my kitten is a CHUNK!

julia123123

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I adopted a bonded pair of kitten siblings this past spring...the runt of the litter (Frances) and the biggest of the litter (Barnabas). Frances was almost scarily tiny and the foster lady advised that I free-feed them both as much as they'd like.

Fast forward several months. The kittens are now 7 months old and per vet, able to be on adult cat food. Although they eat the exact same amount of food, the "biggest," Barnabas, is lean and wiry. The "runt," Frances, is...a chunk. He's much bigger than Barnabas now and seems to be obsessed with food. I free-feed them dry food during the day...they each get one can of Friskies Savory Shreds (split into 4 servings), and I shred up some cooked turkey (a palmful) for once daily. Frances already has a bit of a soft, swinging tummy. He got a clean bill of health at vet a month or so ago but he just seems...ravenous. Absolutely obsessed with food. While Barnabas is off playing, Frances is constantly in the kitchen, begging. I attached a picture of them both in the kitchen, eagerly awaiting their turkey treat!

Is it normal for siblings to be SO different body-type wise? Since they eat the same amount of food, I wonder if it's just the genetic luck of the draw that Barnabas is so long and lean and Frances is so soft and chubby. Which means that Frances is MEANT to be a bit chubbier?

Are they eating the proper amount? One can wet, unlimited dry, plus some turkey daily?

Any advice? Thank you!
 

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Furballsmom

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Hi
Female cats can be bred by different males, from what I understand. Anyway, yes, there can be different body types amongst siblings.

I would discontinue the cooked turkey unless it has absolutely zero added anything (no sodium, no spices etc), cut back on the kibble, and give them quite a bit more canned food.

The carb load in the kibble is not doing Francis any favors.
 

Robyn5678

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There can be different body types. Is the chunky one stealing the thinner ones food? Also, you’ll want to feed them by calorie amount, not necessarily by the amount of food. Different cans of food have different calorie counts.
 
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julia123123

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I don't think Frances is stealing food...but...he's constantly scrounging for food. Our elderly cat prefers dry food and Frances is always dipping into hers. I definitely think that these two kittens had different fathers...one is lighter-furred and definitely rangy/lean! So the turkey is NOT good for them? It's just sliced deli turkey...assumed that it would be good/protein!
 

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Dry food is empty calories that don't satisfy the tummy. Could you feed more canned food to each cat and limit the dry food to maybe 1/2 cup a day? Just be sure that each cat is getting enough calories for their body weight. It's roughly 20 to 25 calories per pound of body weight daily.

You can poach some turkey or chicken in plain water and give that as treats. That's healthier than deli meat. Shred the meat and save whatever isn't used within a day for treats in the freezer.

Is Frances neutered? Neutered males have the swinging pouch hanging between their hind legs. It's normal.
 

FeebysOwner

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Frankly, in looking at that pic you provided, I am hard pressed to see much of a difference between the two cats! The 'pouch' you are talking about, as also mentioned above, occurs in ALL cats - males and females alike - and has no bearing to their weight. As a matter of fact, the more obvious the pouch is, the less likely the cat is overweight. It is a naturally occurring event in almost all cats and can actually more easily be hidden with a little excess weight.

You have two cats with different body types (kind of, apparently), and two different interests in foods. I think I would wait a while before deciding if you actually have a real issue. These are 7-month-old kittens, which most at that age are still be given kitten food, despite what your vet said.
 

Robyn5678

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I don't think Frances is stealing food...but...he's constantly scrounging for food. Our elderly cat prefers dry food and Frances is always dipping into hers. I definitely think that these two kittens had different fathers...one is lighter-furred and definitely rangy/lean! So the turkey is NOT good for them? It's just sliced deli turkey...assumed that it would be good/protein!
I would not feed my cats deli meat. Too many seasonings and preservatives
 
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julia123123

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Thanks for the info! I guess it's hard to tell in pic above...they're all stretched out...but Frances definitely has a tum and Barnabas does not. It's new in the past month, ever since he became ravenous. His whole little body is round and I can especially see it when he flops on the floor and rolls over. I'm going to try to get him on a scale this week to see how much he's gained during past couple of months. OK...more wet food, real turkey, and less dry!
 

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Let us know how things go with him. If he continues to act like he's starving even after a couple of weeks, a higher protein/calorie food may be what he needs :)
 
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julia123123

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Will do! I'm thawing some chicken now to boil and shred. Hopefully we can get their food intake on an even keel...next will tackle the endless jumping. :)
 

Box of Rain

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Will do! I'm thawing some chicken now to boil and shred. Hopefully we can get their food intake on an even keel...next will tackle the endless jumping. :)
Not sure which pieces you are using this time, but for the future--for those who are not aware already--dark meat chicken is a good source of necessary taurine, where chicken breast is a poor source. Thighs and legs also stew up better (remaining moist) and are typically cheaper than white meat.

Dark meat turkey is an even more excellent taurine source.

Do be sure to feed any cooking liquids. Taurine is very water soluble, so when chicken is cooked much of the taurine will run into "the broth" (<--which is therefore "gold").
 
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julia123123

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I can't imagine that they don't have enough space. They have window hammocks...window perches in multiple rooms...elevated cat beds and a 4' ledge to lay on, too. We have a two story house and they have the run of it! I think they're just in that nightmare "teen" phase. They can get on anything except dining room table, kitchen counters, and coffee table. Of course, this is all they want to jump on. I've used sticky tape pretty successfully, but it's a huge pain keeping it on the perimeter of our 8-person dining room table and around the edges of our kitchen counters. We eat in the living room a lot and do NOT want the cats on the coffee table. They've pretty much left it alone, except for today, when I walked in and found one kitten with his head stuck in our water pitcher. ;)
 
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julia123123

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Thanks for that chicken advice! It IS chicken breast right now but I'll pick up some thighs at the grocery store this week!
 

LTS3

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Not sure which pieces you are using this time, but for the future--for those who are not aware already--dark meat chicken is a good source of necessary taurine, where chicken breast is a poor source. Thighs and legs also stew up better (remaining moist) and are typically cheaper than white meat.

OP is only feeding the chicken as treats so it doesn't matter if she uses dark or white meat. The cats are getting enough taurine from the canned and dry food. Extra taurine in the diet is filtered out in the kidneys and comes out with the urine.
 

Box of Rain

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Thanks for that chicken advice! It IS chicken breast right now but I'll pick up some thighs at the grocery store this week!
Both dark meat chicken and turkey have a little over 10 times more taurine than their white meat counterparts, with turkey having nearly double the taurine level of chicken.

Bill
 

Box of Rain

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OP is only feeding the chicken as treats so it doesn't matter if she uses dark or white meat. The cats are getting enough taurine from the canned and dry food. Extra taurine in the diet is filtered out in the kidneys and comes out with the urine.
Treats have a way of forming a significant part of a diet (especially when it is something as delicious as dark meat chicken or turkey that many cats will clamor for).

I'd prefer feeding a "cut" that is rich in taurine myself, especially when thigh/leg meat is more palatable to cats, takes better to stewing/shredding, and is usually cheaper to boot. Dark meat is a win on all fronts in my estimation.

Bill
 
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