Cat needs to go on a diet

[sixlive]

Our cat is a bit fat, not too bad yet but the vet said to switch to a lower calorie dried food. I've started to weigh his food and give him his regular dried food but he is hungry. He is a fussy cat and I've switched brands once and it took a long time, will reducing his portions work or will he just get cross. He only has dried never really liked wet, used to just lick the jelly off. I do think he will start eating more of the local wildlife if he is hungry. He has always been fed on demand his previous owner did that.

I wouldn't worry too much about wildlife, six. Most cat stalks don't result in success so it would likely end up being reasonably calorie-neutral. (I wouldn't say the same about nicking nosh from neighbours or local shops (or fluttering his eyelashes at locals and telling them how 'starving' he is) so that's something to watch out for.)

Have you thought to up his activity levels within the house, though? Why not try giving him most or all of his dried food in foraging toys? (Kibble balls are cheaply and readily available if you're not up to making any right now.) With any luck, that would stabilize his weight and also improve his view of life.

Here's something that might be a useful read in that regard.

We love the cat food balls! fiver-ish on Amazon. It's hilarious watching a cat systematically paff it across the floor to get the crunchies out... and Mooncat isn't nearly as round as she was. She still steals Moonkitten's food though. Must be easier with just one! We won't go back to ad-lib dry. (They do have a pouch of wet each every am and pm though.)

He is very much an outdoor rural cat. Seems to catch at least a mouse most days. May get him some cat food balls it will make DS laugh a lot and entertain the cat. I think he is not wandering as much as usual as he is having fights with local cats, vet commented on his scars. He is looking hungry!