I have had my female cat for 7 years. She is an adult, but is very small and petite weighing in at 5 pounds. She is used to eating whenever she likes and I always keep a bowl of food for her.
We recently inherited a cat from my father-in-law due to his new fiance not liking pets. This is a very sweet cat and the two cats are starting to get along. This new cat is very overweight and previously ate whenever she feels like it as well. Obviously, this eating pattern needs to change as she really needs to slim down.
How do I slim down one overeating cat while making sure my anorexic cat doesn't lose any weight on her petite frame? They are making friends, but I don't know if serving them their meals at the same time would help. I feel the larger cat would eat their dinner for the two of them and my original cat doesn't always eat when there's food in front of her.
Thanks for your help.
Anne
Cats with different eating patterns
I strongly suggest getting both cats checked by your vet....your 7-year-old should have a full blood profile (including thyroid testing) done yearly, starting now.
Your vet can determine your new kitty's need for an appropriate weight management plan. The diet may need to be changed to something specifically geared for slow weight reduction, but you should get blood profiling done for her as well, as organ function must be checked before any weight management is initiated. Weight reduction and management must be done carefully and cautiously in cats because if sudden or drastic weight loss occurs, vital organ disfunction can occr (liver failure, diabetes, etc). On an appropriate diet, you should only expect weight loss of around 1 lb or or so every month or every other month. Never take it upon yourself to initiate a dietary weight reduction for your cats, this can be a dangerous approach.
So, make an appointment with your vet for both cats, your vet will help you with the appropriate diets, feeding schedules, etc....be prepared you may need to start feeding them seperately.
Your vet can determine your new kitty's need for an appropriate weight management plan. The diet may need to be changed to something specifically geared for slow weight reduction, but you should get blood profiling done for her as well, as organ function must be checked before any weight management is initiated. Weight reduction and management must be done carefully and cautiously in cats because if sudden or drastic weight loss occurs, vital organ disfunction can occr (liver failure, diabetes, etc). On an appropriate diet, you should only expect weight loss of around 1 lb or or so every month or every other month. Never take it upon yourself to initiate a dietary weight reduction for your cats, this can be a dangerous approach.
So, make an appointment with your vet for both cats, your vet will help you with the appropriate diets, feeding schedules, etc....be prepared you may need to start feeding them seperately.
..........Traci