Am I Feeding Too Much
From LoveToKnow Cats
"Am I feeding too much?" That's what a lot of owners wonder when their cat begins to pack on the pounds. Weight gain can be due to overeating, but a sudden dramatic weight gain could be a sign of an underlying illness.
Visitor: Am I Feeding Too Much?
I have two cats. I feed them IAMS Indoor/Weight Control dry food. I fill their bowl when it's close to empty, usually about every other day. My calico female looks healthy, but my Siamese male is starting to look heavy. What can I do to make sure they are both getting what they need, but not getting too much to eat?
~~ Lori H. H.
Expert Reply
Hi Lori,
Although the amount of food your cats eat does play a direct role in their weight, there are other factors that must be taken into consideration. Activity levels and age both affect metabolism. Weight gain can sometimes be attributed to underlying medical conditions as well.
Also, is your male cat neutered? This can sometimes lead to a slight weight gain once the need to pursue a mate has been eliminated.
All of that said, the only sure way to regulate how much your cats are eating is to feed them separately. I understand that this may be difficult since they are used to eating from the same bowl and that food is left out constantly. You might want to try confining one of the cats during meal time, and picking up both bowls of food rather than letting them set out. Your cats will eventually learn to eat when served, however you should also have fresh water available.
If you truly think your male may be on the verge of becoming overweight, then it would be a good idea to pay a visit to your vet just to make sure there are no health problems in play.
Thanks for your question~~ Kelly
Comments
Hi Daniel,
There are some things you can do to reduce hairballs. Hairballs typically do not hurt a cat. He or she will cough it up and then be done. They are caused when the cat ingests loose hair while grooming. However, you can reduce their frequency by trying the following:
- Brush your cat more often. If your cat has long hair, you may have to brush every day. Otherwise every two or three days will help.
- There are many commercial lubricants to help with hairballs, which are inexpensive. I recommend these as they will not harm your cat. However, for a couple of days you can try giving your cat just a small dab of butter. The lubrication can help the hairballs through the system. However, because of the high fat, I would do it for a very limited time.
- Believe it or not exercise can help and feeding your cat a high quality diet with a cat food rich on Omega 3s.
Good luck!
-- Contributed by: LoriSoardhome remedy for hairballs
-- Contributed by: Daniel HendersonMy vote is to get rid of him. Is he such a control freak that he really needs to dictate when and how the cat eats? I am sorry to say his problems are much deeper than a cat. Pretty soon he will be telling you when and how much to eat. Take it from a guy, cat haters are usually jerks. I know many of them. Take your kitty and hit the road. Good luck!
-- Contributed by: KpThis page has been accessed 890 times. This page was last modified 02:03, 31 May 2008.
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