Why is my cat not losing weight?

[EleanorAbernathy]

CC weighed in at a hefty 7kg a month ago so we gave her diet a bit of an overhaul, as she has diabetes so it will hopefully be easier to get it under control if she's a bit smaller.

We have a few other cats and have always free-fed them with good quality dry food, and figured maybe CC was eating more than her share - so we've started feeding her separately and picking the food up when they're all done. We've switched CC onto Butcher's Classic canned food, for the last month she has had no more than a can a day, sometimes less. This fits in with the feeding guide for a 4kg cat, and she seems happy with the amount.

She has no treats at all, and is an indoor cat so isn't being fed anywhere else.

I took her for her monthly blood test this morning - and she is now 7.05kg - so a bit heavier!

Does anyone have any advice? She's a lazy sod so any attempts at exercise don't work despite our best efforts - she just doesn't like moving much!

Real slow weight loss is best for them if I recall, and as she has diabetes, pretty critical I'd have thought. It can mean many many many months of very slightly reduced feeding though.

Could she have had a full bladder and gut when you weighed her this time though? (To explain the very slight weight gain.) Otherwise, and probably in any case, I'd have to guess that you may have - and as you thought - changed her food but you haven't really reduced her calorific intake at all.

What advice has your vet given ?

PS - how was her blood test? (If you've had the results already.)

Should get the results tomorrow :)

I didn't really get a chance to discuss it with the vet, they had a couple of emergencies in so I ended up having to leave her with them until a relief vet came in. They do run weight loss clinics though so may sign her up - I'm imagining a sort of kitty boot camp!

Try to speak to the vet then. It would be a long haul in any case, I assume, but the complication of the active diabetes would likely entail vet supervision, I suspect.

FatCatSlim went to Fat Club at the vet :o

It took 6 months for him to lose around 1kg to take him to his fighting weight of 6kg (he is a big cat!)

Does your cat have a second family who are feeding her or is she scavenging through other cat flaps?

After trying unsuccessfully to get him to lose weight for about 2 years, it was the 6 months of Royal Canin Satiety diet food that finally shifted it.

Are any of your neighbours feeding it?

No she's definitely not being fed elsewhere as she doesn't go out!

Her daily exercise routine goes a it like this at the moment -

Have breakfast, use tray
Go up 2 flights of stairs (this is the good bit!)
Sleep all day either on or under the bed (that's the bad bit!)
Back downstairs at meal times
Every evening lie upside down on the rug and flip from side to side a few times (I think that's her ab workout! )

Hmm. Maybe the avoirdupois is limiting her a little?

(Although she could just be lazy! )

Have you ever attempted to play with her or to give her her kibble in a food toy?

Trying to play with her usually results in a dirty look - we still keep trying though!

I used to have a fat cat I bought him a treat ball and put diet biscuits in it feed him less food he.might find motivation to move

My vet also recommended an "anti gulp" bowl which stops them bolting their food.

You could try one of those cat feeding teaser balls - you put dry food in them, and the cat has to move the ball around to get it to drop the food out a bit at a time - it limits the amount they eat and gets them to do a bit of exercise.
We used one for our cat who insisted on bolting every meal and then vomitting... TMI.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0018CE8LQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1