Dear Critter Corner: My cat is becoming overweight and I’m not sure how much I should be feeding. Can you help?
It’s a good idea to start with letting your vet know if you feel that your cat is becoming overweight. If you have a baby scale at home or would like to purchase one, this can help you monitor your cat’s weight. If your cat is gaining or losing a significant amount of weight in a short period of time you would want to let your vet know, as this could be due to an underlying medical issue.
Once you’ve spoken with your vet, they may recommend bringing your cat in for a checkup and starting to monitor your cat’s weight. If your vet determines that your cat is overweight, they will give you guidelines regarding your cat’s ideal weight and instructions on beginning to incorporate various changes to help your cat lose weight. This could include a change in diet, additional exercise, or medication if the weight gain is related to a medical issue.
In general, when determining how much food to feed your cat, be sure to use the guidelines on the side of their food packaging. This will usually include how much food according to the weight of the cat. Kittens and younger cats tend to eat food richer in fat, as they are continuing to develop. Whereas older and especially indoor cats may need lower fat or higher protein foods to help account for less calorie needs and less daily exercise/movement.
Keep in mind as well that if you plan to leave food out for your cat, a good rule of thumb to follow is to watch whether your cat begins to groom itself after it eats. Usually cats will eat until satiated, then groom themselves, and then take a nap. Not all cats will follow this cycle. Monitor your cat after he eats for any behaviors that are part of the routine. Then you’ll have a better idea of when your cat is full.