Fat cat that never ate a lot

Kellynorrrris

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I adopted my boy Pimento over 2 years ago, he is now 6. He is between 15-17 pounds consistently. For a cat this size, he does not eat as you’d expect and is very finicky. I never gave it much thought until recently bringing in a kitten, only 7 pounds, who eats like a ravenous machine!
I started to look more closely at Pimento’s intake and it is not even close to what is recommended for a cat his size (~300 calories a day). I portion him a total of 260 calories in two meals, so 130 per meal. Around 85 of those calories comes from the wet food mixed in with dry. It’s the only way I can get him to eat wet food.
The thing is, he never comes close to finishing these meals so I know he is not even nearing the 260 calorie intake.
This stumps me because he acts like a normal, happy cat and always has. He never acts hungry or begs for food. He is active and playful. And he also has not experienced any weight loss in the 2+ years I’ve had him which leads me to think he is somehow still getting enough. This has always been how he eats, nothing has changed in the two years. Maybe the occasional gorge fest, but mostly consistent behavior.
Every cat is different - maybe this is just Pimento’s normal?
 
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Kellynorrrris

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For added context, if I give a 3 oz can of wet food at a meal, he won’t eat even half of it.
 

MissClouseau

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What kind of cat he is? Did the vet actually say he was overweight? Male Maine Coons for example can be up to 35 lbs and still be at a normal weight, depending on the individual cat.
 
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Kellynorrrris

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What kind of cat he is? Did the vet actually say he was overweight? Male Maine Coons for example can be up to 35 lbs and still be at a normal weight, depending on the individual cat.
He is a domestic shorthair. The vet has definitely called him overweight and an 8/9 on the body condition score.
 

MissClouseau

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He is a domestic shorthair. The vet has definitely called him overweight and an 8/9 on the body condition score.
I see. Is your other kitty really a kitten? Because kittens DO eat too much without gaining much weight. Some of it goes to the bones and all after all. So it would be wrong to compare how much Simon eats and how much he gains or loses weight compare to the kitten.

With that said, I would re-check the calorie calculation. Maybe you got the calories of the food wrong. And if not, maybe bring this to the vet. There doesn't have to be a health problem but maybe there is something that can be done to get him down to a healthy weight while still keeping him get enough nutrition.
 
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Kellynorrrris

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I see. Is your other kitty really a kitten? Because kittens DO eat too much without gaining much weight. Some of it goes to the bones and all after all. So it would be wrong to compare how much Simon eats and how much he gains or loses weight compare to the kitten.

With that said, I would re-check the calorie calculation. Maybe you got the calories of the food wrong. And if not, maybe bring this to the vet. There doesn't have to be a health problem but maybe there is something that can be done to get him down to a healthy weight while still keeping him get enough nutrition.
This is true. I know the kitten is growing and requiring a lot so maybe not a fair comparison. It’s always something with my Pimento, bless his big heart!
 
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