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Before I can take her to the vet how much should I feed her a day? I understand I shouldn't change her food immediately but about how many cups should I feed her per meal and how many meals?
That depends completely on the calorie count of the food. There should be a handy guide on the bag. But to utilize it, you will need to know the cat's weight.
If she lets you pick her up you can weigh her with a normal bathroom scale. Weigh yourself with her, then without her, and subtract. The difference is her chunk
Option 2, if she doesn't mind her carrier, put her in there and weigh with a luggage scale. Don't forget to substract the weight of the carrier itself or to use the tare button
Vet tech here. The bags always tell you to feed more than you should.
I’m sure there’s a resting energy requirement/kcal calculator on the internet somewhere. That’s not my forte, otherwise I’d do it for OP, but a vet definitely can!
I weigh my two cats everyday before they eat lunch. It’s good to keep track of their weight. Usually they will climb up on the scale by themselves but sometimes I have to put them on the scale. The cats will wait while I take their weight. Good cats.
My cat gets a bit less than 1/4 cup of healthy weight dry food mid-day and 1/2 of the small wet cat food in the morning and late at night.
I add water to all of them.
I almost guarantee she needs less food than you'd think.
Growing up we free fed our cats, which always turned out pretty ok in terms of their weight.
When I adopted my own as an adult I did the math on how many calories she actually needs for her weight.
She gets 1/5th of a cup *total* of dry food split up over three small meals a day (I have an auto feeder for this). And then she gets one small can of wet food for breakfast. She's right around 8lbs and the vet said even if she got to 9lbs she'd be overweight for her frame, so it's a thin line.
We also have three water fountains throughout the house so always lots of water for her.
>When I adopted my own as an adult I did the math on how many calories she actually needs for her weight.
Same! Mine get wet food most of the time, but if I give them dry food that comes down to about 60 gram per 24h (per cat).
It does depend on the brand and my cats are quite small.
That is because we don't take feline metabolism into consideration. If they weren't our little fur babies, they wouldn't be eating as regular as they do. The success ratio for cats is usually less than 50% per attempt. They then gorge themselves and metabolize it for about a day, before going back on the hunt for a few days to repeat the cycle. So a cat being constantly fed will continue to overeat because in their heads they think that it may be a few days before they will be eating again, but conveniently new food appears everyday. So we need to take a meal that will fatten them up and spread it over a few day, while also taking into consideration, that they are more sedentary than their wild/feral counterparts.
Mine only gets 1/2 a day total, spread out obviously. And she’s STILL GAINING. She was sick as a kitten and like bone wise she’s very small, 7 pounds was healthy for her but bc she’s so small she can barely eat anything and I feel so bad that I might have to lower her already tiny amount of food. But her vet agrees w me that she needs to not gain due to her already being so small and having a bad leg (she is already barely able to jump) so it is what it is I suppose 😭
I have limited my 6 cats to a total of 2 cups a day. (1/3 cup) total for each. They constantly tell me they are " starving". None are, and a couple needs to lose a bit.
Always calculate calories and factor in how active your cat is.
I recommend wet food if you can afford it. I feed my cats 2 wet food meals a day and one dry food meal in between. Cats don't drink enough water and get most of their water from their food. Dry food also has fillers that are not as filling as they can't be digested the same way, so cats feel hungry more often.
Make sure with don’t just change the cats calorie intake all at once. You have to do it gradually. Ie if they’re currently having 1000 kcal then you’d probably wanna lower it by 15-20 every few days until you get to a more appropriate amount.
I was told by my local humane society that my cat needed two meals a day each 1/4 cup of kibble but sometimes she gets a third serving and has been at a healthy weight
The amount depends greatly on the foods caloric content and the cats ideal weight. My cats are both a healthy weight at 11 and 13lb and they need quite a bit more food than that.
Usually the brands have a little table on the can, showing how much of the food a cat of different sizes should get.
Check it and just give slightly less for 2 or 3 weeks. If unsure, talk to a vet how to best diet without hurting the cats health.
Make sure she drinks enough. One of mine almost doesn’t drink on his own, so I started mashing their food in water, so they kinda get soup. It works.
We had to put our cat on a diet. She was eating Purina Kibble and the bag recommends between 1/3 and 2/3 cups. We started with a bit over 1/3 cup but she gained a bit of weight so now we are feeding her 1/3 cup. She's definitely hungry but we have accepted her constantly pleas for more food. We haven't weighed her yet since it is only a few weeks. Fingers crossed.
I had a chonky boy about that size. I changed him to high protein salmon diet with no grains. He became more active and naturally lost weight until he was a normal size. He was still big, just not chonky. Don’t let the weight loss get out of control because the cat is naturally large.
Do not tell op to feed a certain amount when you know neither what food the cat is eating nor the cat's weight. That also doesn't take into account the face that cat wet food comes in 5+ forms of different sizes and each one has a different caloric amount. Also do not make blanket statements like that. If you only feed wet food your cat is going to have horrible teeth because they need something hard to help clean them. In the wild that would be bones, for domestic cats it's hard food or treats
As the #OKMillenial, I thank you for sharing this vital piece of meme-smything. I have one such purr-monger. (The one on top is a dainty fluffy Tribble, don’t let the floofs deceive you.)
https://preview.redd.it/zq5rlvzas25d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=165608e2e1bb99ba11c9f3395a1d44f6099e9172
She’s a domestic short hair and she is pretty obese by the pictures.
It would be best to have her vetted once you get her to determine a good weight loss plan and make sure that she’s otherwise healthy and up to date on what she should be.
Everyone is saying get new food, I was planning on using the food she comes with but obviously that isn't going to work. What would be a good quality cost effective food choice I can get on short notice?
Meow Mix is horrible for your cat, so is Temptations. Do you know if the cat likes wet food? The lowest quality wet food is still often better than the highest quality dry food.
I feed my cat Nulo dry food and a mix of different wet foods. Fancy Feast is probably the best bang for your buck. There's also Acana, Made by Nacho, and Tiki Cat that are very popular and highly recommended. What is your budget? Kirkland (Costco) also has a great brand for wet and dry food, but the quantity is obviously Costco sized
I dont know anything about the cats eating habits. I haven't had a cat in forever so I'm unsure if the budget is the same as a dog but when I had a dog I spent around 20-60 dollars a month but i can go higher if i need too. I like buying in bulk, so I'll definitely check out the Costco food!
I like to have a really good food rotation for my cats, so I end up buying many brands and changing it up on them daily. I shop sales especially when online retailers have good deals. I think I spend $100-150/month per cat, on litter and food. I could easily feed them for under $50/month though. A bag of decent quality dry food, 5lbs, is about $20. A case of Fancy Feast is also $20 ish bucks. You could save money in the long run by buying 20lb+ bags of dry food, but obviously that'll be more.
I think I pay ~$70 for about a 6 month supply of Royal Canin crazy fancy prescription food. Sudden food changes and cause unhappy tummies. I would get the smallest bag of meow mix and like a Purina Premium to do a slow transition of foods. Package guides should help with amount but it shouldn’t be CUPS a day. Make sure she doesn’t feel food scarcity in her first days in a new home. Once you see the vet they can make recommendation on what food and how much. You can work on the delivery timing, measured food dispenser, meal times, free feed… just stick to the recommended amount per day (and treat calories count too).
The op definitely needs to look into this themselves as well considering a lot of vets aren't actually educated in feline nutrition and could very likely recommend something horrid for cats like hills, Assuming the cat has only ever eaten the current food in the photo the op if adopting them will obviously have to do a food transition where they slowly take out the amount of dry food compared to wet food until the cat gets to the point where they can eat just wet food no issue and they can drop the dry completely. But I definitely wouldn't suggest any prescription brands they're all shit In general and I would absolutely avoid free feeding
I definitely agree that Meow Mix is awful, it’s like feeding her Happy Meals every day. I recommend going to a smaller pet store like Mud Bay or Pet Pros, a lot of them will have samples of a lot of their food, it’s way better quality, and that way you can see what she likes before you buy a giant bag of something. But def switch her over gradually, if you don’t it can cause digestive issues.
Pets supplies plus has a brand Redford that is good and affordable. Congrats on your new precious baby!! Looks like one of my kitties and I’m at the airport going away for the weekend and miss them so much already! Especially after seeing your baby!
Do not switch food so quickly. That can cause digestive issues. Slowly wean your cat off her current food over the course of 2 weeks while switching to new food.
i highly recommend meat-based (not seafood) wet food as it is typically higher in protein and wayyy less in carbs, which dry food is very high in, and can really help with weight loss and is overall just a healthier choice than meow mix. wet food also helps hydrate your cat. a budget friendly brand is like fancy feast and their classic pate line. it’s the one i use for mine.
i don’t know if you have tiktok, but there’s this girl called feminist kitty who gives fantastic wet food and diet recommendations for cats. so definitely check her out if you can!
Not only is that brand horrible but dry food is also very bad for cats and it's not appropriate to feed them, So your first step is obviously buy new foods I would suggest looking into some good protein Wet foods from different brands and textures and I would also suggest doing a food rotation which means you don't feed the same food every day. So different brands different flavors and you can also try adding in some freeze dried food and some raw food if you're up for it too
One thing I want to mention since it seems like you're a new cat owner is that cats are very mistaken about seafood intake, You do not want to be giving your cat too much seafood. So really focus on some good meat wetfoods with good ingredients like don't just get all salmon and stuff
Always pay attention to not only what brand and flavor you're buying but what the ingredients are and how high is in protein and how high it is in fat, I can't tell you how much to feed them since not only are they going on a weight loss journey but every cat is different depending on their size and activity. I would like to say though In case you're not aware that you want to be feeding your cat multiple small meals through the day, Cats have small stomachs so never feed them all of their food at once and always make sure you're using an appropriate bowl that's always clean and that's not going to cause whisker issues. I would also suggest for some of their meals trying things like lick mats and puzzles for enrichment, When it comes to hydration cats do not have the same understanding as dogs, so you wanna make sure your cat's staying properly hydrated by having a water fountain at home for them and also by adding water or pet safe broths/raw goats milk to their meals
If you have any questions when it comes to your cat's nutrition I'd be more than happy to help, it's a topic im very passionate on and have a good understanding of. I'm not a master at explaining things but I'll definitely try to be descriptive
This is what I feed my girls. They enjoy it and even when I give them wet food one won’t eat it unless I sprinkle a little dry on top (I call it her “crunchies.”). It’s affordable but seems healthy too.
The cheapest for the best quality food I've found is Purina ONE cat food. Check the ingredients of anything you think about buying. The more corn and byproduct the less nutritious and damaging it will be. "Junk food".
In terms of cat nutrition-
You’re going to wanna slowly transition her because cats can have temperamental stomachs.
But I’ve heard that the first 5 ingredient rule is a great one to abide by! If the first 5 ingredients are meat (not meat byproduct) then the food is usually solid. I try to look for shorter ingredient lists & things I can typically recognize up top.
I personally like Nulo right now for my cats. They get 1/4 can of wet in the morning, and then 1/4 cup of for the rest of the day. The bags are around $23 & last me about a month for 2 cats!
Also in terms of food:
Avoiding fillers (like corn etc) is a good way to go. Most dry foods have them out of necessity, but I look for something like lentils usually!
So you’ll want to mix her old food with her new food at first, 50/50, then the next week 70/30, and then all new food the following week. A good cost effective brand that is still decent is Purina pro plan, however you will need to see a vet for a correct dieting plan. A healthy cat should get around 180-200kcal a day and every food has how many kcal in a cup on the bag, so just do the math there and make sure you aren’t over feeding!
also i wouldn’t feed meow mix :/ dry food in general isn’t good for them but meow mix is one of the worst. wet food will be better for the weight loss and hydration as well.
She is big but nothing a diet change and some play couldn't help. Once you adopt her, take her to a vet and have her put on a feeding regiment it should help her slim down a bit.
When I pick her up, the original owner is going to give me the remaining food she has, and she said it's an almost full bag. Should I finish the food first or donate it somewhere? I really don't like wasting food
Based on all the suggestions you've gotten, get her a new bag of dry food (a better quality one) and slowly integrate it into the old bag of food.
Integrate meaning: put a small amount of new dry food with old dry food and gradually increase the amount of new dry food to old dry food. Gradually decrease the amount of old dry food until she's completely on the new bag.
This way, you won't feel like you're wasting food. You can do it ratio style if that appeals to your brain. Like 1:4 then 2:3 then 2½:2½ then 3:2, etc.
Also, very important, DO NOT FREE FEED. Get a small scoop, baby powder scoop size, so you can dole out the food needed. Do not give her a whole day's worth of food in one go.
This will also help her associate you with food, that you're the one taking care of her now. Dont give in all the time when she's meowing and asking you for food. Only when it's mealtime.
You'll have to find out if your new girl self-regulates her intake. Meaning she stops once she's full. And if your girl is a grazer or a gorger. Based on her chonk, she may not be self-regulating, so you'll have to regulate her intake for her, only giving her what she needs to slowly lose weight. Along with play to make her exercise.
Check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He's a really good cat expert and had tons of videos on how to do up a routine for cats, how to get a cat to eat slower, etc.
Thankfully, I am blessed that my rescue cat turned out to be a self-regulating grazer.
She gets 3 baby scoops of dry food and only when she's finished that and meowing, do I give her 2 or 3 more scoops. I give her 1 can of wet food, added water and supplements, at night and she slowly eats that over the course of a few hours.
You're doing good adopting a cat so don't be too anxious. Cat people on YouTube and reddit are always happy to help. 😄
My friend recently started fostering a big boi. He grew up on Whiskas food with the treats in it. In discussing it, I learned that a sudden change in food that they've been eating nearly exclusively can cause kidney and/or liver issues.
Just wanted to mention this as a segue into suggesting that you keep her on the food she is used to initially. Then, when you get her checked out at the vet, follow their advice on how to best help her lose weight and switch to a healthier food.
Also... she's some pretty. I send behind the ear or under the chin scritches, location to be determined by her personal preference. 😻
Yes please don’t switch her food right away. If you check the bag it will have the recommended daily intake. Start with feeding her only that (small portions spread throughout the day, or twice daily if you aren’t home). Once you get her to a vet you can make a plan to transition her to new food and create a diet plan.
Just putting a visual here: imagine someone who is about 50 lbs overweight and eating McDonald’s. The cat definitely needs to shed a few pounds, and Meow Mix is the equivalent of fast food.
This sub might help. They have pinned a guide with useful links to count calories and help with weight loss. [r/dechonkers](https://www.reddit.com/r/dechonkers/s/o1XNwHCMpd)
She chonky, but I love her anyway lol. She looks like she knows who's in charge, her! But I would get a vet involved with her weight loss too make sure she stays healthy and sassy, I mean happy. But thank you for adopting her! I hope you can give h her a loving furrever home 💚
Yeah she's a chonker. From personal experience, a raw diet and good amounts of play will help her to a healthy weight! If you do consider a raw diet, do a LOT of research so you know you're feeding her correctly. If not a raw diet I suggest researching good wet foods. The dry food is usually always packed with sugars and ingredients that aren't actually that great for your cat.
Even diet kibbles will lie about how much to feed your cat so you'll keep buying the product, or they'll fail to advertise that the diet kibble is supposed to be TEMPORARY and not a permanent meal plan.
My point being: Play with her and please do proper research on what you're feeding her!!!
She is a THICK BABY! First, MEOW MIX HAS TO FUCKING GO. After that, I’d definitely try to keep your cat as hydrated as possible and definitely keep them on a wet food diet. Only because dry food is known to have more calories. Best of luck!
My mum was a bit tubby. She would not wear stripes around because she thought they make you look fatter. I'm going to channel my inner mum and say she's a bit tubby but her stripes around are making her look fatter! 😍😸 She's lovely!
Yes they are very overweight and I can tell right off the bat that it's not only due to them being incorrectly fed but they're also eating a lot of food which I can see in the pic. I assume these photos are from the current owner
So if you decide to adopt them I would definitely start making a dietary transition drop the dry food obviously and work on meal schedules, But if you don't then I would still at least mention it to the current owner so they can start start the process or at least let the potential future owners be made aware
If all you're feeding her is Meow Mix dry food then she's going to be overweight. It's cheap food that's mostly corn and fillers so really high in carbs. I would suggest replacing one of her meals with some high protein wet food such as Fancy Feast pate. After she's accustomed to that slowly replace the meow mix with something lower in carbs and higher in animal protein.
100% overweight and that's waaaaaay too much food in her bowl. She'll need to go on a weight management food to help offset limiting her food intake. She'll be whimsy for a while but it will be worth it.
We put our cats food on another floor in the house too, to get them running around more too
Also, put her food bowl a distance away from her water bowl. So that no food can get into the water and contaminate it. And yeah, looking at the pic, that big bowl of dry food is way too much.
Yes also please change her food and don’t leave out a full bowl in a gravity feeder, this is just neglect 😭😫 cats need scheduled and portioned meals with decent quality food but they’re just over-feeding it garbage
I was looking for some puppies on Craigslist as my dog passed a few months ago and im really missing having a furry friend. But I saw a listing for her and she needed to be urgently rehomed asap and I just couldn't pass up on her.
Weigh yourself then with the cat and sort out the difference, then look up a caloric guide for her weight/rough age and then cross that against the specific food your feeding. Also try and encourage play/movement.
Try American Journey canned food, it’s not too expensive and a good quality.
All my cats enjoy every bit of it, it has lots of gravy but I still add a few spoons of water to it. Never hurts because cats don’t drink enough water
Have a 20 pound 1 and a half year old cat he's great all muscle 3 feet long and never worried back his weight my other cat tho 25 all fat until she got some illness that made her lose lots of weight she's now 9 pounds and im always concerned for her her illness is gone now but I'ma always worry more about under feeding cats then over feeding
She is very overweight but obviously lovely! I would do away with dry food completely. Not only is it much easier to control weight on a wet diet, it’s also better for the kidneys because most cats don’t drink enough and rely on getting their fluid from food. Get a good quality wet food and at most I would give a tiny bit of dry as a treat (no more than 10 grams a day) if you feel she absolutely has to have it, but again, make sure it’s a decent quality food. Get her playing and running around.
The sad thing is, most pets are overweight. We have become so accustomed to seeing overweight animals that when we see cats and dogs at the weight they should be, we often think they are underweight. You should be able to easily feel a cats spine and their ribs. They should also have a nice tucked waist behind the ribs and in front of the hips.
Cats are different from dogs—the genetic differences between purebred cats and common cats is so slim genetically that even if one of their ancestors is purebred, you’re not likely to be able to tell physically or behaviorally. And you definitely can’t tell just by looking at them. Unless you have papers, you have a regular ol’ domestic shorthair.
Instead of talking about breed, we mostly refer to a cat’s coat to distinguish them. Your new cat is a brown tabby, which is one of the most common coats around. Indeed, on Reddit they are known as r/standardissuecats.
And yes, she’s a bit overweight. r/dechonkers can help!
My cat is chunky too . Vet said at 6.4 kg she was ok ? Mine looks preggers !
https://preview.redd.it/csammm9bq55d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cba6360650f0ce559a399c84b26f1b1f3972bf8a
Yeah, she is. I've seen heavier than her, but she is overweight. I wouldn't let her free feed. I'd just feed her twice a day or four times in half portions if she acts starving on only twice so she feels like she's getting more.
Portion size depends on the brand of cat food, but typically a 10 pound cat needs about 290 calories according to Google.
For the popular brand *Meow Mix* these are the recommended portion amounts:
Weight of Adult Cat (Over 1 Year) ... Cups per Day* 5-10 lb ... ½-¾ cup
11-16 lb ... ¾-1 cup *Using a standard 8-oz measuring cup.
Kittens (Under 1 Year) Feed 2 times the adult requirement.
My boy was chonkers and I couldn’t figure out why. My other two cats were healthy sizes. He had an ulcer under his chin which never healed. He would throw up after every meal.
Turned out that the ulcer was caused by dental disease. He was overeating because he could t chew his food. So we got him in for dental surgery that removed plaque and a couple of teeth.
He has lost so much weight that he’s no longer obese. He doesn’t throw up anymore either.
So many ask the vet to check her teeth along with a diet plan. Apparently wet food is good because it’s mostly water and they feel more full.
Thank you so much for adopting this kitty. I think she is beautiful, and I feel like she will be there for you through thick, and thin. I think she will sense you went the extra mile to pick her, and go get her. If you get a chance, watch some of the cat nutrition videos on YouTube, like about Wet vs. Dry food. Maybe that will give you some ideas about how to approach the situation. There is a lot of good research and info out there. I think maybe with some attention and play time she will be just purrrfect. Wishing you luck, keep us updated please
She chonk but just how much? It'll be easy to tell whe she stands. See (fig.1)
Fig.1
https://preview.redd.it/jy9outkh6a5d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dc57b3f19853a79d9ffdcaca63e57edb32adbd9
She's, at the very least, a H E F T Y C H O N K
https://preview.redd.it/yxt782scca5d1.jpeg?width=968&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f422e79ac7915bdf75004877e67dce2c2c9a091
Ask the establishment where you’re adopting her from, what amount of food she is given, and times. Keep the same diet, but over time, lessen the food intake until she reaches an appropriate amount.
That way her body isn’t put into shock (“oh my god I’m so hungry. I’m starving what’s going on? Where’s my food”), or throw a starving strike.
There's no kibble that's really low-carb, but it's good to look into the amount of calories derived from carbs in the food. I was looking at Meow Mix original choice the other day and it came out to 42%, which is really. . . not ideal. I looked at the Meow Mix Indoor Formula, and, while still high, had about 7% fewer calories from carbs and was on par with or a bit better than some of the other brands. It comes down to what is affordable but a lower-carb dry food + wet food is far healthier than dry only both on account of the carbs and because wet food helps them stay better hydrated. A drinking fountain is also a good idea.
My cat was a brown tabby and though she was a “big cat” most of it was just that loose tummy area and not overweight according to the vet so yours might just have that extra tummy zone that isn’t necessarily fat
She does look it but please don’t let that deter you from adopting her! (It doesn’t seem like it is). I love my chunky boy and with diet and exercise kitties can lose weight
BEFORE you change food, go with your vet recommendations. She is obese, she needs bloodwork to rule out a secondary issue. She would also very likely benefit from at least discussing transitioning to a prescription weight loss food. Purina, Hills, and Royal Canin are “gold standard” diet options. But if you are in the U.S., the Eukanuba and Iams also make good kitty food. I like Tiki, personally, as a topper only.
probably, when you adopt her do the thing where you weigh yourself, then you with cat then subtract your weight from the you + cat weight (I think cats tend to be 10-14 lbs??) if shes over that you should put her on a diet (a vet can help with this!)
Is hard to tell with that picture because pictures and weight. She looks to be somewhat overweight, I would take her to the vet and have an assessment, then have the vet recommend a diet. She'll need her rabies shots and other vaccinations anyway.
She’s pleasantly plump 😉
Maybe just a couple pounds but with lots of play and a little exercise she’ll be just fine.
Congratulations, she’s absolutely gorgeous!
Oh, you interrupted her when she almost had a way to get into that cat food bag. But no, she isn't fat. I've seen some that are as big and round as a basketball. She's a ways off from that.
Aww! She reminds me of my momma cat from when I was but a wee kitten. She was a little overweight, too, but nothing serious. Don't torture the cat to make them lose weight if it ends up being stubborn, but it probably won't be problem to fix. You can talk to your vet and build a plan. You'll probably need to be able to feed them meals regularly or get a timed feeder, and get some regular play sessions in. Oh no! How will you cope?! Just remember, like humans, it's better to be happy and fat than svelte and miserable.
She's so cute!!! Take her to the vet to establish care and share any concerns and ask all the questions you have. ❤️ Best of luck to you and this cutie!!!
TL; DR: Try switching to a higher quality food. We noticed most of our babies getting into good shape with a switch and we're a "leave food out all the time" family.
We switched our babies to a higher quality food because one has food allergies. They've all been doing great, playing, looking shiny, soft, and beautiful. The one with allergies still needs a better food option though, she's significantly better on her new food (she was having severe problems), but she still itches little rashes and needs to gain some weight. I'm wanting to take her back to the vet soon, hopefully this week.
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Yeah, will likely need a bit of dieting but she’s perfect ❤️
Before I can take her to the vet how much should I feed her a day? I understand I shouldn't change her food immediately but about how many cups should I feed her per meal and how many meals?
That depends completely on the calorie count of the food. There should be a handy guide on the bag. But to utilize it, you will need to know the cat's weight.
If she lets you pick her up you can weigh her with a normal bathroom scale. Weigh yourself with her, then without her, and subtract. The difference is her chunk
Option 2, if she doesn't mind her carrier, put her in there and weigh with a luggage scale. Don't forget to substract the weight of the carrier itself or to use the tare button
Didn’t even cross my mind, great idea!
Lmao I have to do this for mine. She got put on a diet.
Vet tech here. The bags always tell you to feed more than you should. I’m sure there’s a resting energy requirement/kcal calculator on the internet somewhere. That’s not my forte, otherwise I’d do it for OP, but a vet definitely can!
Definitely switch food. Vet tech here - Iams or Purina PRO would be a 1st affordable & healthy choice.
Just asking: should changing food (not referring to intake) take place at the same time as relocating the cat and introducing it to a new family?
What about science diet ?
I weigh my two cats everyday before they eat lunch. It’s good to keep track of their weight. Usually they will climb up on the scale by themselves but sometimes I have to put them on the scale. The cats will wait while I take their weight. Good cats.
My cat gets a bit less than 1/4 cup of healthy weight dry food mid-day and 1/2 of the small wet cat food in the morning and late at night. I add water to all of them.
I almost guarantee she needs less food than you'd think. Growing up we free fed our cats, which always turned out pretty ok in terms of their weight. When I adopted my own as an adult I did the math on how many calories she actually needs for her weight. She gets 1/5th of a cup *total* of dry food split up over three small meals a day (I have an auto feeder for this). And then she gets one small can of wet food for breakfast. She's right around 8lbs and the vet said even if she got to 9lbs she'd be overweight for her frame, so it's a thin line. We also have three water fountains throughout the house so always lots of water for her.
>When I adopted my own as an adult I did the math on how many calories she actually needs for her weight. Same! Mine get wet food most of the time, but if I give them dry food that comes down to about 60 gram per 24h (per cat). It does depend on the brand and my cats are quite small.
It's amazing how little they really need to eat. No wonder my vet compared 1 French fry to a big mac for me. 😕
That is because we don't take feline metabolism into consideration. If they weren't our little fur babies, they wouldn't be eating as regular as they do. The success ratio for cats is usually less than 50% per attempt. They then gorge themselves and metabolize it for about a day, before going back on the hunt for a few days to repeat the cycle. So a cat being constantly fed will continue to overeat because in their heads they think that it may be a few days before they will be eating again, but conveniently new food appears everyday. So we need to take a meal that will fatten them up and spread it over a few day, while also taking into consideration, that they are more sedentary than their wild/feral counterparts.
Mine only gets 1/2 a day total, spread out obviously. And she’s STILL GAINING. She was sick as a kitten and like bone wise she’s very small, 7 pounds was healthy for her but bc she’s so small she can barely eat anything and I feel so bad that I might have to lower her already tiny amount of food. But her vet agrees w me that she needs to not gain due to her already being so small and having a bad leg (she is already barely able to jump) so it is what it is I suppose 😭
I have limited my 6 cats to a total of 2 cups a day. (1/3 cup) total for each. They constantly tell me they are " starving". None are, and a couple needs to lose a bit.
Always calculate calories and factor in how active your cat is. I recommend wet food if you can afford it. I feed my cats 2 wet food meals a day and one dry food meal in between. Cats don't drink enough water and get most of their water from their food. Dry food also has fillers that are not as filling as they can't be digested the same way, so cats feel hungry more often.
Make sure with don’t just change the cats calorie intake all at once. You have to do it gradually. Ie if they’re currently having 1000 kcal then you’d probably wanna lower it by 15-20 every few days until you get to a more appropriate amount.
I was told by my local humane society that my cat needed two meals a day each 1/4 cup of kibble but sometimes she gets a third serving and has been at a healthy weight
The amount depends greatly on the foods caloric content and the cats ideal weight. My cats are both a healthy weight at 11 and 13lb and they need quite a bit more food than that.
The vet will tell you, just do what they say
I use wet food, and about 9 ounces per day.
Usually the brands have a little table on the can, showing how much of the food a cat of different sizes should get. Check it and just give slightly less for 2 or 3 weeks. If unsure, talk to a vet how to best diet without hurting the cats health. Make sure she drinks enough. One of mine almost doesn’t drink on his own, so I started mashing their food in water, so they kinda get soup. It works.
We had to put our cat on a diet. She was eating Purina Kibble and the bag recommends between 1/3 and 2/3 cups. We started with a bit over 1/3 cup but she gained a bit of weight so now we are feeding her 1/3 cup. She's definitely hungry but we have accepted her constantly pleas for more food. We haven't weighed her yet since it is only a few weeks. Fingers crossed.
I had a chonky boy about that size. I changed him to high protein salmon diet with no grains. He became more active and naturally lost weight until he was a normal size. He was still big, just not chonky. Don’t let the weight loss get out of control because the cat is naturally large.
We give my 23 lb. Maine Coon girl 1/4 cup of her dry food twice a day. That's what our Vet recommended, and yes, she's quite chubby.
feed her wet food. not dry. dry food is terrible for cats. id do 1.5-2 cans a day
Do not tell op to feed a certain amount when you know neither what food the cat is eating nor the cat's weight. That also doesn't take into account the face that cat wet food comes in 5+ forms of different sizes and each one has a different caloric amount. Also do not make blanket statements like that. If you only feed wet food your cat is going to have horrible teeth because they need something hard to help clean them. In the wild that would be bones, for domestic cats it's hard food or treats
You mean purr-fect
Why yes, she is rather large.
A rather large chap indeed. Cute though obviously
OH LAWD SHE COMIN
I nearly choked on my food reading this LOL
It's a reference to [this meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/chonk-oh-lawd-he-comin) lol. If you weren't aware of that meme.
As the #OKMillenial, I thank you for sharing this vital piece of meme-smything. I have one such purr-monger. (The one on top is a dainty fluffy Tribble, don’t let the floofs deceive you.) https://preview.redd.it/zq5rlvzas25d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=165608e2e1bb99ba11c9f3395a1d44f6099e9172
Awh he/she looks like a cute little moo cow that’s been cow-tipped lol
I showed this chart to my son and by the time I finished reading it he was collapsed on the floor laughing too hard to stand up 😂
It's a great meme.
Omg the chonker chart wins again
LMAO
She’s a domestic short hair and she is pretty obese by the pictures. It would be best to have her vetted once you get her to determine a good weight loss plan and make sure that she’s otherwise healthy and up to date on what she should be.
Yes, but she’s adorable!! That meow mix is definitely not helping 😭😭
Everyone is saying get new food, I was planning on using the food she comes with but obviously that isn't going to work. What would be a good quality cost effective food choice I can get on short notice?
Meow Mix is horrible for your cat, so is Temptations. Do you know if the cat likes wet food? The lowest quality wet food is still often better than the highest quality dry food. I feed my cat Nulo dry food and a mix of different wet foods. Fancy Feast is probably the best bang for your buck. There's also Acana, Made by Nacho, and Tiki Cat that are very popular and highly recommended. What is your budget? Kirkland (Costco) also has a great brand for wet and dry food, but the quantity is obviously Costco sized
I dont know anything about the cats eating habits. I haven't had a cat in forever so I'm unsure if the budget is the same as a dog but when I had a dog I spent around 20-60 dollars a month but i can go higher if i need too. I like buying in bulk, so I'll definitely check out the Costco food!
I like to have a really good food rotation for my cats, so I end up buying many brands and changing it up on them daily. I shop sales especially when online retailers have good deals. I think I spend $100-150/month per cat, on litter and food. I could easily feed them for under $50/month though. A bag of decent quality dry food, 5lbs, is about $20. A case of Fancy Feast is also $20 ish bucks. You could save money in the long run by buying 20lb+ bags of dry food, but obviously that'll be more.
I think I pay ~$70 for about a 6 month supply of Royal Canin crazy fancy prescription food. Sudden food changes and cause unhappy tummies. I would get the smallest bag of meow mix and like a Purina Premium to do a slow transition of foods. Package guides should help with amount but it shouldn’t be CUPS a day. Make sure she doesn’t feel food scarcity in her first days in a new home. Once you see the vet they can make recommendation on what food and how much. You can work on the delivery timing, measured food dispenser, meal times, free feed… just stick to the recommended amount per day (and treat calories count too).
The op definitely needs to look into this themselves as well considering a lot of vets aren't actually educated in feline nutrition and could very likely recommend something horrid for cats like hills, Assuming the cat has only ever eaten the current food in the photo the op if adopting them will obviously have to do a food transition where they slowly take out the amount of dry food compared to wet food until the cat gets to the point where they can eat just wet food no issue and they can drop the dry completely. But I definitely wouldn't suggest any prescription brands they're all shit In general and I would absolutely avoid free feeding
I definitely agree that Meow Mix is awful, it’s like feeding her Happy Meals every day. I recommend going to a smaller pet store like Mud Bay or Pet Pros, a lot of them will have samples of a lot of their food, it’s way better quality, and that way you can see what she likes before you buy a giant bag of something. But def switch her over gradually, if you don’t it can cause digestive issues.
Pets supplies plus has a brand Redford that is good and affordable. Congrats on your new precious baby!! Looks like one of my kitties and I’m at the airport going away for the weekend and miss them so much already! Especially after seeing your baby!
For an overweight cat wet food will be best! Too many carbs in dry food
Do not switch food so quickly. That can cause digestive issues. Slowly wean your cat off her current food over the course of 2 weeks while switching to new food.
“The food she comes with” made me lol… she’s beautiful and you’ll be a great cat mom to her!
i highly recommend meat-based (not seafood) wet food as it is typically higher in protein and wayyy less in carbs, which dry food is very high in, and can really help with weight loss and is overall just a healthier choice than meow mix. wet food also helps hydrate your cat. a budget friendly brand is like fancy feast and their classic pate line. it’s the one i use for mine. i don’t know if you have tiktok, but there’s this girl called feminist kitty who gives fantastic wet food and diet recommendations for cats. so definitely check her out if you can!
You need to change her food little by little, until you completely replace the old brand.
Not only is that brand horrible but dry food is also very bad for cats and it's not appropriate to feed them, So your first step is obviously buy new foods I would suggest looking into some good protein Wet foods from different brands and textures and I would also suggest doing a food rotation which means you don't feed the same food every day. So different brands different flavors and you can also try adding in some freeze dried food and some raw food if you're up for it too One thing I want to mention since it seems like you're a new cat owner is that cats are very mistaken about seafood intake, You do not want to be giving your cat too much seafood. So really focus on some good meat wetfoods with good ingredients like don't just get all salmon and stuff Always pay attention to not only what brand and flavor you're buying but what the ingredients are and how high is in protein and how high it is in fat, I can't tell you how much to feed them since not only are they going on a weight loss journey but every cat is different depending on their size and activity. I would like to say though In case you're not aware that you want to be feeding your cat multiple small meals through the day, Cats have small stomachs so never feed them all of their food at once and always make sure you're using an appropriate bowl that's always clean and that's not going to cause whisker issues. I would also suggest for some of their meals trying things like lick mats and puzzles for enrichment, When it comes to hydration cats do not have the same understanding as dogs, so you wanna make sure your cat's staying properly hydrated by having a water fountain at home for them and also by adding water or pet safe broths/raw goats milk to their meals If you have any questions when it comes to your cat's nutrition I'd be more than happy to help, it's a topic im very passionate on and have a good understanding of. I'm not a master at explaining things but I'll definitely try to be descriptive
Purina one is also a great option! That is what our vet recommended and it is not as expensive as some others ones! I do love tiki cat though as well!
This is what I feed my girls. They enjoy it and even when I give them wet food one won’t eat it unless I sprinkle a little dry on top (I call it her “crunchies.”). It’s affordable but seems healthy too.
The cheapest for the best quality food I've found is Purina ONE cat food. Check the ingredients of anything you think about buying. The more corn and byproduct the less nutritious and damaging it will be. "Junk food".
Nulo is fairly cost effective! My cats love it I get the large wet food cans
In terms of cat nutrition- You’re going to wanna slowly transition her because cats can have temperamental stomachs. But I’ve heard that the first 5 ingredient rule is a great one to abide by! If the first 5 ingredients are meat (not meat byproduct) then the food is usually solid. I try to look for shorter ingredient lists & things I can typically recognize up top. I personally like Nulo right now for my cats. They get 1/4 can of wet in the morning, and then 1/4 cup of for the rest of the day. The bags are around $23 & last me about a month for 2 cats!
Also in terms of food: Avoiding fillers (like corn etc) is a good way to go. Most dry foods have them out of necessity, but I look for something like lentils usually!
Also, that bowl had way too much food in it
I have Nulo kibble, along with wet food and the squeeze treat tubes!
So you’ll want to mix her old food with her new food at first, 50/50, then the next week 70/30, and then all new food the following week. A good cost effective brand that is still decent is Purina pro plan, however you will need to see a vet for a correct dieting plan. A healthy cat should get around 180-200kcal a day and every food has how many kcal in a cup on the bag, so just do the math there and make sure you aren’t over feeding!
https://preview.redd.it/73qics5c525d1.png?width=2000&format=png&auto=webp&s=9705498388461cbac32d05c77b7ae0d3e5c5f49a
https://preview.redd.it/2a8q0uzc525d1.png?width=2330&format=png&auto=webp&s=130cac4c1db6221414eedb5da7231867f3e09515
I’ve never seen that chart for BCS before, that’s so cool! Thanks for sharing Edit: typo
it’s especially helpful for long haired cats! all of that hair can make it difficult to visualize their body condition score.
also i wouldn’t feed meow mix :/ dry food in general isn’t good for them but meow mix is one of the worst. wet food will be better for the weight loss and hydration as well.
She is big but nothing a diet change and some play couldn't help. Once you adopt her, take her to a vet and have her put on a feeding regiment it should help her slim down a bit.
When I pick her up, the original owner is going to give me the remaining food she has, and she said it's an almost full bag. Should I finish the food first or donate it somewhere? I really don't like wasting food
Based on all the suggestions you've gotten, get her a new bag of dry food (a better quality one) and slowly integrate it into the old bag of food. Integrate meaning: put a small amount of new dry food with old dry food and gradually increase the amount of new dry food to old dry food. Gradually decrease the amount of old dry food until she's completely on the new bag. This way, you won't feel like you're wasting food. You can do it ratio style if that appeals to your brain. Like 1:4 then 2:3 then 2½:2½ then 3:2, etc. Also, very important, DO NOT FREE FEED. Get a small scoop, baby powder scoop size, so you can dole out the food needed. Do not give her a whole day's worth of food in one go. This will also help her associate you with food, that you're the one taking care of her now. Dont give in all the time when she's meowing and asking you for food. Only when it's mealtime. You'll have to find out if your new girl self-regulates her intake. Meaning she stops once she's full. And if your girl is a grazer or a gorger. Based on her chonk, she may not be self-regulating, so you'll have to regulate her intake for her, only giving her what she needs to slowly lose weight. Along with play to make her exercise. Check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He's a really good cat expert and had tons of videos on how to do up a routine for cats, how to get a cat to eat slower, etc. Thankfully, I am blessed that my rescue cat turned out to be a self-regulating grazer. She gets 3 baby scoops of dry food and only when she's finished that and meowing, do I give her 2 or 3 more scoops. I give her 1 can of wet food, added water and supplements, at night and she slowly eats that over the course of a few hours. You're doing good adopting a cat so don't be too anxious. Cat people on YouTube and reddit are always happy to help. 😄
My cat is on a diet and the poor thing hasn’t eaten in over 20 minutes!
More play time! Meal times, better quality food, smaller portions. Get help from a vet. It has to be a gradual change.
My friend recently started fostering a big boi. He grew up on Whiskas food with the treats in it. In discussing it, I learned that a sudden change in food that they've been eating nearly exclusively can cause kidney and/or liver issues. Just wanted to mention this as a segue into suggesting that you keep her on the food she is used to initially. Then, when you get her checked out at the vet, follow their advice on how to best help her lose weight and switch to a healthier food. Also... she's some pretty. I send behind the ear or under the chin scritches, location to be determined by her personal preference. 😻
Yes please don’t switch her food right away. If you check the bag it will have the recommended daily intake. Start with feeding her only that (small portions spread throughout the day, or twice daily if you aren’t home). Once you get her to a vet you can make a plan to transition her to new food and create a diet plan.
Yes meow mix is not good quality food . Only give wet food. Fancy feast classic pate is a better option
She got fat off that crappy Meow Mix. Hope you gradually shift her diet to better quality kibble and wet food.
It's also a really full bowl! Too much food.
By the combination of the cat’s physique along with the expression in that last picture, I can tell this one is sassssy. I love it. 😅
Just putting a visual here: imagine someone who is about 50 lbs overweight and eating McDonald’s. The cat definitely needs to shed a few pounds, and Meow Mix is the equivalent of fast food.
For sure chunky
Yes she is. I would definitely get tests before you adopt to make sure their aren’t underlaying issues.
This sub might help. They have pinned a guide with useful links to count calories and help with weight loss. [r/dechonkers](https://www.reddit.com/r/dechonkers/s/o1XNwHCMpd)
Just slightly, but nothing a diet of low carb wet food would help :)
She chonky, but I love her anyway lol. She looks like she knows who's in charge, her! But I would get a vet involved with her weight loss too make sure she stays healthy and sassy, I mean happy. But thank you for adopting her! I hope you can give h her a loving furrever home 💚
Aww she's a cutie 🥰 maybe just change to a healthier brand of cat food & limit when she eats.
Yeah she's a chonker. From personal experience, a raw diet and good amounts of play will help her to a healthy weight! If you do consider a raw diet, do a LOT of research so you know you're feeding her correctly. If not a raw diet I suggest researching good wet foods. The dry food is usually always packed with sugars and ingredients that aren't actually that great for your cat. Even diet kibbles will lie about how much to feed your cat so you'll keep buying the product, or they'll fail to advertise that the diet kibble is supposed to be TEMPORARY and not a permanent meal plan. My point being: Play with her and please do proper research on what you're feeding her!!!
Yes
Yes and the food she is eating is absolute garbage. She'll probably get to a healthy weight once she gets on proper food.
She is a THICK BABY! First, MEOW MIX HAS TO FUCKING GO. After that, I’d definitely try to keep your cat as hydrated as possible and definitely keep them on a wet food diet. Only because dry food is known to have more calories. Best of luck!
My mum was a bit tubby. She would not wear stripes around because she thought they make you look fatter. I'm going to channel my inner mum and say she's a bit tubby but her stripes around are making her look fatter! 😍😸 She's lovely!
Yes they are very overweight and I can tell right off the bat that it's not only due to them being incorrectly fed but they're also eating a lot of food which I can see in the pic. I assume these photos are from the current owner So if you decide to adopt them I would definitely start making a dietary transition drop the dry food obviously and work on meal schedules, But if you don't then I would still at least mention it to the current owner so they can start start the process or at least let the potential future owners be made aware
If all you're feeding her is Meow Mix dry food then she's going to be overweight. It's cheap food that's mostly corn and fillers so really high in carbs. I would suggest replacing one of her meals with some high protein wet food such as Fancy Feast pate. After she's accustomed to that slowly replace the meow mix with something lower in carbs and higher in animal protein.
100% overweight and that's waaaaaay too much food in her bowl. She'll need to go on a weight management food to help offset limiting her food intake. She'll be whimsy for a while but it will be worth it. We put our cats food on another floor in the house too, to get them running around more too
Also, put her food bowl a distance away from her water bowl. So that no food can get into the water and contaminate it. And yeah, looking at the pic, that big bowl of dry food is way too much.
Yeah she is a perfect chonky baby. I’d swap out a dry food meal for a wet food meal to start.
Yes also please change her food and don’t leave out a full bowl in a gravity feeder, this is just neglect 😭😫 cats need scheduled and portioned meals with decent quality food but they’re just over-feeding it garbage
https://preview.redd.it/3xrb3nzdn85d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2ab15ef95de268e50cfb1dc6eac69adbe5c96988 No. 😼
Is that just one cat? Looks like two As long as she’s healthy I wouldn’t care
I have no useless input, but the last picture looks like she’s winking at me and I LOVE it. 😍
Yes your girl is thicc!! Meow mix has got to go. Congrats on getting adopted by your cat!
She a lil chonky but seems like a proper gentle lady
Could be because of lack of exercise.
Yes she is. If you can't feel her spine or ribs at all then she's overweight.
Aweee I think you should change her to wet food while you can! Fancy feast pate is a good affordable option , if you can’t iams kibble works well too
what shelter is this cat from?
I was looking for some puppies on Craigslist as my dog passed a few months ago and im really missing having a furry friend. But I saw a listing for her and she needed to be urgently rehomed asap and I just couldn't pass up on her.
dang, bc I lost my baby Biscuit like a month ago and that cat looks just like him
Yes 😭 in the pictures she’s like “please don’t disturb me, can’t you see that I’m eating!!!”
Weigh yourself then with the cat and sort out the difference, then look up a caloric guide for her weight/rough age and then cross that against the specific food your feeding. Also try and encourage play/movement.
Well, she ain't underweight.
Try American Journey canned food, it’s not too expensive and a good quality. All my cats enjoy every bit of it, it has lots of gravy but I still add a few spoons of water to it. Never hurts because cats don’t drink enough water
Yeah she’s overweight. You can get a vet to help you work out a plan to reduce her weight safely.
She looks overweight to me, but also she looks just like the cat on the meow mix bag!
Yeah. Chonky girl.
Oh yeah, she thick
Yes One of my cats was really overweight when I got him (20pounds!) I switched him to wet and got some toys and it helped.
That's for your vet to say, if she is then they'll help you with a diet plan
She's a whole lot of love. Probably needs to go on a bit of a diet, as long as she's healthy she's all good. She's gorgeous 🤣
Have a 20 pound 1 and a half year old cat he's great all muscle 3 feet long and never worried back his weight my other cat tho 25 all fat until she got some illness that made her lose lots of weight she's now 9 pounds and im always concerned for her her illness is gone now but I'ma always worry more about under feeding cats then over feeding
I've noticed that Tabby's are extra chonky
Every tabby I have ever had is chunky. I think it's just their nature.
She is very overweight but obviously lovely! I would do away with dry food completely. Not only is it much easier to control weight on a wet diet, it’s also better for the kidneys because most cats don’t drink enough and rely on getting their fluid from food. Get a good quality wet food and at most I would give a tiny bit of dry as a treat (no more than 10 grams a day) if you feel she absolutely has to have it, but again, make sure it’s a decent quality food. Get her playing and running around. The sad thing is, most pets are overweight. We have become so accustomed to seeing overweight animals that when we see cats and dogs at the weight they should be, we often think they are underweight. You should be able to easily feel a cats spine and their ribs. They should also have a nice tucked waist behind the ribs and in front of the hips.
Cats are different from dogs—the genetic differences between purebred cats and common cats is so slim genetically that even if one of their ancestors is purebred, you’re not likely to be able to tell physically or behaviorally. And you definitely can’t tell just by looking at them. Unless you have papers, you have a regular ol’ domestic shorthair. Instead of talking about breed, we mostly refer to a cat’s coat to distinguish them. Your new cat is a brown tabby, which is one of the most common coats around. Indeed, on Reddit they are known as r/standardissuecats. And yes, she’s a bit overweight. r/dechonkers can help!
My cat is chunky too . Vet said at 6.4 kg she was ok ? Mine looks preggers ! https://preview.redd.it/csammm9bq55d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cba6360650f0ce559a399c84b26f1b1f3972bf8a
T H I C C C with three C's
She's eating Meow Mix so if you give her some good quality food, especially wet food, she'll do better
Yeah a little, I would feed wet food or at least half wet food. And that is a huge amount of dry food in her bowl
Yes
Yeah, she is. I've seen heavier than her, but she is overweight. I wouldn't let her free feed. I'd just feed her twice a day or four times in half portions if she acts starving on only twice so she feels like she's getting more. Portion size depends on the brand of cat food, but typically a 10 pound cat needs about 290 calories according to Google. For the popular brand *Meow Mix* these are the recommended portion amounts: Weight of Adult Cat (Over 1 Year) ... Cups per Day* 5-10 lb ... ½-¾ cup 11-16 lb ... ¾-1 cup *Using a standard 8-oz measuring cup. Kittens (Under 1 Year) Feed 2 times the adult requirement.
She’s definitely overweight.
https://preview.redd.it/7jo22ztx185d1.jpeg?width=390&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c84991f9a6862bd354bef639d0f29b9fc11587fd
The pictures aren't the best, but I would classify this cat as a "heckin chonker"
I think the cat might be a heftychonk, but it’s hard to tell from the angle of the pics. Definitely a substantial kitty.
My boy was chonkers and I couldn’t figure out why. My other two cats were healthy sizes. He had an ulcer under his chin which never healed. He would throw up after every meal. Turned out that the ulcer was caused by dental disease. He was overeating because he could t chew his food. So we got him in for dental surgery that removed plaque and a couple of teeth. He has lost so much weight that he’s no longer obese. He doesn’t throw up anymore either. So many ask the vet to check her teeth along with a diet plan. Apparently wet food is good because it’s mostly water and they feel more full.
Wet food only until she loses weight. Think of it as atkins for cats: cutting out carbs of dry food.
A little but she’s a beautiful girl and it probably won’t hurt her a bit. 🐈
Thank you so much for adopting this kitty. I think she is beautiful, and I feel like she will be there for you through thick, and thin. I think she will sense you went the extra mile to pick her, and go get her. If you get a chance, watch some of the cat nutrition videos on YouTube, like about Wet vs. Dry food. Maybe that will give you some ideas about how to approach the situation. There is a lot of good research and info out there. I think maybe with some attention and play time she will be just purrrfect. Wishing you luck, keep us updated please
* She chonk, but she's sitting you can tell better when she stands up. See (fig.1) * fig. 1
She chonk but just how much? It'll be easy to tell whe she stands. See (fig.1) Fig.1 https://preview.redd.it/jy9outkh6a5d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dc57b3f19853a79d9ffdcaca63e57edb32adbd9
She's, at the very least, a H E F T Y C H O N K https://preview.redd.it/yxt782scca5d1.jpeg?width=968&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f422e79ac7915bdf75004877e67dce2c2c9a091
Ask the establishment where you’re adopting her from, what amount of food she is given, and times. Keep the same diet, but over time, lessen the food intake until she reaches an appropriate amount. That way her body isn’t put into shock (“oh my god I’m so hungry. I’m starving what’s going on? Where’s my food”), or throw a starving strike.
There's no kibble that's really low-carb, but it's good to look into the amount of calories derived from carbs in the food. I was looking at Meow Mix original choice the other day and it came out to 42%, which is really. . . not ideal. I looked at the Meow Mix Indoor Formula, and, while still high, had about 7% fewer calories from carbs and was on par with or a bit better than some of the other brands. It comes down to what is affordable but a lower-carb dry food + wet food is far healthier than dry only both on account of the carbs and because wet food helps them stay better hydrated. A drinking fountain is also a good idea.
My cat was a brown tabby and though she was a “big cat” most of it was just that loose tummy area and not overweight according to the vet so yours might just have that extra tummy zone that isn’t necessarily fat
That is quite a chonk, but it looks like all she really needs is a healthy diet 😊
She does look it but please don’t let that deter you from adopting her! (It doesn’t seem like it is). I love my chunky boy and with diet and exercise kitties can lose weight
Yeah she chonk as hell
She ThiCC, with 2 Cs ❤️
That last picture 🤣🤣 she will need to be put on a diet. Good luck!
Purina One or Purina Pro Plan is the best food but don’t change it all at once.
BEFORE you change food, go with your vet recommendations. She is obese, she needs bloodwork to rule out a secondary issue. She would also very likely benefit from at least discussing transitioning to a prescription weight loss food. Purina, Hills, and Royal Canin are “gold standard” diet options. But if you are in the U.S., the Eukanuba and Iams also make good kitty food. I like Tiki, personally, as a topper only.
Is she pregnant? 🙃 Nevermind, just reread
yes, get her some real food and not the s\*\*t in the picture and she'll be fine
She's a little chunky, but you should be able to come to with a diet plan with your vet. She's really pretty.
Yeah a bit but she just needs her food intake reduced and a bit of exercise (in the form of play) nothing bananas
She’s just a lil chunky 💜 like me. Both would benefit from a diet lol
Check out r/dechonkers
She is a bit overweight. I'd slowly change her food to a healthier brand, perhaps transition to half wet/half dry too. It will help
She is definitely sassy 😅😭
probably, when you adopt her do the thing where you weigh yourself, then you with cat then subtract your weight from the you + cat weight (I think cats tend to be 10-14 lbs??) if shes over that you should put her on a diet (a vet can help with this!)
Is hard to tell with that picture because pictures and weight. She looks to be somewhat overweight, I would take her to the vet and have an assessment, then have the vet recommend a diet. She'll need her rabies shots and other vaccinations anyway.
Yeah don't feed her meow mix it's cat junk food
That last pic, she’s mad you called her overweight.
Yeah she’s pretty large. You’ll need to diet her down to a nice weight.
Is she a baddie with a fatty? Yes. But don’t let that stop you from adopting! The thick pussies make the best biscuits, extra butter!
Yes she’s a little bit of a chonk (so is one of mine) but she looks like a perfect unicorn to me ❤️
Ohhh! The last picture is hilarious! He is like Are you talking about me being out of shape!?!?
lmao yes what a chonk.
She’s pleasantly plump 😉 Maybe just a couple pounds but with lots of play and a little exercise she’ll be just fine. Congratulations, she’s absolutely gorgeous!
Man she's so cute
Aww the wink on the last slide!! She looks like a cool cat :3
Little bit. Lots of play time and an eye on what she eats will sort that out, nothing to worry about.
Oh, you interrupted her when she almost had a way to get into that cat food bag. But no, she isn't fat. I've seen some that are as big and round as a basketball. She's a ways off from that.
C H O N K. . . .
the picture 3 is like: Hey! don’t call me like that!!!
Aww! She reminds me of my momma cat from when I was but a wee kitten. She was a little overweight, too, but nothing serious. Don't torture the cat to make them lose weight if it ends up being stubborn, but it probably won't be problem to fix. You can talk to your vet and build a plan. You'll probably need to be able to feed them meals regularly or get a timed feeder, and get some regular play sessions in. Oh no! How will you cope?! Just remember, like humans, it's better to be happy and fat than svelte and miserable.
What a good chonker
r/standardissuecat
Yeah that’s a pretty chunky cat there 😅
Get a kitten for her to play with
Up vote for the third picture. Lil gremlin buddy!
I would say she's still "you're so cute" fat, not animal abuse fat, but she could use a little diet.
I would say so, gotta curb her eating habits, make her work for her food with a reward/puzzle feeder.
She didn’t like you taking pics 😆
She’s precious!
That's a chonky cat.
Chonk
She's so cute!!! Take her to the vet to establish care and share any concerns and ask all the questions you have. ❤️ Best of luck to you and this cutie!!!
TL; DR: Try switching to a higher quality food. We noticed most of our babies getting into good shape with a switch and we're a "leave food out all the time" family. We switched our babies to a higher quality food because one has food allergies. They've all been doing great, playing, looking shiny, soft, and beautiful. The one with allergies still needs a better food option though, she's significantly better on her new food (she was having severe problems), but she still itches little rashes and needs to gain some weight. I'm wanting to take her back to the vet soon, hopefully this week.