hi everyone! Exactly one month ago I adopted a new kitten - now named Dexter Jackson. He was abandoned in a cardboard box in a backlane and, luckily, taken to the shelter by a lady and her daughter. Due to his beginnings they were not quite sure about his age and made a guess of about 8 weeks. He has been given a Birthday of July 9th which will make him about 14 weeks tomorrow.
When I got him he was a pretty skinny kitten weighing in at around 3 pounds on Sept 24. He was in to see my regular vet for a URI. She thought his age was pretty close.
He was just back at the vet on Thursday for a vaccination. His adult teeth are coming in (yea teething) so that also jives with the 3.5 to 4 month age guess and when she weighed him he was 5.2 lbs!. So he gained slightly more than 2 pounds in about 2 1/2 weeks... is that too much? The vet now thinks he’s overweight and suggested reducing his food. I have a problem with that - he’s a growing, rambunctious kitten he needs to eat as much as he wants in my thought process. He’s a very good eater and currently gets wet food 3 times per day (about 2/3 of a 156g can) at each feeding plus he finishes any wet food his 13 year old brother doesn’t eat. I also leave dry food for him and my senior cat overnight and during the day when I’m at work.
Dex does have a bit of a mush belly but can a 14 week old kitten really be overweight and require calorie restrictions? I think he’s due for a growth spurt so he should eat as much as he wants... thoughts?? My instinct is to feed him as much as he wants until he gets neutered in December and then start monitoring a bit closer to ensure he stays a healthy weight.
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated
When I got him he was a pretty skinny kitten weighing in at around 3 pounds on Sept 24. He was in to see my regular vet for a URI. She thought his age was pretty close.
He was just back at the vet on Thursday for a vaccination. His adult teeth are coming in (yea teething) so that also jives with the 3.5 to 4 month age guess and when she weighed him he was 5.2 lbs!. So he gained slightly more than 2 pounds in about 2 1/2 weeks... is that too much? The vet now thinks he’s overweight and suggested reducing his food. I have a problem with that - he’s a growing, rambunctious kitten he needs to eat as much as he wants in my thought process. He’s a very good eater and currently gets wet food 3 times per day (about 2/3 of a 156g can) at each feeding plus he finishes any wet food his 13 year old brother doesn’t eat. I also leave dry food for him and my senior cat overnight and during the day when I’m at work.
Dex does have a bit of a mush belly but can a 14 week old kitten really be overweight and require calorie restrictions? I think he’s due for a growth spurt so he should eat as much as he wants... thoughts?? My instinct is to feed him as much as he wants until he gets neutered in December and then start monitoring a bit closer to ensure he stays a healthy weight.
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated