How healthy are pounce treats?

I used to feed Sam two tins of wet food a day (the little ones), and then free feed kibble the rest of the day. That was actually a change from last summer, when we fed him pretty much on demand, and realized that we would ask for about 3 tins a day.

So he was cut down to just two, one when I get up in the morning, one in the evening. We still think that he is gaining weight, so I decided to stop the evening feeding.

However, he is used to having me home after work, and still asks for food. I have been giving him pounce treats - the tartar control king (the only variety he likes), and will give him a handful.

So is this progress? Or will the handful of treats at dinner time make him as fat as a tin of cat food?

He does snack on kibble when he is hungry, but does not eat a lot. I think he was eating so much tinned food because he loves it.

Most of the treat at the store, including the pounce treats are esentially empty calories and have little nutritional value. If you compare the handful of treat VS a can of wet food, the wet food would have more fat, but more nutrients. Have you thought about maybe feeding the light kibble, and maybe giving him half a can of wet in the am and then the pm?

I don't think that we need to change the kibble yet - he's only 6 years old, and not ready for "senior" stuff yet.

I will try the half at morning, half at night feeding of wet food. We're also playing more active games with him - I think that we got busy at work, and spent less time with him, and he ended up being kind of lazy.

I didn't mean the senior kibble, they make a light formula for less active kitty's It has helped us in the battle of the bulge in a few of ours.

Oh, that makes sense. The thing is, I've been through so many different brands in the past year, I don't really want to switch again. I finally packed up about 4 bags of different varieties that I was no longer feeding him, and gave them to a friend who feeds and rescues strays in her neighbourhood. And I told Sam "see, some kitties appreciate just HAVING food to eat". It's sort of like the starving children in China, eat your vegetables argument that I heard when I was a kid.

I'll start trying just two smaller feedings of wet food, and see where we go. The thing is, he's not really overweight - probably 1 pound at the most, and his healthy weight is about 12 1/2 pounds. We just don't want to see that creep up.

Well, I would say that if your concerned about your putty tat loosing weight. Then get rid of the free feed idea. As in, don't just leave dry kibble down all day.

How big is your cat, and what brand of canned food are you giving him? If you want him to gain more healthy attributes and less fat, you'll have to feed him a decent brand of food, the cheap ones almost always have higher portions of fat content.
You could also get your cat evolved with exercising more, that is, if he's not already a very active cat.

There is a new Pounce treat out, called Pounce complete, I give one to my cats every day. It is a normal cat treat, but with added Vitamins A, D & E, Magnesium, Calcium & Beta Carotene. So it's like a yummie vitamin.

If you go with a 'light' diet, consult your vet first, and make sure you get a high quality light diet. Most often they take away the good protein source which you cat needs (aka the meat) and put more grains in instead.

Just remember you can't always go by the feeding chart on the back of the bag/can.

He's a big guy, very long body, and he weighs (probably) somewhere aroung 13 pounds. When we got him a year ago, he was very upset, didn't like the food we were giving him, and lost a lot of weight. He went down to 9 1/2 pounds. On his first visit to the vet, she said that he looked like he should be a 12 pound kitty. At 12 1/2 (at his last visit) he looked about right. He has a big belly, but long and lean everywhere else.

I'm not really concerned about him losing weight, just trying to develop a routine that prevents him from gaining more. He gets the pet store premium brand - Nutrience - which at least smells more meat like than the fancy feast we started with.

He's a pretty nocturnal guy, which actually suits our schedules, so free feeding kibble seems best, as he is most active at night. Then he can snack during the hours when the humans are asleep.

he doesn't really eat a lot of kibble - I think just when he is really hungry. Not like canned food, which he eats because it is there.

I am working on more active play sessions, and I actually think that is making him more active altogether - I think he plays by himself a lot more (judging by how many toys are strewn around when I get up in the morning).