Overweight cat (12 years old) with kitty IBS and no idea how to solve this problem

[InvaderZim]

Hi, we have a bit of a tricky situation with my lovely cat, she's a very lazy/scaredy 12 year old American Shorthair. About 5 years ago we discovered she had (as the vet put it), "kitty IBS": she ate a lot of grass, and vomited a lot. She was always on the skinny side if not underweight, probably 3.75kg at her smallest.

Fast forward to us finding a food which really suited her (Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal) - the first year she went up to a normalise weight for her 4kg, but at this vet checkup she was 4.5kg. Cue the vet "she's overweight" but he didn't offer any suggestions.

My husband is trying to cut down the amount of food she's getting, but now she's waking him up at 6am for a feed (she was previously free-fed to a certain degree) and he's obsessing about what he's read about protein and carbs.

I don't think my cat will take wet food, I've tried in the past and she just licks off the jelly. For family harmony I'd rather have an overweight cat than an overtired husband.

Switching to a lower calorie food just seems to be giving them more rice, which now my husband's worried is bad for the cat, so...? I don't know where to go from here.

[cozietoesie]

I'd be interested in any comments from one of the vets who post because that seems to me to be smack in the middle of the weight range for American Shorthairs. I know they have a tendency to gain weight and you have to keep an eye on them but I'd check this one out with your vet, maybe with a phone call to find out if he has any real concerns.

As she's on dried food, though, have you thought of giving her at least a proportion of her normal nosh in a food toy? (Such as a kibble ball.) That should make it stretch out a bit and also up her interest and activity levels.

[InvaderZim]

A kibble ball is an awesome idea, thanks! I never considered it before as she's not a treat eater. Ta!

[InvaderZim]

I have only just realised that American Shorthair is an actual breed and not just what you call a general American moggy, which is what she is.

[cozietoesie]

Ah - are you in the States? (People in the UK often confuse British Short Hair (breed) with Domestic Short Hair (general cat.))

[Lonecatwithkitten]

The American short hair is a bit slighter than the British short hair, but I would still consider 4.5kg a normal weight. I do find Royal canine a bit addictive for cats and that they do get over weight with it. Can you get any cereal free dried cat foods? I would consider these I like Arden Grange Salmon and Potato or James Wellbeloved with vegetables (not rice).

[LuluJakey1]

We have two cats, a boy and a girl.

The boy is 4.5 kg

The girl is 2.2 Kg. She is just very petite.

Both as fit as fleas. Neither fat.

Our old cat was 6.5kg and we had to cut his food down. We got him down to 5.5kg- much to his disgust. He made a terrible fuss at first- even stole food from us but adapted

[InvaderZim]

Not in the states now but the cat and I originated from there.