diet time for my cats

winnie · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:54 pm Post subject: diet time for my cats

All of my cats are over weight, not by a lot though, they look normal except they all have pouches. So I decided instead of free feeding them I will feed them two times a day like i do the dogs. My only problem is I cant figure out how much food to put out for each meal. I have four cats, they arnt use to eating at certain times and im not sure how much they will eat in one sitting.Any tips or suggestions?

Thanks

Mary_NH · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:25 pm Post subject:

those belly pouches are normal. I've been told they are a protection for cats. When they were still wild the pouches were to protect their belly area if they were grabbed. Rather than getting vital organs a predator would grab that area instead. Even my thinnest cat has a pouchy belly - not really large but it's there.
Here's a weight chart for cats.
http://www.placervillevet.com/feline%20body%20condition.htm

coppersmom · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:41 pm Post subject:

Copper's pouch swings like a pendulum lol. I was wondering about that too!

Mary_NH · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 1:25 pm Post subject:

Zeus' does too. Yes he's nearly a pound overweight but not nearly as chubby as the Dixie Chick. I think some cats have large belly pouches strictly genetically.

lucidity03 · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject:

Zoe has a huge pouch and it looks like she has had tons of litters. But, she was fixed before kittens could even be a glint in her eye.

I free feed my cats so I've never worked with portions. My one friend does it and it seems to work out. But, her fatest cat still gets a lot of the food by wolfing it down at feeding time. So, she ends up having to give them more food so the little cats don't waste away.

Starry · Member Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 85 Location: UK

One of my cats is overweight and the vet has recommended that I feed him a reduced calorie food for a while. I feed mine twice a day, and they gobble it up fairly quickly, but the biggest problem is exercise. They are British Shorthairs and are genetically prone to be lazy slobs anyway Laughing

but as mine don't go out and Fudgie doesn't like running around the house he has put on a lot of weight.

Any ideas for exercise gyms?

PS. I've not posted in a while, so hello again everyone Drool

ACO · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 41

I feed all of my cats 1/4 cup twice daily of a light indoor cat food. I took this 'little' baby home from work b/c she sat for a year at my shelter waiting to get adopted and no one wanted her because she is too fat!

The second pic is of dinner at my house! Meal feeding makes for a good photo opp at my house!

ACO · Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 41

coppersmom · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:11 am Post subject:

Awe! What a line up! Very cute pictures!

vene · Super Senior Member Plus Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 4243

All my kitties have pouches too. I don't worry about their weight too much since they are all relatively active. It's winter time, and they generally tack on some weight. They love storing for winter time. I feed them 2x a day. Dry food is left out 24/7 and wet foods once in the morning and once at dinnertime.

I love your pic ACO! Surprised

What are their names and ages? They remind me of Nern's furbabies.

nern · Moderator Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 5042 Location: NY

Nice pics ACO! My 7 eat side by side too. I feed them 1/4 cup 2x daily plus a bit of canned food a few times weekly. The feeding schedule and weight management food seems to have made a difference in at least a few of them.