Tortilla Cat is getting Chubby

[Aggie_Ama]

Oddly Tortilla doesn't usually finish her food but she probably is being given the option of too much to eat. What kind of can food do most of you use? I haven't taken her to the vet yet because DH thinks I am overreacting. She is a pretty active indoor cat and has lovely coat. I have always had indoor/outdoor cats so they naturally stayed lean. Doesn't help her they know she is manx and they believe she is part Maine Coon, she should be large but not tubby swinging belly big!

[Eden]

I've found all meat foods to be hard to find. I give my kitties Ziwi Peak - no grains, no veggies. I've been supplementing with a little BG canned too as my two were getting a bit skinny.

[katluvr]

Oh can I relate.
And I have been thru all the website info on raw diet, homemade diet, etc when one of my cats had problems w/ Inflammatory Bowel.

But I am off course...last summer we found the "kittens". I found out they did NOT have an "off" button when it comes to eating. Serously, you are supposed to keep food avaialbe at all times for kittens, but they got fat.

2nd problem: multi cat household, some fat and only a couple thin (old sick girl first mentioned)

3rd problem: although had them all on organic or other "non" grocery store or vet distrubuted brands I have a cat w/ renal failure (d/t blocked urethera way back when). Putting HIM on the prescription diet DID help get his BUN/CR down...but everyone is on it. I hate that it is not more natural. And it is not low cal/low fat.

So I have an 18 pound cat w/ renal failure (not the typical renal failure cat)
Finally fixed my IBD cat w/ prednisone (tried everythign else--this works) and man what an appetite she has now. She is about to go from underweight to overweight in record time!

2 over weight 1 year olds.

And the timid cat..normal weight.

But then again, both the of their mommies have a few pounds to shed. When we go to the vet I am sure they are saying...."Here comes the fat family"!

I did digress some...(hyjacked?)...There is a LOT out there about how bad dry food is.
If I only had one cat I would not do the dry and focus on wet food that is mostly (if not all) protien. As some have said here.

K

[Aggie_Ama]

I have made her an appointment for Saturday to see the vet. I don't get her food at the grocery store but I do go to Petsmart. Maybe I will look around for other options. She is not the most awfully fat cat I have seen but she is too large, I would guess she needed to put on a little weight when we got her but not this much!

Do you have to worry about their teeth if they eat only wet food?

[Biciclista]

yes, you do have to worry about their teeth. But that's true of dry food as well.
Thanks for reminding me, I've been meaning to check all my cats' teeth.

[Eden]

Do you have to worry about their teeth if they eat only wet food?

I love this quote - I think it sums it up nicely.... "The idea that dry food promotes dental health makes about as much sense as the idea that crunchy cookies would promote dental health in a human."

I do give my cats large (dog size) jerky style treats to give them something that must chew on to eat.

[WindingRoad]

Since we are on the subject, my baby is about 15 years old now (I had to work for that). I've been feeding her dry Iams for her whole life. Peanut has always been pretty chubby and I'm noticing now as she gets older she's getting chubbier. Do you all think it would be OK to switch her to canned food at this point? I would like to get her weight down. I only have her so I can regulate the food supply easy enough. Are there any specific canned foods that are better for older cats like her?

[bmccasland]

Maybe because I've been searching for answers, but got to the feline diabeties web site http://www.felinediabetes.com/diet.htm
There's a link to nutrition charts, that includes % protein, fat, & carbs, and calories for most higher end cat foods. Charts for dry and wet are separate.
I'm a data junkie, so having the data makes me happy. Now if there'd just be a chart on taste....

And I'll have to remember Mimi's suggestion to get them jerky treats next time I'm at Petsmart for their chewing and teeth cleaning pleasure. Thanks Mimi!