplace.netscape.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=3296

Troy.

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Zythophile - 17 Dec 2004 21:52 GMT

>I feed my cat three scoops a day, plus every now and then a scrap from
> food preparation. During the summer she also eats rats and gophers, I
> have no idea how many, probably not very many.

I would be concerned, but not necessarily worried, if your cat catches rats
especially if you think she might be overweight and therefore a bit slower
than a "normal" weight cat. Have a look at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/850556.stm. As you refer to gophers, I
assume that you're in North America and I have no idea if this parasite
exists in North America. It might be worth a chat with your vet; if this
parasite does exist in your locality, I suspect that there might be some
prophylactic treatment available for your cat. Or your vet may be able to
reassure you that the parasite isn't a threat. The article is 4 years old
and there is probably more up to date research available.

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Z
51? 37' 23" N, 3? 56' 27" W

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