Possibility that cat is overweight (Siberian/Scottish Fold)

[Remi&RiRi]

Hi! My boy Remi is almost 9 months old. He is a Siberian/Scottish Fold mix. When I initially posted about Remi I had some questions about why the breeder had bred those two breeds. After getting Remi I came to find that those were the only two cats she had and that she was a new/immature breeder. With what I know now about the health risks associated with Scottish Folds and the 'breeder' I got Remi from I would look elsewhere but regardless I wouldn't trade Remi for the world. (Kind of besides the point but I was looking for an affordable Siberian due to my allergies and ended up finding my Remi). At almost 9 months he weights 9.2 lbs. After having Remi for awhile we adopted RiRi, who is a 3 year old Domestic short hair, weighing only 6.4 Ibs. I obviously can't compare the two as they are different breeds, ages, and genders, plus every individual cat is different but I would like to make sure that Remi is not on the path to becoming overweight. His specific breed/mix is uncommon but I had read that male Scottish Folds weigh between 9 to 13 pounds and Siberian males weigh between 15 to 20 pounds. It is shocking to me that Siberians can weigh so much but when I think about that I think that maybe Remi is at an ok weight. I want to take him to the vet to ask about his weight but I am going out of town next week and they don't have any availability until I get back. I also read that Siberians may not reach their full stature for up to five years (I have no idea how accurate that is). I also read that many Siberians have a "pouched" belly which is not a sign of being over weight but that an overweight Siberian's stomach will be "full" and extended. In some of my pictures I have pointed to a possible "pouch belly" that they are referring to. Maybe its normal for him but I just thought I would ask as I know that Scottish Folds are prone to obesity. I was feeding Remi wet food up until he was 4 months and then switched to Iams dry kitten food. I feed both of them 2 times a day and don't free feed. My partner had a cat who lived to be 18 and she just ate Iams dry food and so he convinced me that we should feed our cats the same. But I am unsure as I have heard that the protein and fat content is much better in wet foods and has less carbs. I also know its a convince thing with my partner but if it comes down to health I would definitely get wet food or at least offer it a couple times a week. Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading!
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[stephanietx]

The saggy part is the primordial pouch and is perfectly normal. He doesn't look overweight and he is still maturing. I would cut back or eliminate dry food and feed him only wet food. Also, start transitioning him to adult food if you're still feeding him kitten food.

 

[Remi&RiRi]

The saggy part is the primordial pouch and is perfectly normal. He doesn't look overweight and he is still maturing. I would cut back or eliminate dry food and feed him only wet food. Also, start transitioning him to adult food if you're still feeding him kitten food.

Thank you, this was what I was leaning towards but just wanted to make sure! He is already so much bigger than our other cat and he's not even done growing but its good to know its normal and that he's okay. We have slowly started mixing in adult food already and I have began to cut back ever so slightly this past week. Just curious do you have any brand recommendations for wet food or am I just fine getting whatever?

 

[stephanietx]

I feed Instinct canned to my crew. I would like to switch them to raw or at least dehydrated raw that you rehydrate and serve.

 

[Kieka]

1. I would change food. Keep on mind that cat food companies are ALWAYS playing the profit game. Where can they cut corners and still keep their clients alive? The Iams your partner fed 20, 30, etc years ago is NOT the same Iams for sale today. If you want to stick to dry, I won't knock it I feed a mix of wet and dry myself. But you do want to look for one with as high protein and low carbs as you can find for a dry. I also do Instinct LID (along with Tiki Cat Carnivore and Go! Carnivore) to give a good quality dry food. There is also Dr Elseys as another option. You want to try to limit drys with peas/potatoes since those can articifically inflate protein with plant proteins that cats can't use.

2. Primordial pouches are normal. As you mention, if they aren't fatty filled they are fine. You can see my boys pouch in the next two photos, nice and fluffy when he is laying and hanging low standing. But in the third photo you can see he is a nice shape, that belly is just his natural shape shining through.

3. As you can tell above, Link is a long lean cat. He's 16 (borderline 17) pounds most days. My car has 9 inches of ground clearance and hits around his shoulders. My other cat is a little boxy girl coming in at a whopping 7 pounds on her heavy days. But her shape is closer to Remis with a shorter stubbier frame (she can barely see over the boys back standing). That said, I would just keep an eye on Remi's body condition and learn what is healthy for him. Assuming on of his parents was a Siberian and not just a look alike, he may still be growing into his body. He could have another 9 months of growing and go through spurts of looking chunky and skinny. Even if he really isn't part Siberian he does have a rounder shape which can be misleading. I think you'll have to do what I do with my girl and feel bones to know body condition. You want to be able to feel the spine and ribs with a slight amount of fat layer but you don't want to see them. Basically you can feel them with very slight pressure when petting without trying but don't notice unless you are trying to notice.

 

[Remi&RiRi]

1. I would change food. Keep on mind that cat food companies are ALWAYS playing the profit game. Where can they cut corners and still keep their clients alive? The Iams your partner fed 20, 30, etc years ago is NOT the same Iams for sale today. If you want to stick to dry, I won't knock it I feed a mix of wet and dry myself. But you do want to look for one with as high protein and low carbs as you can find for a dry. I also do Instinct LID (along with Tiki Cat Carnivore and Go! Carnivore) to give a good quality dry food. There is also Dr Elseys as another option. You want to try to limit drys with peas/potatoes since those can articifically inflate protein with plant proteins that cats can't use.

2. Primordial pouches are normal. As you mention, if they aren't fatty filled they are fine. You can see my boys pouch in the next two photos, nice and fluffy when he is laying and hanging low standing. But in the third photo you can see he is a nice shape, that belly is just his natural shape shining through.

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3. As you can tell above, Link is a long lean cat. He's 16 (borderline 17) pounds most days. My car has 9 inches of ground clearance and hits around his shoulders. My other cat is a little boxy girl coming in at a whopping 7 pounds on her heavy days. But her shape is closer to Remis with a shorter stubbier frame (she can barely see over the boys back standing). That said, I would just keep an eye on Remi's body condition and learn what is healthy for him. Assuming on of his parents was a Siberian and not just a look alike, he may still be growing into his body. He could have another 9 months of growing and go through spurts of looking chunky and skinny. Even if he really isn't part Siberian he does have a rounder shape which can be misleading. I think you'll have to do what I do with my girl and feel bones to know body condition. You want to be able to feel the spine and ribs with a slight amount of fat layer but you don't want to see them. Basically you can feel them with very slight pressure when petting without trying but don't notice unless you are trying to notice.

Handsome boy and thanks for your detailed reply! Most of the cats I've encounter have had a fairly undetectable pouch but I now know that it varies from cat to cat. I will be looking into the wet food brands you mentioned and try a mix. And good point about the overall quality of the dry food. I did not think about how much its changed over the years and the profit aspect of it. I have felt for his spine and ribs before. His thick coat of fur makes it difficult to tell but I can feel them slightly. I will keep a close eye on him to make sure he's staying at a weight thats healthy for him. Thanks again!