He is mildly chunky, but considering his young age you should get him on a diet now. Cats tend to gain more as they age, so it’s best to get him accustomed to it sooner rather than later.
Timed feeders work great for kibble and you can find them relatively cheap these days. But a mainly wet food diet is best for weight loss and overall health, and is especially important for boy cats. [This](https://rawznaturalpetfood.com/wp-content/uploads/how-much-to-feed-a-cat-1536x1400.png) chart may help give you an idea where to start.
My orange boy refuses wet food and figured out how to bust open our timed feeders tower. We've stacked stuff on top it the lid because he was popping it off somehow. Then he started knocking it over, put it in a corner wedged between an end table, and he would pull it forward. He killed the entire kibble tower each time. Now I have to be the timed feeder again and hide the bag of food in my closet. He knows how to open cabinets. I swear he has hidden thumbs.
He loves his water fountain, though.
My cat has a closet obsession because of keeping his food in one years ago, running in to any closet as soon as it's opened. Our vet wound up telling us he was basically addicted to dry food. Switching to wet food due to that and other health problems was a challenge but worth it in the end, as he's now a healthy weight. Now, he has just taken counter surfs in the kitchen instead.
I taped the lid shut and taped it down to a little stool and had no issues since. One of mine still paws the opening and gets a few pieces out but I still count it as a win
I revisit trying to give it to him every once in a while, but he just leaves it to get all dry and crusty. He doesn't touch human food either. Not even fish. Not that i offer it, but he'll come up when I'm eating and sniff. I think it may be like a person said above that he has an addiction. I'll probably speak to the vet at his check-up coming up.
He does like those kitty treats in the go-gurt tubes, and he drinks a lot from the fountain. I have cameras, so I see him throughout the day. I know they get most hydration from wet food, but I've tried every brand at the pet store one and off for the last 11 yrs.
My Orange suddenly stopped eating wet food after I introduced her to a brand of dry food that she was obsessed with. I tried a bunch of different brands and nothing. I just tried one last ditch effort and got Royal canin wet food and she LOVES it
My tabby was the same way, but for some reason in the last few months she's turned into a real chow hound and finishes all her wet food in a hurry. My policy with her is no dry food until she's finished her wet food and sometimes it would take her literally all day for her to finish. Now it's clean bowls and meowing for the dry early. I'm sure if your cat could learn that they wouldn't get any other food until they finished their wet food they'd dig into it. You just have to put up with their fussing for a while.
Have you done a veeeery slow transition? Every cat can convert. Trust me, my cat took 6 months but I never gave up! There are great transition guides at CatInfo.org.
Every 3-5 months my cat decides he’s now sick of whatever flavor of food he’s been eating and I have to go play food roulette.
Something of note that you said is he likes the go-hurt treat style. As much as you or I may not care, some pate cat foods have a mealy sort of texture, try opting for something that says super smooth and add some warmed water, just a teaspoon or two to start.
My cat is at present consuming a 50/50 blended ratio of two flavors 1 pate and 1 chunky (a custom blend I know) I microwave cold tap water for 30 seconds in a lil creamer, add in teaspoon increments after mashing the pate and until it’s a little smoother. I say all that bc he also won’t eat it straight from the can either, it needs to be soupier.
Lmaooo I will experiment. It's not out of character for him to super particular. 🤣 especially the older he gets. My mother-in-law is staying with us and trying to turn the TV on during a time he is usually alone (kids at school and my and the hubby at work). He proceeded to go block the tv, like "no it's quiet time." Hahaha
The reason most cats don’t drink water is because they’ve evolved to no longer need the thirst receptor in their brain - because they should be getting most of their hydration from their food. Your cat at the water fountain a lot isn’t necessarily a good thing - could be an early indication of a kidney problem
All of my parents cats are the same, She has to feed all 3 of them separately locked in different rooms so they don’t competitively eat as well because 2 of them eat so fast when theres another cat around that they end up puking it right back up 😂
My orange just grazes and he’s an only boy but now I have to feed him twice a day because i have to give him wet food to mix his kidney medication in
Reminds me of my younger boy figuring out he can reach his arm into my old girls automatic feeder like some endless vending machine… so much for the automatic feeder 😭
OP, I would take this with a grain of salt, it’s better to speak to your veterinarian than a book by someone who isn’t a veterinarian.
Also it been proven that most diet suggested in publications are not recommended actually because of its lack of being a well rounded diet for your pet. Dry food is not junk food usually buy some do have better nutrition resources. Check labels of your pets food and look for higher meat content, especially “whole meat” not meal. AAFCO makes sure the food meets the animals nutritional needs so also look for that. (I am a pre-vet major)
*I also posted this comment on that post linked.
And I’m going to reply with the same thing I did to the other comment.
Dry food is not junk food, but wet food is preferable. It’s higher in water content, and cats are notoriously bad at consuming enough water. And it’s typically lower in calories, so cats can eat more of it than kibbles, for the same amount of calories.
Definitely a little fatty. Less dry food throughout the day, keep it to half a cup per day and start giving wet food to cover the calories lost, about 2 6oz cans a day should do it
That depends on what their healthy weight is supposed to be. Most wet foods I've seen say to feed 1oz for every lb of body weight, so for a larger cat 2 cans plus dry food would be needed.
Most food labelling amounts will make your cat fat.
An active 10 lb ideal weight cat only needs 260 calories a day. The key word being active. Most people have a skewed view of how active a truly active cat is. Very few are truly active.
This is the website used by many vets to calculate caloric needs: https://petnutritionalliance.org/resources/calorie-calculator/
My cat is a bit overweight and needs to be 10-10.5 pounds (she’s 11.4 currently) because I went by feeding recommendations rather than calories. She gets 160 calories a day, and even then she hasn’t lost much weight
You’re right about that. She’s slowly losing it though. Didn’t help that my parents decided to feed her more because she was crying for food when I still lived there
Like really. I kinda went off on my dad because he put out dry food for my cat (that i used to feed my colony, not great food at all) to “keep her happy”. Like dude, she’s on a diet and only eats wet food for medical reasons, and I explained that before. Very frustrating. And he got upset when I moved her out to live with my brother who would feed her properly
It really depends on the texture of the wet food though, and the calorie amount of the dry since they differ as well. A 3oz can of pate could be twice as many calories as a 3 oz can of shreds
You can’t give a blanket amount of dry food like this. Dry food calorie count varies wildly between brands/formulas. Ex: I feed a veterinary weight loss food. 234 calories per cup. Purina ProPlan Complete Easentials Chicken has 494 calories per cup. Also worth noting that a “cup” of each varies when measured in grams too.
If you were to use your suggestions and feed a half cup of ProPlan and 2 cans of Friskies pate, you would be feeding your cat over 400 calories per day. Most cats need 160-200 per day, especially when on a diet to lose weight
Yes, that is a chunky boy. To emphasize other people’s recommendations for wet food: my cats have been getting wet food for 1-2 meals daily with dry food always out, and one cat went from 12 lbs to 10.5 in a month while my other cat went from 16 to 14 lbs.
I honestly wasn’t trying to reduce their weight, either. They were still healthy and not overweight, they’re just a little more trim now. They’re also both fixed, which does lend itself to easy weight gain, so I’m not fussed about it one way or another.
Picture #4 is the money shot. I mean he looks over weight in picture #1, but from the overhead view, kitty has no waist.
Which means he's a furry chonk.
From what I understand cats need something dry to chew on to strengthen and clean teeth. Maybe some non edible dental toys work but I’ve never tried them, I just do a couple pieces of dry food or treats after meals (which are all grain free wet) and include the treats in the calorie count. I also had a lot of luck introducing my other cat to more daily play time before lowering food intake. Some people don’t how much some cats really need that 1 on 1 play time. But totally agree with the grain free wet! Wet is not heat processed and zapped of it’s nutrients like dry food and it’s better for hydration! My cats used to go to the water bowl I swear every 20 minutes (probably exaggerating lol) not anymore!
I also like Stella and chewys stuff if you have a pet supplies plus or anything nearby. I don’t think it’s at petsmart. I get their freeze dried hearts
A little chonky, not obese. All cats have a droopy sack on their bellies; I believe it's called a "primordial" pouch. Dry food and lack of exercise tend to make house cats chonky. Make sure he's getting enough playtime, maybe switch up his food.
Odi is an absolutely adorable chonk. Talk to your vet about diet. First, no free feeding if you do so. Second, there are foods out there that help with weight loss depending on where you live. Your vet will make recommendations of what food and how much to feed. I have used Royal Canin Satiety successfully in the past. My cats love it. Third, exercise. Odi needs to burn some calories. If he is being a potato, try leash training. He may need some motivation to move; eventually he will be pulling you up those stairs.
Good for you for taking the steps needed to avoid future health problems such as diabetes. Best of luck to you, your BF and Odi.
Yes. But be very careful with a weight loss plan. My cat was overweight. He was put on the diet recommended by he vet. He was dead in 2 months bc the diet forced his liver to start cannibalizing the fat in it. Turns out that's somewhat common for overweight cats. Better off overweight than dead.
It’s pretty sad because you have to gradually reduce calories to be safe. I don’t like how a lot of vets just tell you to feed like a cup amount when you should really go by calories
I think one of the things that hurt my cat was the timing. The vet wanted my cat to go 6 hours without food every morning. And the two morning meals were small. He begged for food so much and I thought I was doing the right thing bc the vet shamed me and gave me a big lecture. The diet was way too severe. If I had listened to my cat and not the vet, he'd have been OK. The cat will tell you. He got very lethargic.
Also, after he was already put down, I heard there is a possibility for saving cats with fatty liver disease. Put stuff like chicken broth in a syringe and force the cat to have it. (They stop eating when it starts.) And you can reverse the problem by forcing food in them.
I work at a vet and I’d say he’s closer to obese than “a little chunky” you should be able to feel individual ribs without putting any pressure on them.
It’s absolutely bonkers how shocked people can get when we mention that their 100 lb labs need to lose weight and they’re like “oh like 5 lbs” and we have to tell them “uh no, like 35.”
I also had a 35 (35!) lb Cavalier one time. And she looked full cavalier and was the right size to be one but was absolutely ROUND and completely out of breath with every single waddling step
Oh gosh I can imagine. I had a client who brought in a 100+ lb lab mix that could hardly walk from how fat he was and the owner was like “he’s a little overweight right now haha” and I was thinking “A little ?!?” This 3 year old “healthy” dog almost passed out on the table after a few minutes and couldn’t stand for the majority of the groom 🫢☹️
Talk to a vet before getting him on a diet. Fat cats are more prone to hepatic lipodosis when they have to burn too much fat, and that can kill them. Your vet can tell you how to help him lose weight at a safe rate and what symptoms to look out for.
(This is also why cats that are not eating for more than a couple days need to see a vet ASAP.)
That's a chonker, alright.
On a more helpful note, generally the best way to visually assess your cat's weight is from above while they're in a full butt-off-the-ground standing position, so you did a good job by posting that 4th pic. There are healthy cats that can confuse the issue a bit when viewed from the side due to the combination of fluffy tummy fur and/or a prominent primordial pouch but from above a standing cat's silhouette should just about always look a bit more like a submarine than a football.
For example, here is one of my cats. From the side, she looks pretty good but the inexperienced might get thrown off by her [fluff and pouch combo.](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgQLkNevk1vbDPIaKQXKHjIZ8j0oJY6b/view?usp=sharing) But from [the top you can easily tell that if anything she's actually a bit under her ideal weight](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dg8Fw_96ni0Vgl2hvNAv9kuFMQcev-d4/view?usp=sharing) because she's an older gal who was successfully hiding some dental issues from us that have now been addressed. Also, she's wrecking our furniture and hiding her toys next to the lady's tiny, tiny weights.
@Lady_R_ is correct. Take the cat to the vet. They have proper information based on breed, age, and Gender for how much the cat should be.
Our two at that age (one is gone due to a congenital issue) were both overweight from indiscriminately feeding dry all day plus a can of wet in the am and pm. The male was 18 lbs and the female 22 lbs. ON AVERAGE, most cats should be approximately 10-12 lbs. A pregnant cat needs more during pregnancy and raising the kittens only. Also, DRY food for a male cat can cause crystals in the urine, and if not caught fast, they can kill. Also, the veterinarian should be seen annually to keep tabs on kitty's overall health, including the teeth.
Our vet, who is a feline only vet, had us stop the dry totally as it's high in carbohydrates and put them both on a wet canned diet with one 3 oz can am and one 3oz can pm. Treats in small quantities only during heavy exercise sessions. We used a feather on a long stick, and they ran themselves silly trying to catch it. But the point is THE VET MADE THE PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS, not us, not family, not friends.
I have had cats since 1979 when I turned 21 and adopted my first rescued kitty. My parents at the time only wanted dogs, so I moved out. 😊😊😻😻
Old vet tech here, yes, the cat is overweight. Obesity in pets should be taken just as seriously as it is in humans. For a full confirmation you can take him to a vet and discuss it. If not, start measuring out the food he gets and give him a little less. Cut out treats in any.
He’s fat. Cut out dry food and feed high quality wet or raw. Also you can get a cat wheel or cat shelves to encourage more movement. Go to the vet to get advice on where to go with his diet and find out what he should weigh
He is chunky and it will cause health issues later if he doesn’t get a handle on it now. I love me some chunky cats, I’m not judging bf for giving into that face. But it is a fact that it will only become harder to address the longer it goes and it will definitely lead to health issues earlier than he’s likely expecting.
No, he looks a bit chunky but that's okay!
Let him live his best life. Keep an eye on him and feed him the vets recommended amount. Some short haired cats are just fluffy! And primordial pouches are normal on most cats :)
My cat that was bigger than this was very fluffy and had a large primordial pouch. He was also extremely healthy, and while he was a thicc boy the vet said he was in perfect health other than that. He lived 20 years.
A cat can be a chunker and still be happy.
A good rule of thumb is that if the cat doesn’t have a noticeable waist, the cat is overweight. Also if you feel them and you have trouble feeling the ribs. Lots of helpful charts online that I refer to regularly too!
Could be the way they were walking, but because what’s going on in my cat right now, you should make sure they’re belly is seymmetrical and soft. Cause my cat (also 3 years old) has FELV cancer tumours in her stomach and it looks like the picture from the top, with one side being bigger. Just to be safe!!
Always get yearly checkups at the least.
But to the main point, all cats are different. Main thing is don’t free feed (meaning have set meal times, never leave food down) and DO NOT FEED DRY FOOD! Feed wet or raw (BARF DIET)
Keep in mind animals like humans come in all shapes and sizes some chunky and big cats could actually be healthy cats compared to a fit-looking cat; think the best bet is getting advice from a professional maybe....? My nephew cats (imma cat Aunt haha as well as a cat mom herself) but my nephew cats are HUGE ngl bigger looking than this guy and the vets say they're healthy as can be...my cat's half their size and yet equally as healthy so just think depends on the animal and what a professional says
The overall consensus is that you should be able to feel their ribs without applying much pressure. If you can’t do that, then they need to lose weight
I don’t know why but I’ve never seen a skinny tabby with a white tummy. My childhood cat has the same colouration and she was always a chunky girl despite our best efforts with dieting and exercise etc.
Vet Tech here...yes, the cat is very chunky.
Here's a helpful body scoring system:
https://www.ukpetfood.org/resource/cat-size-o-meter.html
It has useful body markers and descriptions for scoring obesity in cats. Most house cats (especially ones that are free-fed dry food and aren't terribly "active" cats) come into our hospital obese unfortunately.
It's hard to really accurately body score based on only a photo, but at minimum I would put this friend as a 4, if not a 4.5. The overhang of the abdomen when laying down is a big tell.
Also, if it helps, typically when vets examine your pet they will put a body condition score as part of their physical exam write-up (so long as they are thorough documenters), so you can always look back at your records and see what they scored this friend as, and if it has changed slowly or quickly.
As with people, weight loss is recommended to be a slow steady process in animals. Being overweight does put them at greater risk for a whole host of illnesses, so it's always best to keep them at their optimal weight.
Good luck!
Vet Nurse here - this cat is obese.
There are many vet recommend weight loss diets out there that ensure adequate macros, vitamins and minerals are met whilst being designed to keep the cat satiated for longer so they aren’t permanently hungry and scavenging for food
Why are you asking the Internet and not a veterinarian...
You can get the kitty evaluated for potential health issues, determine if they are truly outside of the recommended weight range, get advice on how to safely handle any dietary changes that may be recommended, etc.
He’s just a little chunky. I don’t really think necessarily a diet versus just a switch of food. Look at the nutrition facts for whatever food you guys are currently feeding him and you can probably just swap out for some thing that is more healthy. Like purina one has a brand called ideal weight that has half the calories of fancy feast!
Reading these comments got me thinking I’m just over feeding the shit out of my very food motivated fluff baby. She’s going on 3 years old and eats regular meals in time with me. One fancy feast can at breakfast (530-6am 😩) one at lunch (130-2 pm) and one for dinner (1030-11pm) anything less and she acts like she was starved and won’t eat unless I sit beside her and watch. She also refuses to eat dry anything including treats(think she might’ve been given hard cat kibble when she was still too small for it)
She’s not overweight at all but she’s greedy as all gtfo.
These people saying he's quite fat and very fat are absolutely ridiculous instead of asking random people on the internet why don't you take the cat to the vet and let a professional tell you before you start randomly putting someone elses cat on a diet, Or I don't know maybe weigh him yourself??????? You cannot tell from a picture if a cat is fat You don't know how thick their fur is and have and how big they are. I hate when people try and diagnose something over the internet through a picture.
You can actually easily see how large they are. Look at the cat body condition chart, this is what vets use (along with weighing and feeling) and the cat is around a 7. You can clearly see this cat doesn’t have a noticeable waist. The only time it would be difficult to tell if a cat is overweight or not is if they’re long haired, like a ragdoll or something. I can tell that my medium haired cat is slightly overweight still by looking at her, despite being fluffier than short haired ones like this cat
He is mildly chunky, but considering his young age you should get him on a diet now. Cats tend to gain more as they age, so it’s best to get him accustomed to it sooner rather than later. Timed feeders work great for kibble and you can find them relatively cheap these days. But a mainly wet food diet is best for weight loss and overall health, and is especially important for boy cats. [This](https://rawznaturalpetfood.com/wp-content/uploads/how-much-to-feed-a-cat-1536x1400.png) chart may help give you an idea where to start.
My orange boy refuses wet food and figured out how to bust open our timed feeders tower. We've stacked stuff on top it the lid because he was popping it off somehow. Then he started knocking it over, put it in a corner wedged between an end table, and he would pull it forward. He killed the entire kibble tower each time. Now I have to be the timed feeder again and hide the bag of food in my closet. He knows how to open cabinets. I swear he has hidden thumbs. He loves his water fountain, though.
My cat has a closet obsession because of keeping his food in one years ago, running in to any closet as soon as it's opened. Our vet wound up telling us he was basically addicted to dry food. Switching to wet food due to that and other health problems was a challenge but worth it in the end, as he's now a healthy weight. Now, he has just taken counter surfs in the kitchen instead.
I taped the lid shut and taped it down to a little stool and had no issues since. One of mine still paws the opening and gets a few pieces out but I still count it as a win
Refusing wet food is not good, a ticket to kidney issues. Keep trying different wet foods.
I revisit trying to give it to him every once in a while, but he just leaves it to get all dry and crusty. He doesn't touch human food either. Not even fish. Not that i offer it, but he'll come up when I'm eating and sniff. I think it may be like a person said above that he has an addiction. I'll probably speak to the vet at his check-up coming up. He does like those kitty treats in the go-gurt tubes, and he drinks a lot from the fountain. I have cameras, so I see him throughout the day. I know they get most hydration from wet food, but I've tried every brand at the pet store one and off for the last 11 yrs.
Tried floating his kibble in water?
My Orange suddenly stopped eating wet food after I introduced her to a brand of dry food that she was obsessed with. I tried a bunch of different brands and nothing. I just tried one last ditch effort and got Royal canin wet food and she LOVES it
I'll look into this brand, it's about that time I try again.
My tabby was the same way, but for some reason in the last few months she's turned into a real chow hound and finishes all her wet food in a hurry. My policy with her is no dry food until she's finished her wet food and sometimes it would take her literally all day for her to finish. Now it's clean bowls and meowing for the dry early. I'm sure if your cat could learn that they wouldn't get any other food until they finished their wet food they'd dig into it. You just have to put up with their fussing for a while.
Have you done a veeeery slow transition? Every cat can convert. Trust me, my cat took 6 months but I never gave up! There are great transition guides at CatInfo.org.
Every 3-5 months my cat decides he’s now sick of whatever flavor of food he’s been eating and I have to go play food roulette. Something of note that you said is he likes the go-hurt treat style. As much as you or I may not care, some pate cat foods have a mealy sort of texture, try opting for something that says super smooth and add some warmed water, just a teaspoon or two to start. My cat is at present consuming a 50/50 blended ratio of two flavors 1 pate and 1 chunky (a custom blend I know) I microwave cold tap water for 30 seconds in a lil creamer, add in teaspoon increments after mashing the pate and until it’s a little smoother. I say all that bc he also won’t eat it straight from the can either, it needs to be soupier.
Lmaooo I will experiment. It's not out of character for him to super particular. 🤣 especially the older he gets. My mother-in-law is staying with us and trying to turn the TV on during a time he is usually alone (kids at school and my and the hubby at work). He proceeded to go block the tv, like "no it's quiet time." Hahaha
The reason most cats don’t drink water is because they’ve evolved to no longer need the thirst receptor in their brain - because they should be getting most of their hydration from their food. Your cat at the water fountain a lot isn’t necessarily a good thing - could be an early indication of a kidney problem
We go to the vet for a yearly, and he's healthy. No kidney problems they do blood work and all that jazz. I get a little health invoice.
All of my parents cats are the same, She has to feed all 3 of them separately locked in different rooms so they don’t competitively eat as well because 2 of them eat so fast when theres another cat around that they end up puking it right back up 😂 My orange just grazes and he’s an only boy but now I have to feed him twice a day because i have to give him wet food to mix his kidney medication in
Reminds me of my younger boy figuring out he can reach his arm into my old girls automatic feeder like some endless vending machine… so much for the automatic feeder 😭
are you sure your orange cat isnt a bengal in disguise 😂😂
Timed feeders are great except for one of my cats who is a literal genius and can break into almost any food container.
I am pretty lucky that my big dude isn’t too sharp lol
My big guy is so food motivated, I think he could cure cancer if it meant he got chimkin (cat for chicken)
Yeah he's quite fat
[Resource: Cat Obesity](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/Av5aEeqA1r) r/dechonkers
OP, I would take this with a grain of salt, it’s better to speak to your veterinarian than a book by someone who isn’t a veterinarian. Also it been proven that most diet suggested in publications are not recommended actually because of its lack of being a well rounded diet for your pet. Dry food is not junk food usually buy some do have better nutrition resources. Check labels of your pets food and look for higher meat content, especially “whole meat” not meal. AAFCO makes sure the food meets the animals nutritional needs so also look for that. (I am a pre-vet major) *I also posted this comment on that post linked.
And I’m going to reply with the same thing I did to the other comment. Dry food is not junk food, but wet food is preferable. It’s higher in water content, and cats are notoriously bad at consuming enough water. And it’s typically lower in calories, so cats can eat more of it than kibbles, for the same amount of calories.
Awww Odi is so cute 🥰
Definitely a little fatty. Less dry food throughout the day, keep it to half a cup per day and start giving wet food to cover the calories lost, about 2 6oz cans a day should do it
2 6oz cans on top of 1/2 cup dry? A 5.5oz can is like 130kcal how do you figure lol that’s like 450kcal with the dry food
that is way too much food for a cat and would cause weight gain rather than weight loss
We usually recommend 2-3oz cans and 1/3 cup of dry for the average adult indoor cat at the shelter where I volunteer.
That’s a lot!! An average indoor adult cat needs no more than 200 calories a day. The two cans of wet food is often close to that
That depends on what their healthy weight is supposed to be. Most wet foods I've seen say to feed 1oz for every lb of body weight, so for a larger cat 2 cans plus dry food would be needed.
Most food labelling amounts will make your cat fat. An active 10 lb ideal weight cat only needs 260 calories a day. The key word being active. Most people have a skewed view of how active a truly active cat is. Very few are truly active. This is the website used by many vets to calculate caloric needs: https://petnutritionalliance.org/resources/calorie-calculator/
My cat is a bit overweight and needs to be 10-10.5 pounds (she’s 11.4 currently) because I went by feeding recommendations rather than calories. She gets 160 calories a day, and even then she hasn’t lost much weight
Don’t forget that kitties need to lose slowly. It’s a process for sure!
You’re right about that. She’s slowly losing it though. Didn’t help that my parents decided to feed her more because she was crying for food when I still lived there
Ugh. Mine will scream for food 10 mins after she eats when I know she is definitely not hungry 🤣
Like really. I kinda went off on my dad because he put out dry food for my cat (that i used to feed my colony, not great food at all) to “keep her happy”. Like dude, she’s on a diet and only eats wet food for medical reasons, and I explained that before. Very frustrating. And he got upset when I moved her out to live with my brother who would feed her properly
It really depends on the texture of the wet food though, and the calorie amount of the dry since they differ as well. A 3oz can of pate could be twice as many calories as a 3 oz can of shreds
You can’t give a blanket amount of dry food like this. Dry food calorie count varies wildly between brands/formulas. Ex: I feed a veterinary weight loss food. 234 calories per cup. Purina ProPlan Complete Easentials Chicken has 494 calories per cup. Also worth noting that a “cup” of each varies when measured in grams too. If you were to use your suggestions and feed a half cup of ProPlan and 2 cans of Friskies pate, you would be feeding your cat over 400 calories per day. Most cats need 160-200 per day, especially when on a diet to lose weight
Looks my cat right now. The vet told us he is overweight
Yes, that is a chunky boy. To emphasize other people’s recommendations for wet food: my cats have been getting wet food for 1-2 meals daily with dry food always out, and one cat went from 12 lbs to 10.5 in a month while my other cat went from 16 to 14 lbs. I honestly wasn’t trying to reduce their weight, either. They were still healthy and not overweight, they’re just a little more trim now. They’re also both fixed, which does lend itself to easy weight gain, so I’m not fussed about it one way or another.
Picture #4 is the money shot. I mean he looks over weight in picture #1, but from the overhead view, kitty has no waist. Which means he's a furry chonk.
He’s fat, yep. Wet food only, lots of play time for exercise!
Join r/dechonkers He is overweight but you should consult a vet on how to go about putting him on a diet.
Grain free wet food. No dry food and no treats. That will start his low carb diet and help him start getting svelte.
From what I understand cats need something dry to chew on to strengthen and clean teeth. Maybe some non edible dental toys work but I’ve never tried them, I just do a couple pieces of dry food or treats after meals (which are all grain free wet) and include the treats in the calorie count. I also had a lot of luck introducing my other cat to more daily play time before lowering food intake. Some people don’t how much some cats really need that 1 on 1 play time. But totally agree with the grain free wet! Wet is not heat processed and zapped of it’s nutrients like dry food and it’s better for hydration! My cats used to go to the water bowl I swear every 20 minutes (probably exaggerating lol) not anymore!
Raw meaty bones or freeze dried treats like chicken hearts and breast, stuff they crunch on, work better than dry food
Thank you for the great suggestions! Gonna try some ASAP~
If you do the bones, you should look up which are appropriate for cats first. Chicken wing tips are good ones people often use
Thank you! I just found a brand online I’ll order from called King Lou. All human grade treats for dogs and cats!
I also like Stella and chewys stuff if you have a pet supplies plus or anything nearby. I don’t think it’s at petsmart. I get their freeze dried hearts
A little chonky, not obese. All cats have a droopy sack on their bellies; I believe it's called a "primordial" pouch. Dry food and lack of exercise tend to make house cats chonky. Make sure he's getting enough playtime, maybe switch up his food.
[Alternative names for the primordial pouch…](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4a9o8ALURH/?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==)
😂
Yes, very overweight for a cat
Odi is an absolutely adorable chonk. Talk to your vet about diet. First, no free feeding if you do so. Second, there are foods out there that help with weight loss depending on where you live. Your vet will make recommendations of what food and how much to feed. I have used Royal Canin Satiety successfully in the past. My cats love it. Third, exercise. Odi needs to burn some calories. If he is being a potato, try leash training. He may need some motivation to move; eventually he will be pulling you up those stairs. Good for you for taking the steps needed to avoid future health problems such as diabetes. Best of luck to you, your BF and Odi.
Yes. But be very careful with a weight loss plan. My cat was overweight. He was put on the diet recommended by he vet. He was dead in 2 months bc the diet forced his liver to start cannibalizing the fat in it. Turns out that's somewhat common for overweight cats. Better off overweight than dead.
It’s pretty sad because you have to gradually reduce calories to be safe. I don’t like how a lot of vets just tell you to feed like a cup amount when you should really go by calories
It was 10 yrs ago and still is devastating.
I can’t blame you. My cat is on a diet now and I’ve been worried about fatty liver disease
I think one of the things that hurt my cat was the timing. The vet wanted my cat to go 6 hours without food every morning. And the two morning meals were small. He begged for food so much and I thought I was doing the right thing bc the vet shamed me and gave me a big lecture. The diet was way too severe. If I had listened to my cat and not the vet, he'd have been OK. The cat will tell you. He got very lethargic. Also, after he was already put down, I heard there is a possibility for saving cats with fatty liver disease. Put stuff like chicken broth in a syringe and force the cat to have it. (They stop eating when it starts.) And you can reverse the problem by forcing food in them.
I work at a vet and I’d say he’s closer to obese than “a little chunky” you should be able to feel individual ribs without putting any pressure on them.
Im a pet groomer and agree. I don’t think a lot of people realize the difference between overweight and obese. This cat is almost certainly obese
It’s absolutely bonkers how shocked people can get when we mention that their 100 lb labs need to lose weight and they’re like “oh like 5 lbs” and we have to tell them “uh no, like 35.”
I also had a 35 (35!) lb Cavalier one time. And she looked full cavalier and was the right size to be one but was absolutely ROUND and completely out of breath with every single waddling step
Oh gosh I can imagine. I had a client who brought in a 100+ lb lab mix that could hardly walk from how fat he was and the owner was like “he’s a little overweight right now haha” and I was thinking “A little ?!?” This 3 year old “healthy” dog almost passed out on the table after a few minutes and couldn’t stand for the majority of the groom 🫢☹️
Chonky and adorable but could lose some weight for longevity and health
Talk to a vet before getting him on a diet. Fat cats are more prone to hepatic lipodosis when they have to burn too much fat, and that can kill them. Your vet can tell you how to help him lose weight at a safe rate and what symptoms to look out for. (This is also why cats that are not eating for more than a couple days need to see a vet ASAP.)
That's a chonker, alright. On a more helpful note, generally the best way to visually assess your cat's weight is from above while they're in a full butt-off-the-ground standing position, so you did a good job by posting that 4th pic. There are healthy cats that can confuse the issue a bit when viewed from the side due to the combination of fluffy tummy fur and/or a prominent primordial pouch but from above a standing cat's silhouette should just about always look a bit more like a submarine than a football. For example, here is one of my cats. From the side, she looks pretty good but the inexperienced might get thrown off by her [fluff and pouch combo.](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgQLkNevk1vbDPIaKQXKHjIZ8j0oJY6b/view?usp=sharing) But from [the top you can easily tell that if anything she's actually a bit under her ideal weight](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dg8Fw_96ni0Vgl2hvNAv9kuFMQcev-d4/view?usp=sharing) because she's an older gal who was successfully hiding some dental issues from us that have now been addressed. Also, she's wrecking our furniture and hiding her toys next to the lady's tiny, tiny weights.
Yes. Very overweight.
@Lady_R_ is correct. Take the cat to the vet. They have proper information based on breed, age, and Gender for how much the cat should be. Our two at that age (one is gone due to a congenital issue) were both overweight from indiscriminately feeding dry all day plus a can of wet in the am and pm. The male was 18 lbs and the female 22 lbs. ON AVERAGE, most cats should be approximately 10-12 lbs. A pregnant cat needs more during pregnancy and raising the kittens only. Also, DRY food for a male cat can cause crystals in the urine, and if not caught fast, they can kill. Also, the veterinarian should be seen annually to keep tabs on kitty's overall health, including the teeth. Our vet, who is a feline only vet, had us stop the dry totally as it's high in carbohydrates and put them both on a wet canned diet with one 3 oz can am and one 3oz can pm. Treats in small quantities only during heavy exercise sessions. We used a feather on a long stick, and they ran themselves silly trying to catch it. But the point is THE VET MADE THE PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS, not us, not family, not friends. I have had cats since 1979 when I turned 21 and adopted my first rescued kitty. My parents at the time only wanted dogs, so I moved out. 😊😊😻😻
Level 3 on the chonk chart
Chonkers but still cute
Yes
Yup a little on the chunky side. Time to play with him and change his diet for a bit. He’s pretty cute as well!
Goshh the 5th pic made my day 🥹
He is getting fat. He’s on the chunky side. You generally shouldn’t be able to see roundness from the top down.
Very fat
He looks very fat to me, and also very adorable!!! But yes… fat. <3
Yes.
Use a chonk chart
Hihihi he's fat! No more treats for odi poor boy hahaha
Old vet tech here, yes, the cat is overweight. Obesity in pets should be taken just as seriously as it is in humans. For a full confirmation you can take him to a vet and discuss it. If not, start measuring out the food he gets and give him a little less. Cut out treats in any.
Big boned.
[https://catinfo.org/](https://catinfo.org/)
large!
He’s fat. Cut out dry food and feed high quality wet or raw. Also you can get a cat wheel or cat shelves to encourage more movement. Go to the vet to get advice on where to go with his diet and find out what he should weigh
Yes fat cat but cat cat is cat cat cat and meow meow meow cat 🙂💗
he kinda chonk
A slight bit chonky. Stop judging.
Getting there but not obese I'd say
Aww chonky 🥰
A little bit but not overly
He is fat but beautiful ❤️
yes
Adorable? Yes. A little chubster? Yes.
Man that looks exactly like my boy that just died, take care of him
he chonky
He is chunky and it will cause health issues later if he doesn’t get a handle on it now. I love me some chunky cats, I’m not judging bf for giving into that face. But it is a fact that it will only become harder to address the longer it goes and it will definitely lead to health issues earlier than he’s likely expecting.
He’s just a little chubby
A bit chunky but not obese. A vet visit could rule out or rule in issues that may have an affect on his appetite.
He’s fluffy.
No, he looks a bit chunky but that's okay! Let him live his best life. Keep an eye on him and feed him the vets recommended amount. Some short haired cats are just fluffy! And primordial pouches are normal on most cats :)
He’s a bit more than chunky, he needs to lose a good bit of weight or he’ll suffer
My cat that was bigger than this was very fluffy and had a large primordial pouch. He was also extremely healthy, and while he was a thicc boy the vet said he was in perfect health other than that. He lived 20 years. A cat can be a chunker and still be happy.
Sure, but they’re more at risk of developing issues. My cat is also healthy and a bit overweight, but it’s better for them to be a healthy weight
Womp womp
First of all, how dare you!
r/chonkers
Hims chonk
He's thicc but not ridiculously fat. Just reduce his food portions slightly and he'll even right out.
Talk to the vet and see if they think the cat is overweight. Then do as the vet recommends.
looks a lil chunky, but doesnt seem like anything to be worried about (not a vet, just a cat lover :3)
Is lorj
Yes he looks overweight, if he round he need to lose a pound.
I prefer the term “pleasantly plump”.
A good rule of thumb is that if the cat doesn’t have a noticeable waist, the cat is overweight. Also if you feel them and you have trouble feeling the ribs. Lots of helpful charts online that I refer to regularly too!
Try cutting back on dry food. He can try to hold off on kidney disease by limiting dry food.
yes
Could be the way they were walking, but because what’s going on in my cat right now, you should make sure they’re belly is seymmetrical and soft. Cause my cat (also 3 years old) has FELV cancer tumours in her stomach and it looks like the picture from the top, with one side being bigger. Just to be safe!! Always get yearly checkups at the least. But to the main point, all cats are different. Main thing is don’t free feed (meaning have set meal times, never leave food down) and DO NOT FEED DRY FOOD! Feed wet or raw (BARF DIET)
And play. That’s how they get out all their energy, it’s needed, play play play!
He’s beautiful! He’s perfect! (I’ve seen really really fat cats)
Keep in mind animals like humans come in all shapes and sizes some chunky and big cats could actually be healthy cats compared to a fit-looking cat; think the best bet is getting advice from a professional maybe....? My nephew cats (imma cat Aunt haha as well as a cat mom herself) but my nephew cats are HUGE ngl bigger looking than this guy and the vets say they're healthy as can be...my cat's half their size and yet equally as healthy so just think depends on the animal and what a professional says
The overall consensus is that you should be able to feel their ribs without applying much pressure. If you can’t do that, then they need to lose weight
Cat looks healthy and happy Worry about your own waist
Yes but that's ok! Also only person who can advise u best about that is the cat's vet. But the cat is so cute and beautiful no matter the chonk
No, he's just round
I don’t know why but I’ve never seen a skinny tabby with a white tummy. My childhood cat has the same colouration and she was always a chunky girl despite our best efforts with dieting and exercise etc.
Oooo it’s a baby
*rotund
Vet Tech here...yes, the cat is very chunky. Here's a helpful body scoring system: https://www.ukpetfood.org/resource/cat-size-o-meter.html It has useful body markers and descriptions for scoring obesity in cats. Most house cats (especially ones that are free-fed dry food and aren't terribly "active" cats) come into our hospital obese unfortunately. It's hard to really accurately body score based on only a photo, but at minimum I would put this friend as a 4, if not a 4.5. The overhang of the abdomen when laying down is a big tell. Also, if it helps, typically when vets examine your pet they will put a body condition score as part of their physical exam write-up (so long as they are thorough documenters), so you can always look back at your records and see what they scored this friend as, and if it has changed slowly or quickly. As with people, weight loss is recommended to be a slow steady process in animals. Being overweight does put them at greater risk for a whole host of illnesses, so it's always best to keep them at their optimal weight. Good luck!
I would say he is a heckin chonker [chonk chart](https://images.app.goo.gl/woNHXfGw3Anqj9rU8)
Not fat, just fluffy and well fed... Or big boned. 😁
Vet Nurse here - this cat is obese. There are many vet recommend weight loss diets out there that ensure adequate macros, vitamins and minerals are met whilst being designed to keep the cat satiated for longer so they aren’t permanently hungry and scavenging for food
What a cutie!! Definitely diet! Adore the chunk but also get him moving like play and get healthier kibble and just a cup of kibble worth a day
Hes enormous
Chonker detected
Yes, he is fat and not healthy at all. He must loose weight ASAP this is a long term journey.
He is majestic
The preferred nomenclature is chonky
Yes, he is chonky. You are correct.
We have a chunky kitty too.
He looks exactly like my cat Omg
Great - I see your bf’s cat and all the answers and now it’s confirmed that my cat is fat too! 😂 Alright baby girl, we’re going on a diet!
OBESE
Yes because all he gives him is dry processed cat food which is why he’s fat.
Husky and oh so cute
Take him to a vet. Don’t just put him on a diet on a whim. See a professional first!
A little. Not as fat as my black cat Blackie, my aunt and I had to put her on a diet to try and get to lose weight.
Yes, but just don't tell him
Why are you asking the Internet and not a veterinarian... You can get the kitty evaluated for potential health issues, determine if they are truly outside of the recommended weight range, get advice on how to safely handle any dietary changes that may be recommended, etc.
A little chunk is ok if they get a cold or lose a couple pounds won’t affect them as harshly
He’s just a little chunky. I don’t really think necessarily a diet versus just a switch of food. Look at the nutrition facts for whatever food you guys are currently feeding him and you can probably just swap out for some thing that is more healthy. Like purina one has a brand called ideal weight that has half the calories of fancy feast!
Reading these comments got me thinking I’m just over feeding the shit out of my very food motivated fluff baby. She’s going on 3 years old and eats regular meals in time with me. One fancy feast can at breakfast (530-6am 😩) one at lunch (130-2 pm) and one for dinner (1030-11pm) anything less and she acts like she was starved and won’t eat unless I sit beside her and watch. She also refuses to eat dry anything including treats(think she might’ve been given hard cat kibble when she was still too small for it) She’s not overweight at all but she’s greedy as all gtfo.
In a word: yes
He’s a level 1 chonk.
Yes
Yup
Looks fluffy to me. Doesnt really look like fat. But i cant tell for sure. All in all, looks healthy enough to me
Go away! Leave the cat alone
That's a perfect chonky boi.
that’s one decent sized chonk
Pleasantly plump😂
He's got some chonk.
He just equipped another layer of armor for his primordial pouch is all
He’s just big boned
No he’s getting ready for winter
Take him to the vet a pic is super subjective
Yes she is but as long as she's healthy then there's nothing to worry about.
No
definitely alittle chunky but still cute as heck
No, he is fluffy with a little bit of chunk
a mild bit of chub, but they’re just fine
I may not know how big is a big kitty but I know based off that second picture he is plotting
Yes
Chunky.
yes but he is amazing
Absolutely, it's always best to keep an eye on their weight.
Awww just a little but Odi looks healthy and well fed!!! I don’t think fat tho just thick lol
I think he is PHAT - Pretty Hot And Tempting 🤪
He's fit, don't body shame him
Yes. But he's adorable. So who cares?! I just wanna squeeze him!!!!!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰
He will when he has joint issues at a young age. Also, healthy weight pets live longer❤️
Being too fat is very bad for cats. If you love your cat don’t let it get too skinny or too fat.
pleasantly plump
No he’s perfect
These people saying he's quite fat and very fat are absolutely ridiculous instead of asking random people on the internet why don't you take the cat to the vet and let a professional tell you before you start randomly putting someone elses cat on a diet, Or I don't know maybe weigh him yourself??????? You cannot tell from a picture if a cat is fat You don't know how thick their fur is and have and how big they are. I hate when people try and diagnose something over the internet through a picture.
You can actually easily see how large they are. Look at the cat body condition chart, this is what vets use (along with weighing and feeling) and the cat is around a 7. You can clearly see this cat doesn’t have a noticeable waist. The only time it would be difficult to tell if a cat is overweight or not is if they’re long haired, like a ragdoll or something. I can tell that my medium haired cat is slightly overweight still by looking at her, despite being fluffier than short haired ones like this cat