How much do you feed your cat?

[TomorrowIsAnotherDae]

On the back of an article in The Sunday Times today about cats getting fatter in lockdown. My 9yr old neutered boy is 6 kilos and I need to get him to a healthier weight before his check-up in April. He did lose a kilo last year due to stress of having a puppy in the house (definitely not how I want him to lose weight). He was so stressed and losing fur that I had to rehome pup (who is now with an amazing woman and very happy)

Puss is back to his usual happy self and the weight is back on. It isn’t helped by my NDN who has an open door policy for all the cats in the neighbourhood, with food and treats left out all day for them. I have asked him to not feed my cat but he continues to leave food and cat treats out instead of just feeding other cats when they visit him.

My cat is very fussy about his food. He only like Felix 7+ fish flavour wet food. He isn’t keen on dry food. He gets one pouch in the morning and a scoop of Purina light (which he tolerates). I also feed fresh tuna and cooked chicken liver very occasionally for variety. He doesn’t like fresh chicken or sardines. I adopted him when he was 2 and his food preferences were already fixed.

I do give him 5 dreamies a day (I count them) after playing with him but I think that will have to stop.

I don’t think he is catching prey to eat as usually he would bring it home to show me and he hasn’t done that for ages (except when pup arrived and he brought home 3 live catches in one day to prove to me that he was more useful than pup 😕)

Really I’m pissed off with NDN, who just fibs to me that he doesn’t feed my cat when I know that he does. I can’t stop puss going out, he needs the exercise and he loves being outdoors, but he does go straight to next door first, and it’s not out of friendliness as he hates everyone except me.

Any suggestions or is it fat club for puss?

My two have 3-4 pouches per day and a large handful of dry food between them. It doesn’t all get eaten depending on how fussy they’re feeling. They’re 4ish kg each. Mother in law’s dainty 3kg cat had 4 pouches per day and unlimited dry just for her!

Your post is a little confusing as you say your cat only eats Felix but I'm guessing he is eating whatever your neighbor puts out which probably isn't Felix. Basically, all you are giving your cat is one pouch in the morning. One scoop of purina light in the evening and 5 dreamies. Is that right?

My cats eat loads. They share a bowl of dry food and have 2 pouches each per day.

I'm guessing your cat is eating a lot at the neighbors. Probably dry food. I'm not sure what you can do about it though. I would maybe keep him in for a bit as the weather is bad at the moment anyway and see if his weight drops off before April.

my cats get four sachets of food a day, and there’s always a bowl full of dry food down. my neighbour also feeds them treats everyday but as my neighbour is an elderly lady living alone and the cats aren’t overweight then i just let this go. if your cat is only having one pouch of food a day and isn’t losing weight then maybe he’s just naturally a little chub? if your neighbour refuses to stop feeding other cats then really your only option is to keep the cat in i think.

Neutered male, 4.1kg

x3 pouches of food

Small amount of biscuits

I was concerned he was eating too much, but vet confirmed he was a healthy weight.

Neutered make 5kg

Used to eat 1 scoop of dry (about 45g) and a can of wet (the sma Applaws one). Last while he's stopped eating the dry food and doesn't finish his bowl of wet food.

Not got any skinnier - I know he gets fed by a lady down the road too. Seems he's favouring her offerings or found another mug to feed him too - not sure why he's not a greedy guts anymore and eating both.

2 indoor cats, 1 x 6kg, 1 x 4.5 kg. Neither overweight, just reasonably large cats. They get 1.5 pouches Felix AGAIL between them, and ad lib dry.

Your problem definitely sounds like your neighbour, and I agree with pp that you will probably have to keep your boy in for a while to get the weight off.

Thanks for responses, I now feel bad that I underfeed him!

I think he must be naturally chubby. I’ve just seen NDN and asked him if he’s feeding puss, he denied it but had a little smirk on his face, then asked what I feed him and told me it’s too much 🙄.

My neighbour closes his door when it gets dark so I might try keeping puss in until then. I once asked NDN what he feeds the cats and he said “healthy treats” then he showed me the pack which was Dreamies type treats which he trails on his hall floor to lure the cats in. I don’t know what wet food he puts down so I should have clarified @BlackCatShadow that I only feed him Felix and Purina - no idea what he eats outside of the home.

My 6 lazy indoor cats get a specialist dry food In the morning and then they get half a pouch of wet food in the evening (so three pouches split half). 2 are overweight and 4 are healthy. They are very lazy despite me providing climbing things, toys etc - so I don’t over feed them. Also the overweight ones are very sneaky about stealing human food if they get the chance. They also get treats like dreamies or something once or twice a week :)

My cats are only little little though with a recommended weight of about 2.8-3 kg so I don’t know about bigger cats

Mine get 1/2 a pouch and some dry food twice per day.

One kitten, one 13 Yr old.

I just meant he’s not going to be 6kg on one pouch, one scoop and 5 dreamies, so maybe he’s not as fussy as you think. So, perhaps try him with some dry food at home too.

For what it’s worth my old cat was being fed by at least two neighbors. I heard he used to visit another too. It was quite embarrassing. I fed him plenty but he was a complete 6 dinner Sid and just liked the variety, I think. He was really skinny though.

6 kg is pretty overweight though. I’d cut out the dreamies. You can get dry food that is good for losing weight and keep on with the wet. But it seems you either have to keep him in or just accept he’s overweight. Has the vet checked his bloods for anything weird?

Neutered male 3.2kg
Eats me out of house and home. Maybe 2-5 pouches a day and constant access to dry food plus whatever chicken/turkey mince he begs from me
Add on stolen custard/milk/yoghurt/cheese too
And yet still tiny

1/2 tin wet food a day and ad lib kibble. They probably get a cat stick each a day too, and maybe a couple of dreamies.

No idea how much they weigh but they both look the picture of health.

2 chk hearts (raw), 1 wet pouch, 5-6 Dreamies.

Our girl gets two sachets of wet food a day, plus there's always fry food available. A couple of dreamies as a treat, and occasionally a bit of ham or chicken off us depending on what we're having for dinner. She's a perfect weight - only a small cat due to her breed.

DRY food available. My cat does not have constant access to fried food 😂😂

That is nowhere near enough food and he's probably starving so that's why he goes to the next door neighbour.
Instead of blaming a kindly old man why don't you try feeding your cat enough, would you be happy with one meal a day?
Mine has 4 pouches and unlimited access to dry each day and is a healthy weight.

6 kg is pretty overweight though.

That depends on the cat - size and build etc. Boycat weighs in at the vets at 6kg and in the words of said vet is "perfect" and very healthy. His sister is 1.5kg lighter, and also ideal for her size. These are largish domestic moggies so not large breed, just tall and long.

On the other hand, one of my friend's kitties is around 3kg and a little on the cuddly side, she is just a small cat.

Dry food here, high meat content. Recommended serving printed on pack weight of cat and then amount. Measure amount each morning into beaker and she has it spread out during the day. Same for 'lodger cat' who belongs to my son. Lodger is a greedy bugger so girl cat has a microchip feeder bowl in order to have her fair share.

@saleboat, he used to have 2 pouches a day and dry food on tap, but the vet really told me off about his weight at 6 kilos and said I had to feed him less. He scared me about diabetes and kidney problems and suggested he joins the vets weight-loss group for cats (they have one). Believe me, I am far from a cruel carer and resent your accusation. I’m trying to do what’s best for him in the knowledge that someone else is also feeding him. So wind your neck in.

I’m going to revert back to his normal feeding regimen of 2 pouches a day and as much dry food he wants, while keeping him in for a little while and see how it goes. Thank you to everyone who has given constructive and reassuring advice/comments 🙂

Our 3-month-old Maine coon kitten has 3-4 pouches a day plus kibble.

Keep your cat in over night - it's safer for him, safer for the wild life and clearly will cut down on some of the treat opportunities.

Indoor cat, she's about 2kg (pocket puss). She eats two pouches a day, plus her Dreamies habit. She's nearly 5 years old. Lots of fluff but underneath is within range for her size. Vet is happy, so I'm happy.

@AnnaMagnani, he is kept in overnight, he just likes to go back and forth until around 9pm. I think he just sits and watches out for other cats when it’s dark as he’s always nearby when I call him in.