Help! One chunky cat and one skinny one...

[hark]

I really need advice if anyone has ideas? I have one 6 year old and she's very, very curvy (to say it nicely) cat and one who is 2 and he's the perfect weight (he can't afford to lose any weight). They both are nibblers (take a few bites and that's it for a couple hours) so I leave dry food out all day. At night they split a can of food (my perfect weight male doesn't really eat too much of the wet food). I have been using Purina Beyond dry food and Friskies wet food. My male cat has had bloody stool and the vet said it's the food and I have been hearing scary things about Purina so because of those things, I want to switch their wet food to Trader Joe's and their dry food to Nulo???? But I'm so worried about my female cats weight (lumpy too)...but if I only give a little food like twice a day my male cat will steal it all. How am I supposed to help her lose weight when my male cat can't afford to lose any (and they both like to nibble). And she seems hungry a lot, if the food dish is empty I will hear it from her... I just have no idea how to fix this! Any help or ideas please? Thanks!!

 

[catlover1028]

Don't worry, I go through something similar. I have a very chubby 8 year old female named Kitty. I found Kitty with her sister across the street. Nobody claimed them so I took them in. I haven't had cats in a while so 9 month old kittens were a surprise. I would feed them but they would either meow until I fed them, or they would find their own way to get some food. They quickly gained weight and Kitty still struggles with being overweight( her sister passed away at 5 years). I now have Kitty, Chloe, and Olive(Chloe and Olive are 10 month old litter mates). Do you have separate bowls for them? If you only have one bowl then one cat will feel like it is only for them. You also mentioned your female cat is usually hungry. I feed my cats by what their ideal weight would be, so probably 10 lbs. They get one 3oz can when I wake up, 1/4 cup of dry food when I get back from school, and one 3oz can before bed. Also, play with her whenever you can. Kitty doesn't like to play so I go outside with her and take walks up the driveway( I live on lots of land, so there are no cars). The kittens play with whatever so they're easy to entertain. I saw that you might try Nulo and I totally recommend it, but the kibble is pretty small. Chloe is a late grower and she still has 3 front teeth to grow in so she doesn't have a problem with how small the kibble is, I just thought I should tell you. Sorry to bore you with my long answer! Hope this helped!

 

[catlover1028]

Also try a treat dispenser. It makes the cat work for food and it can be hilarious watching the expression on their faces! Kitty's like " Um, the food is supposed to go in the bowl you know!" For this particular dispenser I think the green is the most transparent. Here is a link to get it from:


https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-slimcat-interactive-cat/dp/48574

 

[hark]

Also try a treat dispenser. It makes the cat work for food and it can be hilarious watching the expression on their faces! Kitty's like " Um, the food is supposed to go in the bowl you know!" For this particular dispenser I think the green is the most transparent. Here is a link to get it from:


https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-slimcat-interactive-cat/dp/48574

Thank you so much for your reply and info....no need to apologize at all I just so appreciate your help! They have separate bowls. But they eat out of both of them lol I want to try feeding them one time with the dry but I just think since they are both used to snacking/nibbling off and on all day instead of in one sitting-they will freak out...plus he will steal her portion. And their little cries/meows would break my heart. Sigh. I've been wanting to get a treat/dispenser cat toy! It's gotta be hilarious watching them try to get it out

 

[lalagimp]

It's not in everyone's budget but I use microchip feeders. The girls can manage their weight on their own and the boys cannot. The girls have had access to a GateFeeder and then we moved from the GateFeeder over to the SureFlap. They read rfid tags on their collar or you can program them to read the microchip between your cat's shoulders. The girls eat whenever they want. The boys are on a 5 x day feeding schedule because between the two they have been 12 lbs overweight. They can't free feed ever again.

 

[orange&white]

I agree that you can't free-feed with an over-weight cat.  They will "yell" at you and make you think you're starving them to death, but try to start setting scheduled meal times.  Give them as many small meals a day as you can, then cut back to between 2-4 meals a day.  They will get used to it after a short amount of time.

You may need to feed them in separate rooms, or feed them in two cat carriers to separate them.

 

[hark]

I agree that you can't free-feed with an over-weight cat.  They will "yell" at you and make you think you're starving them to death, but try to start setting scheduled meal times.  Give them as many small meals a day as you can, then cut back to between 2-4 meals a day.  They will get used to it after a short amount of time.

You may need to feed them in separate rooms, or feed them in two cat carriers to separate them.

Thank you for your reply!. Yes I think I am going to have to. I can try to separate them but it will be rough. They are not used to eating a meal and walking away...they are used to having a couple bites..then leaving for a couple hours and then coming back for a few more bites lol. Not quite sure how much to feed them either? Maybe 4 ounces each time? But the male can't afford to lose weight either.

 

[hark]

It's not in everyone's budget but I use microchip feeders. The girls can manage their weight on their own and the boys cannot. The girls have had access to a GateFeeder and then we moved from the GateFeeder over to the SureFlap. They read rfid tags on their collar or you can program them to read the microchip between your cat's shoulders. The girls eat whenever they want. The boys are on a 5 x day feeding schedule because between the two they have been 12 lbs overweight. They can't free feed ever again.

That's a great idea. I'll look into that as well. My female cat is the one who can't control herself lol..and my male just doesn't eat much to begin with. I would have to get them chipped which I really should do anyway. Thank you for your reply!

 

[orange&white]

Thank you for your reply!. Yes I think I am going to have to. I can try to separate them but it will be rough. They are not used to eating a meal and walking away...they are used to having a couple bites..then leaving for a couple hours and then coming back for a few more bites lol. Not quite sure how much to feed them either? Maybe 4 ounces each time? But the male can't afford to lose weight either.

If you want to keep feeding your curvy girl wet and dry food, then I'd split her wet meals into 2 or 3, but measure so you know how many calories she's eating.  If she's yelling for food in between, give her one or two tablespoons of dry food at a time.  Keep a little note pad to track.  Try to get a baseline for how many calories she is eating now, then cut her back 10-15% on calories every 2-4 weeks to get her on a slow, steady weight loss.  Do you have a scale to weigh your cats?  You don't want your chunky one to lose weight too fast.

Obviously, you'll want to feed your skinny cat all he'll eat, but some place where other kitty can't steal his food. 

It doesn't sound right that any brand of processed pet food would cause your cat to have bloody stools.  I might go to a different vet for a second opinion on that.

 

[hark]

If you want to keep feeding your curvy girl wet and dry food, then I'd split her wet meals into 2 or 3, but measure so you know how many calories she's eating.  If she's yelling for food in between, give her one or two tablespoons of dry food at a time.  Keep a little note pad to track.  Try to get a baseline for how many calories she is eating now, then cut her back 10-15% on calories every 2-4 weeks to get her on a slow, steady weight loss.  Do you have a scale to weigh your cats?  You don't want your chunky one to lose weight too fast.

Obviously, you'll want to feed your skinny cat all he'll eat, but some place where other kitty can't steal his food. 

It doesn't sound right that any brand of processed pet food would cause your cat to have bloody stools.  I might go to a different vet for a second opinion on that.

I agree that you can't free-feed with an over-weight cat.  They will "yell" at you and make you think you're starving them to death, but try to start setting scheduled meal times.  Give them as many small meals a day as you can, then cut back to between 2-4 meals a day.  They will get used to it after a short amount of time.

You may need to feed them in separate rooms, or feed them in two cat carriers to separate them.

I can try to separate them but it will be rough. They are not used to eating a meal and walking away...they are used to having a couple bites..then leaving for a couple hours and then coming back for a few more bites lol. Not quite sure how much to feed them either? Maybe 4 ounces each time? But the male can't afford to lose weight either. Hey thanks for the great info! I will have to cut her food down each day. I'll find a place for his food she can't get lol. I'm thinking I will have to take her to the vet. She may have diabetes...it's just not normal for her to be like this. I have had several cats in my life feeding the exact same way and none of them have ever been beyond curvy And the vet said for my boy, he could have gastro problems from what he eats and that will cause blood in the litter box every now and then because he's too sensitive. I'm doing grain free from now on. Just trying to find the best food wet and dry but they all seem to put in fruit/veggies and fish. lol

 

[NewYork1303]

I can try to separate them but it will be rough. They are not used to eating a meal and walking away...they are used to having a couple bites..then leaving for a couple hours and then coming back for a few more bites lol. Not quite sure how much to feed them either? Maybe 4 ounces each time? But the male can't afford to lose weight either. Hey thanks for the great info!

I will have to cut her food down each day. I'll find a place for his food she can't get lol. I'm thinking I will have to take her to the vet. She may have diabetes...it's just not normal for her to be like this. I have had several cats in my life feeding the exact same way and none of them have ever been beyond curvy

And the vet said for my boy, he could have gastro problems from what he eats and that will cause blood in the litter box every now and then because he's too sensitive. I'm doing grain free from now on. Just trying to find the best food wet and dry but they all seem to put in fruit/veggies and fish. lol

I have a cat who absolutley would be about 50 pounds if I free fed. We switched him to meals and just broke this amount of food that he should be eating into four portions. He and the other cats each get 1/8 cup of dry food and 1.5 oz of wet food in the morning and the evening. We feed wet food first and dry a few hours later since dry food is less healthy than wet foods. They are more willing to eat it when they are hungry. Might be something to try for your guy. 

Some cats can do free feeding, but most end up overweight to some degree and some end up dangerously overweight. All depends on the cat. 

 

[hark]

I have a cat who absolutley would be about 50 pounds if I free fed. We switched him to meals and just broke this amount of food that he should be eating into four portions. He and the other cats each get 1/8 cup of dry food and 1.5 oz of wet food in the morning and the evening. We feed wet food first and dry a few hours later since dry food is less healthy than wet foods. They are more willing to eat it when they are hungry. Might be something to try for your guy. 

Some cats can do free feeding, but most end up overweight to some degree and some end up dangerously overweight. All depends on the cat. 

That's a good idea doing the wet first. How long did it take your fur ball to accept the meals instead of the free feeding?? Did he cry a lot? Mine will wake me in the middle of the night if her dish is empty...then I feel horrible. She's going to whine and cry a lot.

 

[ChaoticEva]

I have a 3 legged cat that was 16lbs (I know, I know! How horrible of me to let it get that bad). But I also have 2 other cats that are in perfect shape. My cat developed severe arthritis in his remaining back leg (which he had since we adopted him, but it just got worse with all the weight and whatnot) so something had to change. We got a plan from a vet and started feeding on a scheduled basis (3 times a day). I'm lucky that my Banjo (3 legged cat) cannot jump. So for the other 2, I leave food on the counter for them to eat whenever they want.

I've tried so many times to make him lose weight, but nothing was really working. However, I think I found the right combination!

Wet food is your best friend! I give him 3/4 of a can of wet food and 1/8 of a cup of dry (these measurement are for my cat, and yours may be different). What worked for Banjo is high protein, lower fat (not lowest, just lower) and low carbs. In one year, he's lost 3 pounds! Though we're currently in a "I'm not losing nor gaining any weight" faze right now, my vet assures me that he will start losing again.

High protein is VERY  important! You want him to lose fat, NOT muscle mass! Low carbs is also very important. Low fat is important, but you don't want it to be too low fat, as usually, if it's really low fat, it has higher carbs.

But yeah, free feeding is not for every cat and I know how difficult it is to feed multiple cats on a scheduled basis. But it does work! 

Best of luck to you! 

 

[NewYork1303]

That's a good idea doing the wet first. How long did it take your fur ball to accept the meals instead of the free feeding?? Did he cry a lot? Mine will wake me in the middle of the night if her dish is empty...then I feel horrible. She's going to whine and cry a lot.

He was fairly good about it mostly. He is a very vocal cat, so he likes to start meowing half an hour before meals (not incessently at least) to make sure we don't forget his meals. Our girls are good with scheduled meals. They don't make a fuss at all except when canned food is being prepared. They like to tell us to hurry up. 

 

[orange&white]

That's a good idea doing the wet first. How long did it take your fur ball to accept the meals instead of the free feeding?? Did he cry a lot? Mine will wake me in the middle of the night if her dish is empty...then I feel horrible. She's going to whine and cry a lot.

I have one cat on a diet.  I was feeding him 3-4 small meals a day for a couple of months, and he was crying every time I went through the kitchen and didn't offer him food.  In March, I switched him to 2 meals a day, approx. 12-hours apart.  He seems more content now.  I think 2 large meals fills his stomach, whereas a bunch of small meals never satisfied him.  However....

Since your cats have been free-feeding, I would still start with a lot of small meals and then cut back to fewer, larger meals.  You'll have to trust your instincts.

I went a bit "tone-deaf" to crying for food when Tangent was constantly begging.  I'd pick him up and love on him, or entice him to play with a "thing-on-a-string" toy to take his mind off food.

Don't feel horrible...you are working to improve your cat's overall health and longevity.  The cats will adjust. 

Crying in the middle of the night?  Try some earplugs.  Seriously. 

 

[lalagimp]

They aren't terrible about being mouthy for food. They start getting a little restless up to an hour before feeding. In the mornings one will start a fight with the other to try to get us out of bed to feed them. It's usually always Tommy. He's the hungry one eternal. He would have ended up being at least 30 lbs if I hadn't cut him off. And sometimes when he starts getting hungry he'll eat the guinea pigs' hay and I find out later when it poops out in the litter box. Jerk.

 

[hark]

He was fairly good about it mostly. He is a very vocal cat, so he likes to start meowing half an hour before meals (not incessently at least) to make sure we don't forget his meals. Our girls are good with scheduled meals. They don't make a fuss at all except when canned food is being prepared. They like to tell us to hurry up. 

lol Aww too cute. I know how that is. Little adorable faces staring up at you, (mine squeaking) can't get the wet food out fast enough. I'm glad yours didn't give you any problems I'm just going to have to suck it up and do it even though I have a feeling she won't make it easy on me. I'll take her to the vet just to make sure she's not diabetic and then start the process. It can't go on like this for her. Thanks for all your help and time!

 

[hark]

I have one cat on a diet.  I was feeding him 3-4 small meals a day for a couple of months, and he was crying every time I went through the kitchen and didn't offer him food.  In March, I switched him to 2 meals a day, approx. 12-hours apart.  He seems more content now.  I think 2 large meals fills his stomach, whereas a bunch of small meals never satisfied him.  However....

Since your cats have been free-feeding, I would still start with a lot of small meals and then cut back to fewer, larger meals.  You'll have to trust your instincts.

I went a bit "tone-deaf" to crying for food when Tangent was constantly begging.  I'd pick him up and love on him, or entice him to play with a "thing-on-a-string" toy to take his mind off food.

Don't feel horrible...you are working to improve your cat's overall health and longevity.  The cats will adjust. 
Crying in the middle of the night?  Try some earplugs.  Seriously. 

lol Good idea! Although I may have to wear earplugs when I'm home during the day too. How much do you give Tangent for each meal? I think I'll do the wet food which they need most at night and dry food spread out once in the morning and early evening I think for the two meals.

 

[orange&white]

lol Good idea! Although I may have to wear earplugs when I'm home during the day too.

How much do you give Tangent for each meal? I think I'll do the wet food which they need most at night and dry food spread out once in the morning and early evening I think for the two meals.

Tangent is now on a raw diet, so I'm not sure the equivalent canned/dry.  I moved him from kibble/canned, to canned only, then to raw.  He was eating average 5.6 oz/day or 2.25% of his body weight when he hit a weight plateau. see-sawing between 15 and 15.4 pounds for 4 weeks straight.  Two weeks ago, I cut his food back to average 5.2 oz/day or 2.15% of his body weight.  Tomorrow is weekly  "weigh-in day", so we'll see how he goes.  He started at 16.5 pounds in September. 

I think your feeding plan for the wet/dry sounds just fine.