I have 2 female cats, both about two years old. My tortie is a slinky trouble maker that lets me know when she thinks it’s dinner time and can’t wait to chow down. My tabby is about 50% heavier despite never really being food motivated, and just sorta nibbles at her kibble. They get fed about 1/4 cup of kibble twice a day and as far as I can tell they split it evenly. My vet told me I need to start watching the Tabby’s weight since she is at 13lbs, but I don’t think I can cut down their food anymore. Anyone have any advice? The vet didn’t give me any useful info, just said watch her weight.
You must log in or register to comment.
Weigh their food. If she doesn’t lose weight, feed less. If one cat eating the other’s food becomes a problem, look into getting a SureFeed microchip activated feeding station. I have two cats and the formerly fat one used to steal the other one’s food all the time, until I got two of these. If they’re not chipped, you can get external ones and glue them into a collar.
I don’t think the tabby is the stealing food. She started getting heavier after they got spayed. Half the time she doesn’t even go to the bowl after feeding. That’s why I am perplexed.
I can’t even give her treats because the skinny little Tortie comes up and snatches the treat while the tabby is busy sniffing it trying to decide if she wants it or not.
Start feeding them separately, and keep the food put away afterwards? Maybe that way you can control the amount of food they eat when they do, to ensure gordita isnt double dipping. I’ve had that happen in the past. There are ‘weight control’ cat foods, but ive had cats that hated everything and everyone when I tried to switch food brands and ive also had cats that just didnt give a rip and were happy I was feeding them. YMMV of course.
Do cats suffer hormonal problems, or like thyroid stuff that would make them gain weight or smth?
deleted by creator
She started putting on the pounds after they got spayed, so I do think it’s a hormonal thing. She’s always been the less adventurous of the two, probably because her momma was a barn cat so she has been spoiled since she was born while the tortie was a stray kitten I found by the river. I assume that’s why the tortie is the food motivated one between the two of them.
I’m switching vets to one that is in town, so I will ask the new vet what they think when I take them in
deleted by creator
Cat needs hrt
Might be worth trying exercise too, see if you can get the fatty to tolerate a harness and, eventually, take walks. Or cat furniture that encourages climbing.
Unfortunately the tabby doesn’t like going outside, I’ve tried. She was born in a garage until I got her at 12 weeks. We play with laser pointers and wand toys a lot and she loves chasing them. I could do a better job of playing with her more though.
I can’t remember where I found it but I’ve got a toy around here somewhere that kind of looks like a little palm tree, it shoots out a laser and sort of randomly rotates. The one they really love though is a little ball, it’s rechargeable and randomly scoots around the floor flashing LEDs… it’ll even pause until they touch it, then head off randomly in a new direction. My ex ordered the thing online, I’ll see if she remembers what it’s called. The cats will chase that one until the battery dies 😂
Shame her until she develops an eating disorder, and then prescribe her ozemic.
If it works for human society, then why not the cat?
She’s already my puker, so I guess that’s step one done
Food scale.
Math out how much of their food they each need to maintain a healthy weight and then always measure it.
Watching them to ensure they don’t steal from each others bowls might be necessary too.
just realized I haven’t paid the cat tax, so here is a pic of them both. Both girls are so sweet and social, they love meeting new people. They also immediately bonded when I got the tortie and they are the gayest cats I have ever seen. They are constantly kissing each other and cuddling
she looks good to me, though if she were mine i would probably give her an insensitive nickname like “Big Time” just due to size difference. i usually run my cats just into the heavy side of average, because it’s easier to notice if they get sick/lose appetite/weight and there’s a buffer. every cat i’ve ever had put on a little extra after getting fixed.
someone else suggested the kibble cat food that is formulated to be less calorie dense and i’ve used that before. most of mine have turned their nose up at new food and the low-cal formulation was no exception. but i’m more stubborn and decisive than any cat. they can play all the head games they want: i can work doorknobs.
One of my cats understood that to open the door it is required to rotate the knob, and would sit for ages trying to do it.
She’s definitely not the fattest cat I know. But you can hear it any time she jumps off of something and she definitely feels 50% heavier than the other cat. The best is when they wrestle because the tabby will just football tackle the tortie and get her in a headlock. As she starts biting the tortie’s neck, the tortie starts bunny kicking the crap out of her face. I’m so blessed to have a couple lesbo kitties. They became best friends the week i brought the tortie home so I just became stuck with two cats.
I don’t think I can cut down their food anymore
You certainly can, if they’re currently gaining weight, that means they have more than enough food. If only one needs to lose weight then you need to feed them separately.
If the cat seems disinterested in food and is gaining weight like that, start getting suspicious. She might have found another food source. Are they outside cats? Is it possible she’s raiding the pantry?
They stay inside. I take the thin Tortie outside on a harness sometimes, but the tabby is entirely disinterested in going outside. They both are terrible about getting into any bagged food, so everything is already locked up.
If she can tolerate it they also make foods that are lower in calories, but, again, if she can tolerate it since I know cats can be really picky even about texture and stuff sometimes
1/2 cup a day seems reasonable, assuming she’s only eating her own food which it seems like she is. Maybe try investigating the type of food your giving her?
I don’t think they are eating each other’s food. They have been fed at the same time ever since they were tiny little kittens. If anything I think the tortie is the one that double dips, but half the time I’ll come home from lunch and there is still kibble in both bowls. She started to gain weight when I moved apartments last year, and that was also a few months after they got spayed, so maybe that’s part of it
