Fat Or Baby Weight?

littlekingtrashmouth

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Ive been looking through the site & I think I'm just a paranoid cat mom trying to make sure my cat is happy & healthy!! My furbaby King is only 6 months old. He has always been muuch bigger than his age range but lately hes just looking kind of chunky. I know I've seen that he's still a kitten & still growing but I just need reassurance or advice!!

He's very fluffy & long & to be honest has a small head hahah!! Just want to know if maybe hes just growing into himself or what. It seems like hes got a lot of loose skin but honestly it could definitely be fat (I'm just trying to be optimistic) It seems like its been very recently that hes just boomed into having a little pooch. He seems to be getting pretty lazy which also worried me. He doesnt stand much, he'll lean up against things when sitting. He'll play with me forever & run around with a laser pointer until I cant stand it anymore so I know hes getting excercise.

I posted before about him possibly having anxiety/ lots of stress & possibly low self confidence. He was peeing on my bed a lot & just seems like he gets stressed very easily so wondering if that has anything to do with it.

I cant really tell if I can feel his ribs partly because of the amount of fur he has. I've looked at the charts & he seems somewhere in between 3 & 4. I can feel his spine & his back leg bones easily. He is free fed purina kitten chow but I feel like he doesnt eat it too fast/ too much but it has increased recently.

I just want to know if maybe hes at an age where hes gonna thin out or if this is just the beginning. If anyone has feeding tips that would be lovely too!! I would love to keep free feeding him (I know everyone says its not ideal its just easiest)

Sorry this post is so long I just want the best for my furbaby!!!
 

denice

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It is hard to tell from pictures, your vet would be the best one to tell. He doesn't look overweight from these pictures especially for 6 months. He is getting close to the age where it would be a good idea to switch to two meals a day rather than free feeding. An adult cat that is free fed will often become overweight.
 
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littlekingtrashmouth

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do you have any suggestions on how to ease from free feeding to meals??
 
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littlekingtrashmouth

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It is hard to tell from pictures, your vet would be the best one to tell. He doesn't look overweight from these pictures especially for 6 months. He is getting close to the age where it would be a good idea to switch to two meals a day rather than free feeding. An adult cat that is free fed will often become overweight.
Do you have any suggestions on how to ease from free feeding to meals?
 

Mamanyt1953

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denice denice may have a better idea, but I would take the appropriate amount of food and first divide it into three meals for a week or two, then back it down to two. King will probably be far less than thrilled over this new development, but he survived weaning, and this won't kill him either, no matter what he tries to tell you!
 

Brian007

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I feed three meals a day at roughly set times, depending on my cats on a particular day, plus I give them nightly furball treats (Dreamies in the UK, aka Temptations in the US) in a weeblewoble treat ball like this, as it gives them something extra to do and a sense of achievement, plus it slows down what would be gobbled in a flash:

71X3-z2FqqL._SL1500_.jpg
It only takes a couple of days of disgruntled looks for cats to get the hang of 'teatimes' in place of free-feeding. So just doing it is your best approach... Oh, and as an aside, cats like to eat and drink (and toilet) in separate areas, so I recommend moving his water and food bowls to slightly different locations, if you can.

Is he neutered? All cats develop a 'primordial pouch' for storing vital reserves to a greater or lesser degree. Spayed and neutered cats seem to develop a more pronounced pouch, with boys beating girls pouch down. Around 6 months is a prime age for his pouch to become more noticeable. Even bone skinny neutered cats will exhibit a teeny droopy tummy pouch.

Your cat certainly doesn't look fat to me from your photos. And as long as you can just about feel ribs and look down upon a waist, he should be ok. However, if you're concerned, which you clearly are, and have the spare cash, then take him to the vet to get weighed and checked. Oh, and I'm all about parasites as the moment and so suggest flea & worm vet treatments might be an idea as worms can cause distended tummies (roundworm), lethargy (tapeworm), and increased appetite (both worms). But, I've just dealt with a mega parasite infestation, so have it on my mind, and please feel free to disregard this.

I've got a similar dilemma with my 7 month old rugby ball aka ragdoll, Parker. There's no point in plotting his weight per stage in life on the kitten growth charts as his breed is off the chart. Dudley, his big 'brother' weighs a whopping 7.9kg and is still growing, eek! One problem with diagnosing Parker's fatness is his fluff but even as fluffy as he is, I reckon there's a lot more squidge to be felt than ribs. And, he looks like a wee white rugby ball (American football) cos he's a fat kitten, and like some human children they can be a bit round when little, then have sudden growth spurts and grow into their extra layers of fat. That's my fingers crossed, anyhow. Parker also has an incongruously small head too and even teenier feet (he's still super cute though but that's what all mum's say, heehee!). And, it's an impossible task for me to feed him separately from Dudley; I just hope they'll even it out one day, soon.

Is your handsome chap a specific breed? He looks a wee bit Maine Coon, which grow hugely tall, long, and lanky. Ragdolls are 'cobby' aka solid and chunky, and also grow to ridiculous monster proportions. Whatever he is, he's lovely; and at the moment, at least, looks in purrfect condition.

As for his anxiety and stress, I suggest valerian. Dudley is a natural depressive and gets valerian daily as it really helps to take the edge off his "woes". It's the root of a plant and perfectly safe for cats. I recommend your doing some internet research on it. It can be found in specifically made "cat-calming" treats, spot-ons, sprays, toys, and plug-ins. It can also be bought as a dried herbal root, tea, or compound for human consumption as an effective relaxation aid.

And for low self-esteem, big him up lots by telling him frequently what a handsome boy he is and smother him with affection. Perhaps swap your laser pointer for a fishing rod type toy like "da bird", which flutters through the air and can be caught by those lovely big fluffy paws, and give him a sense of pride. Laser pointers, albeit fun and addictive, seem hollow to me, as they can never be caught and I could imagine them leading to inferiority complexes. Give a wee reward treat when it's time to put his games away, maybe a tasty, relaxing valerian treat....

Good luck. I've noticed you on other threads and will check up on his progress.

:crossfingers:
 
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littlekingtrashmouth

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I feed three meals a day at roughly set times, depending on my cats on a particular day, plus I give them nightly furball treats (Dreamies in the UK, aka Temptations in the US) in a weeblewoble treat ball like this, as it gives them something extra to do and a sense of achievement, plus it slows down what would be gobbled in a flash:

View attachment 207744
It only takes a couple of days of disgruntled looks for cats to get the hang of 'teatimes' in place of free-feeding. So just doing it is your best approach... Oh, and as an aside, cats like to eat and drink (and toilet) in separate areas, so I recommend moving his water and food bowls to slightly different locations, if you can.

Is he neutered? All cats develop a 'primordial pouch' for storing vital reserves to a greater or lesser degree. Spayed and neutered cats seem to develop a more pronounced pouch, with boys beating girls pouch down. Around 6 months is a prime age for his pouch to become more noticeable. Even bone skinny neutered cats will exhibit a teeny droopy tummy pouch.

Your cat certainly doesn't look fat to me from your photos. And as long as you can just about feel ribs and look down upon a waist, he should be ok. However, if you're concerned, which you clearly are, and have the spare cash, then take him to the vet to get weighed and checked. Oh, and I'm all about parasites as the moment and so suggest flea & worm vet treatments might be an idea as worms can cause distended tummies (roundworm), lethargy (tapeworm), and increased appetite (both worms). But, I've just dealt with a mega parasite infestation, so have it on my mind, and please feel free to disregard this.

I've got a similar dilemma with my 7 month old rugby ball aka ragdoll, Parker. There's no point in plotting his weight per stage in life on the kitten growth charts as his breed is off the chart. Dudley, his big 'brother' weighs a whopping 7.9kg and is still growing, eek! One problem with diagnosing Parker's fatness is his fluff but even as fluffy as he is, I reckon there's a lot more squidge to be felt than ribs. And, he looks like a wee white rugby ball (American football) cos he's a fat kitten, and like some human children they can be a bit round when little, then have sudden growth spurts and grow into their extra layers of fat. That's my fingers crossed, anyhow. Parker also has an incongruously small head too and even teenier feet (he's still super cute though but that's what all mum's say, heehee!). And, it's an impossible task for me to feed him separately from Dudley; I just hope they'll even it out one day, soon.

Is your handsome chap a specific breed? He looks a wee bit Maine Coon, which grow hugely tall, long, and lanky. Ragdolls are 'cobby' aka solid and chunky, and also grow to ridiculous monster proportions. Whatever he is, he's lovely; and at the moment, at least, looks in purrfect condition.

As for his anxiety and stress, I suggest valerian. Dudley is a natural depressive and gets valerian daily as it really helps to take the edge off his "woes". It's the root of a plant and perfectly safe for cats. I recommend your doing some internet research on it. It can be found in specifically made "cat-calming" treats, spot-ons, sprays, toys, and plug-ins. It can also be bought as a dried herbal root, tea, or compound for human consumption as an effective relaxation aid.

And for low self-esteem, big him up lots by telling him frequently what a handsome boy he is and smother him with affection. Perhaps swap your laser pointer for a fishing rod type toy like "da bird", which flutters through the air and can be caught by those lovely big fluffy paws, and give him a sense of pride. Laser pointers, albeit fun and addictive, seem hollow to me, as they can never be caught and I could imagine them leading to inferiority complexes. Give a wee reward treat when it's time to put his games away, maybe a tasty, relaxing valerian treat....

Good luck. I've noticed you on other threads and will check up on his progress.

:crossfingers:
You're amazing wow that was all so helpful & sweet!! Took him to the vet today & he said just put a little food out for a few minutes then take it away, but I'm worried that will lead to scarfing down the food & puking so im going to go about giving him 1 cup in the morning to let him graze on a set amount rather than just a full bowl then one cup at night. I'll feel out amounts to make sure hes getting enough food!

As for your other questions I adopted him from the local humane society so your guess is as good as mine as to his breed! He is neutered! He looks a little maine coon & a breed called nebelung (like a long haired russain blue) but those are apparently a very rare breed so hes technically considered a look-a-like! But whatever he is he is the perfect combo of all of them

He's very confident when hes in my bedroom, where his food & litter box are, so that makes sense, which might make sense with the bed wetting, but also makes me more confused about it. Vet did a uranalisis which came back completely negative, like I thought it would, but put him on antibiotics juuust in case. Which I'm happy with but my bank account was not! But I tell him a million times a day how handsome he is & how much I love him!! I'm a clingy cat mom!! I'm gonna try playing with him more with hunting type toys to give him that sort of confidence thank you for that suggestion!!

As for the valerian I am 100% down for anything that could possibly stop his bed wetting! Again, the vet suggested that I keep him crated while I'm gone but I cant bear to imagine him locked up :( so I'm gonna tarp the bed for a few weeks/ months & try those valerian treats you suggested then see if the problem works its self out. Where would I go about buying those? Is there a specific brand or product you saw success with that you suggest?

At the weigh in he was 9.2 lbs (4.2kg) at 7 months!! I'm hoping he's about to hit another growth spurt & that maybe the "fat" is just waiting to be dispersed! Vet didnt seem particularly worried about his weight so for now I'll just get him in good habits!

Thank you for your kind words & suggestions! I'd love to see pics of your sweet ragdolls!!

King says thank you too!! IMG_3528.JPG
 
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