Fat cat in a multi-cat household

[BlueKarou]

I don't know what to do about my cat. She's about 9, and is the oldest of the three I have (the others are 7 and 6 and they've all been with me since kitten)

I moved house in December, and the cats joined me (from my Mum's, where I'd been staying) in February. I've noticed that DaisyCat never goes outside, even though there is a catflap installed. She's always been fairly nervy and sedentary, and so has always been on the chubby side, but this seems to be getting worse now that we've moved. I popped out after work yesterday and don't think she moved from the bed between 18:15 and when I got back at about 22:30.

I can't cut down her food because all three eat dry food as and when they want it. I know she's moving around the house as the food is on the surface downstairs, next to the catflap. I just don't think she wants to go out, or really do anything other than move between sleeping places in the house. It's just that she's getting fatter in her inactivity and I know that can cause health problems. Do I just have to physically place her outside each morning and evening just to encourage her to move around more?

Any advice would be very gratefully received!

Have attached a picture of the chubster in question.

Will she play with you? I too have a large, nervy cushion of a cat given to loafing, and I find that encouraging him to play with me using fishing-rod type toys - dragging them along the floor for him to chase - encourages activity.

He will also go outside with me, but like yours seems un-bothered to do so off his own (extremely wide) back. Maybe start playing with her inside, then playing with her outside, and see if that gives her some pleasant associations?

P.S. She's lovely

Thanks; she is a sweetie. There's just a lot of her right now.

I'm not sure if she'd be tempted to play, but it's definitely something I can try. She used to like the little foam ping pong balls - she'd catch them with her claws and then throw them. I'll see what I've got at home, or pop out to Pets at Home to pick something up for her.

As it's getting warmer I'm starting to have the back door open a lot more, so will see if I can bring her to the garden and then entice her to stay there, just in case she's simply not sure about the new back garden. I have seen a couple of neighbourhood cats pass by, but my other cats have laid claim to the garden and will send any interested feline neighbours on their way.

Try the Flying Frenzy to get her moving about. You can get loads of different attachments to clip onto it. My 2 love it.

And yes, she's beautiful.