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Original poster

Why are my cats so fat?

19 replies

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 20:59

I have 3 cats, they're all fat.

They get fed less than it says on the box (says 4 pouches a day and they generally have 3, this is because they all leave the food if I give more), they sometimes have some dry food as well but none of them will eat it.

They get a few cat treats maybe once every 4+ months and they are never fed bits from our food.

They're all outdoor cats and spend most of their time outside running around, so how can they possibly be so fat, and how can I help them? Confused I can't lower food as they are already getting less than they should, and one of them who I will post a picture of, rarely even eats the 3 pouches that he gets. :(

Why are my cats so fat?
OP posts:
cozietoesie · 15/10/2014 21:05

Six Dinner Sids, possibly? Do you have any neighbours nearby who might be the food-giving culprits?

When were they last vetted? (Although given all three are porkers and they're outside-going cats, I'd plump for an extra kitchen - or four!)

Lonecatwithkitten · 15/10/2014 21:05

Ummm if they are too fat on three pouches each per day they only need two per day. Personally I think 4 pouches per day is only for seriously large cats the average 4kg cat really only needs 2.

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 21:10

Lone ^^ That cat is a particularly large cat (in his natural build/length, and he eats the least and will seemingly happily go for days on just coming in to munch one pouch a day and wander off not finishing it.

Cozie Haven't been to the vets in a while tbh. We are in an oval with streets behind us so eating elsewhere is possible, but I can't see anyone around here willing to feed them all!

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Aliennation · 15/10/2014 21:17

They will definitely be getting food elsewhere. Put a tag on them saying 'diabetic do not feed'.
You can get diet food for them too from your vet, quite hard to monitor with 3 though.

CMOTDibbler · 15/10/2014 21:18

My cats get two pouches a day (and access to dry food), and though they 'source their own food' are all a healthy weight. You need to cut their food down

cozietoesie · 15/10/2014 21:18

Cats have large ranges. Any catering establishments/food preparation places within stone-throwing distance? (Nice handy bins of food scrap rubbish.)

ThreeQuartersEmpty · 15/10/2014 21:21

Neighbours feeding. Definitely.
I have had this problem.

That and the wildlife. Do they loose weight in the winter?

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 21:31

They do lose weight in winter actually.

I really don't want to offer any less, I only give them it when they ask already, I would feel cruel, I know they are big but when will I know if they have eaten elsewhere and aren't actually really hungry with me refusing to feed them? They do sometimes get access to dry food but only the cat in the picture will even look at it and he leaves most of the other food.

I can't tag as they will not wear collars, I've tried but because they've never worn one (were housecats for about 5 years) they go crazy and weird and lie in the corner and wont even move if I put one on them.

The local food places aren't that close, main roads would have to be crossed to get to them, it's all houses here though, so plenty of bins, I guess?

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Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 21:33

I also didn't think they ever caught any animals but we have recently had 2 dead mice 2 days in a row and also a poor pidgeon. :(

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cozietoesie · 15/10/2014 21:50

One tip, SchroSaw. The Lodger raised himself on the streets after being abandoned and was given to raiding bins. (We used to be brought Chinese and other delicacies instead of dead rodents.) When I took him to my vet, it turned out that his teeth were terrifically crusted and he had to have a full dental although he was only 3.

I don't like to make any causal connection between eating the sticky stuff from bins and his lousy teeth but ............ I'd have your cats' teeth checked out at their next vetting.

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 21:55

Ohh, I think I will get them to the vets soon then for a check up (and maybe so diet food!). One of them had horrific gum disease when I got her (I think she was being badly mistreated, was in a bad state), she is missing teeth already can't really afford to lose any more. She only started putting on weight once I had her neutered, she was really skinny before that and she can't eat dry food at all because of the teeth.

Could her weight be partly due to that?

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girliefriend · 15/10/2014 22:03

I would only give two pouches a day and put some good quality biscuits down like iams or science diet. My cats have biscuits down and only get one or occasionally two pouches a day.

I think if they are really hungry they will eat the biscuits.

Definately speak to the vets as well, they normally do some sort of weight loss scheme for overweight pets! The cat in the pic is a proper porker bless him Grin

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 22:15

One of the cats can't physically eat biscuits though, she doesn't have enough teeth. :(

Cat in the picture isn't as bad now as he was there, not loads better but not quite as bad. He never eats the full amount of soft food, I would say atm he leaves probably about half of each pouch and that one only eats twice a day, so he's eating about 1-1.5 pouches and some dry (but not on all days).

I guess he must be eating elsewhere too or he would be eating more than that in here.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 15/10/2014 22:21

Even cats with no teeth can eat biscuits. I have several totally toothless patients who only eat biscuits.

cozietoesie · 15/10/2014 22:43

Seniorboy (he of the 5 teeth) normally only has wet food but has developed a real taste for Vet's Kitchen treats - which are not at all soft or small. He only gets about 7 or 8 along with his other supper bowls but that particular bowl is always cleared by morning. I have no idea how he manages to eat them but eat them he does.

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 22:47

Honestly, this one can't (or refuses, but she does try). She just tries to chew and they kind of fall back out and she gives up. :( She does tilt to one side to try and chew it but it doesn't seem to work for her.

Will have a look at those vets kitchen treats and see if she happens to try them. If they would all take dry food, I would just give them that and one pouch a day (would be far cheaper too!)

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cozietoesie · 15/10/2014 23:01

Might be worth a try - and I guess the others would finish them if she couldn't. Seniorboy won't touch Dreamies for example but those VK ones he seems to be very keen on although they tend to disappear in the middle of the night after I just leave him to it.

(He's an old boy so is allowed to eat as much as he wants. My problem with him is keeping his weight up and not getting it down.)

You might find this of interest, in particular the point about real gradual loss of weight and not dramatic diets.

Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 23:08

See, she wont eat dreamies or temptations or any of that stuff, she tries but they come back out and she gives up, the only treat she has ever successfully eaten was a puree thing that they can lick up, the other 2 looked at it in horror. :o

Thanks for the link, I will check that out just now. :)

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Original poster
SchroSawMargeryDaw · 15/10/2014 23:09

Gosh, at least Skrinkle isn't that big! Shock

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