A Fat Cat

[Scott]

About 2 years ago, what we thought was an old cat, showed up about 1/2 dead in our yard. My partner fed him and took care of him, but he was left outside. He got better and he was gone, but came back every few days. He was a Tom Cat, but had a nice disposition. His personality and lifestyle led to my partner naming him "Tom Sawyer". We moved and took him with, but he was left outside (3 cats and dog inside already). He disappeared a few times, but eventually made it back to us. To make a long story short, the neighbors complained about this 'stray' at our house, so the partner had a loud quarrel with a neighbor, took the cat to the vet had him fixed and brought him in the house.

Surprisingly, he took to be inside like he had just won the lottery. He got along with the other cats and the dog. One cat doesn't like him, but he just pays him no mind.

Shortly after his entrance to the house, he started getting fat. He's got some Persian in him, so he has a heavy, long, soft coat which makes him look even fatter. We put the cats on diet food--the others lost considerable weight (they weren't fat), but Tom Sawyer just never did. He doesn't overeat, and I don't know his weight, but he's heavy (I would guess 5-6 kilos).

He gets played with daily and remains on a slightly restricted diet.

I worry about his health. Should I be concerned? Any suggestions.

[WarpSpeed]

Being fixed is going to put some weight on immediately also did with my cat, though now I pretty much have it under control.. Don't know how you feed him now but with numerous cats it's difficult to feed them as they all have different eating habits, likes and dislikes..

Especially if the ages vary quite a bit, having been a stray he is probably over-compensating when he eats habitually not knowing when he is going to eat again so he is probably eating the other cats food too and this is a real issue whether or not it's diet food as too much of ANY food is too much and this is compounded by his fixing, plus you made mention of the others losing while he's still gaining, seems pieces fit..

How do you feed them? Small amounts through the day? One big meal? Any dry food for snacking on? Just can food, etc... This sounds like it's going to require some feeding adjustments on your part in terms of amounts availability and schedules..

[Scott]

The cats are given dry food--Science Diet. They have free choice, but we do let the dish go empty. They are also given some canned food. The other cats get a decent amount. Tom Sawyer just gets a taste.

He's not a voracious eater. When the dish is filled, the other cats head straight for the food. Tom doesn't. The other cats are a little picky, though and he's not.

His weight seems to be stable at this point, but a hefty stable.

I don't mind a fat cat as long as it isn't going to effect his health.

[WarpSpeed]

Right, of course his lack of pick eating habits relates to eating whatever he finds in the wild to survive, he doesn't rush to eat because he knows there will be plenty leftover and there is pecking order in a pride which is what you have, even one or 2 cats act like a pride, he's at the bottom of that pecking order being the last in the house and he understands and respects that especially if there are younger cats and females..

I think you need to separate their bowls and feed him separately and not leave down any food they don't eat for him to get to maybe juts give him some dry in small amounts so he can eat like he did in the wild in small bits and then one good meal with dry and canned combo per day..

This sounds impossibel as I write it but don't know the logisitics of your house so maybe not, can't tell you otherwise as for over weight health, Garfield is still around .. Seriously though it's a lottery innit??

[Scott]

Thanks Warpspeed, there are a couple of food dishes. We sometimes put a little in the bowls in the morning and then none until later in the evening.

I don't think it's going to hurt any of them to get a little hungry, so I'll try further limiting his food. I think, he may just be going to spend his life as a fat cat.

He's got a lovely disposition and absolutely no interest in going outside. The others will bolt through the door in a heart beat if the opportunity arises. Tom Sawyer, on the other hand, won't step outside!

He does know on which side his Tuna can is opened!

[Nienke]

It sounds to me more that a change of metabolism occurred and a HUGE drop in exercise.

Reducing his food to that below the recommended amount written on the cat food bag, can cause nutrient lacks. At least if you believe what's written on that bag.

Cats are obligate carnivores, so should not be fed grains. Dryfood is full with grains, high carbo-hydrates.

You could look at the following websites:

http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/247/Raw-Feeding-for-Cats.html

http://www.rawfedcats.org/

http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Pages/Fat_Cats.pdf

http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/218/Obesity-in-Cats/2.html

[WarpSpeed]

It sounds to me more that a change of metabolism occurred and a HUGE drop in exercise.

Reducing his food to that below the recommended amount written on the cat food bag, can cause nutrient lacks. At least if you believe what's written on that bag.

Cats are obligate carnivores, so should not be fed grains. Dryfood is full with grains, high carbo-hydrates.

You could look at the following websites:

http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/247/Raw-Feeding-for-Cats.html

http://www.rawfedcats.org/

http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Pages/Fat_Cats.pdf

http://www.thecatsite.com/Health/218/Obesity-in-Cats/2.html

Gee good for all those companies making it to know that?? Who da knew ???? Of course a change of metabolism occurred the cat was a virile outdoor cat and now he lives like a neutered King! His previous daily routine used to consist of 8 hours of sourcing food, finding females to inseminate and fending off various competing suitors not to mention soi dogs and 16 hours of sleeping off all that activity, now he spends next to nothing on any of those purrrrrsuits... I.E. change of metabolism, obvious really, now how to realistically and practically deal with the huge life changes.

Edited February 26, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[transam]

Think like humons, some cannot control their weight. My cat eats and eats, non stop but is as skinny as a rake, sleeps, washes, eats, sleeps, washes eats. Don't worry.

[Scott]

Thanks for the responses. I am probably overreacting a little. I've had a lot of cats, but never had one with a weight problem. I'll take a look at the websites. I also make sure they get good quality canned food or fresh fish on a regular basis.

Tom likes milk, so he gets a little milk so he gets a small amount once a week. I'll get him weighed and keep an eye on his weight and activity level. Maybe a little less worrying and a little more enjoying him will be better for all concerned!

Again, thanks.

[ETatBKK]

Tom likes milk, so he gets a little milk so he gets a small amount once a week. I'll get him weighed and keep an eye on his weight and activity level. Maybe a little less worrying and a little more enjoying him will be better for all concerned!

great, feed him cat milk for the day and then one dry or wet food for the dinner. good cat milk carries enough nutrition already.

don't worry, a typical symptom from an outdoor cat to an indoor cat - lack of exercise.