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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Kitten needs to eat less

18 replies

EnglishRose1320 · 05/11/2015 21:19

My 5month old kitten went to the vets today to be castrated. Op took much longer than expected partly due to one testicle being in the wrong place and partly due to him being a bit of a fatty. Personally I don't think he is overly fat and we don't feed him loads, one wet pouch and one small bowl of biscuits. We are going to cut down to half a wet pouch a day and slightly less biscuits but the trouble is he fusses for more food with what we are giving him currently so how do we keep him happy on less food.

OP posts:

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timtam23 · 05/11/2015 21:40

I thought kittens needed loads of food because they are growing so fast and also on the go all the time, burning off so much energy? Half a pouch + some biscuits doesn't sound like much, 5 months is still a baby really. Has the vet said he needs to reduce his food intake?

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/11/2015 23:04

I wouldnt diet a growing animal. At that age mine had 4 pouches a day and whatever he caught hunting.

Bogburglar99 · 05/11/2015 23:12

I agree it doesn't sound like a lot. Did vet say he was fat? My 7 month old kitten is a BIG bugger but has two pouches per day plus some biscuits. He's clearing the lot and not overweight at all.

The vet did tell us his metabolism would slow down now he's neutered and hence we would need to watch his weight, so as his growth slows we will look to cut back. Are you sure the vet wasn't saying something like that?

cozietoesie · 05/11/2015 23:26

It may be alleged to be impossible but I had a fat kitten once - and it was entirely my own fault. Feed him well because he's a growing lad but keep a weather eye on his weight nd size, particularly as he's now been neutered. Lots of activity and games may well be preferable to cutting down on his food; the amounts don't sound excessive.

BubsandMoo · 05/11/2015 23:34

You could slow down how quickly he gets through his food - and keep him entertained and encourage activity- using puzzle feeders. There's heaps of different types - balls they need to knock for food to fall out, puzzles they need to use their paws to knock food out of etc. Trixie do a lot of different ones for example, or you can get creative and make your own.

EnglishRose1320 · 06/11/2015 00:09

Thanks for all the advice. Yes vet said to cut back on food and that he is already fat, took two extra layers of stitches due to fat! Will have a look at puzzle feeders, he is a fairly active cat, out exploring for large parts of the day and then playing with my ds's for hours in the evening. Do different breeds of cats have more or less tendency to be big?

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 06/11/2015 00:23

Weigh the biscuits? I doubt it's a single pouch that's putting weight on.
Is it a decent brand?
Are you sure others in the family aren't also feeding?
Is he getting food elsewhere?
As an aside, why was he out before neutering?

Fluffycloudland77 · 06/11/2015 08:16

I really, really wouldnt diet a growing animal. Not at 5 months.

Babies have fat reserves we dont need. If he got ill and didnt eat you'd be glad of those fat reserves.

Fluffycloudland77 · 06/11/2015 08:19

Our vets are completely flummoxed by our cat because he's 6kg but slim and has a waist.

There's always lots of checking the chart, looking at puss, looking at me and then the "well he's heavy but seems ok, so, umm, carry on".

GoneAndDone · 06/11/2015 08:22

If he's out roaming, he is probably eating somewhere else as that amount of food doesn't sound like a lot.

Bogburglar99 · 06/11/2015 10:07

Is he a particular breed?

Mine has Wainwrights- I think grain free pouches are meant to keep them fuller for longer?

80sWaistcoat · 06/11/2015 10:11

Our vets are constantly surprised by how large our cat is - but he's just a big lad, not fat.

Bogburglar99 · 06/11/2015 10:19

Oh ours is ginormous which is his breed. If the vet had to stitch through extra fat layers it does sound like he was going by that not by weight though.

Hope you solve the mystery OP!

EnglishRose1320 · 06/11/2015 17:06

Thanks again for the feedback, tried reducing food yesterday and today but he isn't happy, going to go back to James Wellbeloved food I think, seems more filling. He is half Bengal. He doesn't get fed by anyone else in the family, it is youngest ds"s job in the morning abs eldest in the evening, youngest is supervised so I know how much he gets and eldest is very good. He may have snuck the odd extra meal but because he is just at the getting use to going out stage he mainly just stays in our garden atm.

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 06/11/2015 18:20

Ours is a Bengal, they are eating machines. It does tail off.

potap123 · 06/11/2015 22:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EnglishRose1320 · 07/11/2015 20:56

Where is the best place to look for either raw or grain free food? Thanks

OP posts:

hollinhurst84 · 11/11/2015 20:23

Raw to go is online
Applaws, natures instinct

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