How to help my cat lose weight.

[StuntNun]

My two-year-old cat has gained over a pound in three months and developed an obvious rotundness around the middle. I have three cats and I suspect he is dominating the other two (younger) cats by eating their food. If he's been fed and wandered off for a nap then he'll come back to the kitchen when I feed one of the other cats, muscle them out of the way, and eat some or all of their food. Is this a normal cat behaviour?

I'd suggest a check up to get him weighed, condition scored and wormed - vet nurses often offer this sort of clinic. Then it might be worth investing in microchip feeders so he can't steal from your other two.

Thanks Patchwork he was okay at his annual check up in January and he's wormed monthly. So healthwise I think he's fine. I'll look into the microchip cat feeders. A neighbour's cat comes into the house and eats their food as well which is annoying.

It’s not fair on your other cats if you let him steal their food. My big boy tries to do this but gets told No firmly and usually backs off. If that doesn’t work I shoo him away and stand guard while kitten eats hers.

The other cats aren't going hungry as I shut him out of the kitchen and feed them in there. I'm more worried about him putting on weight so quickly.

Weigh out his food and only feed him that amount. For my FatCat I used to portion up a bag of food into Tupperware boxes, one per day. Don't leave food down for the other cats - microchip feeders sound like a good idea (I might get some to stop the bloody dog polishing off the cat food)

It doesn't stop him eating elsewhere (if he goes out a "do not feed" collar might help but with that fluff it might be invisible!).

I've got a fat cat alongside 2 normal sized cats. Yes, he used to gobble his food and then eat the others'. I was recommended giving him his food in a puzzle bowl. I bought one. It certainly slows his eating down, even now after a year of eating from it, and that gives the other 2 a chance to eat their food in peace, but I cant say I have noticed a difference in fat cat's weight. He doesn't leave the house during the day so I know he is not eating food anywhere else, but of course he may be doing so at night. But anyway, worth a go, I think, for your cat and presumably cheaper than microchip bowls.