Concerned about diabetes

My 4 year old Amadeus is quite overweight. He is about 20-22lbs (although I haven't weighed him lately). The vet did say he was big boned and at a healthy weight would be at about 15lbs. I am all paranoid about him getting some weight related diseases like diabetes. For the past several months I have decreased his food to 1/4 cup twice a day, so he gets 1/2 a day. This seems like so little. Maybe he is eating some of Sebastian and Caesar's food too... I make sure that they all eat the same thing.

Do I need some sort of vitamin supplement to help him? I feed Blue Spa regular, but not the indoor as that seems to have more carbohydrates. Maybe we just need to play more. I live in a small apt. until October, and hoping that moving to a house will give him more run around room.

DBF will just fill the 2 food bowls completely to the top whenever their food is getting sorta low, which annoys me to no end. He doesn't understand what I am trying to do and the fact that they don't need that much food, he just says "controlling their food won't help him lose weight, he needs exercise." I know he needs both, but the way DBF feeds them is NOT helping!

Just was doing some research and found the story about Molly and a new one the same doc is doing with Bennie. It is heart wrenching and heart warming so I am going to somehow find the money to afford Wellness or Avoderm canned and get this guy where he needs to be. No excuses I am ready to just quit dry food altogether and DBF won't have a thing to say about it!

My boy was overweight when I first got him, and then gained more after getting better food than was offered by the shelter. I too was worried about diabetes (I have Type 2 myself). In my case, my vets were great - I brought in the foods I was thinking of using (i.e., Nutro), and they discussed the pro's and con's and advised me as to the measured amounts I should give him. Because I'm away from home at least 12 hours a day, I wanted to leave dry food out for nibbling (and my girl is a big nibbler as well), as well as provide some wet food. I didn't want to go all wet in case I had to work overtime.

In any event, I was advised to go with 1/2 measured cup of Nutro dry (I use the indoor formula), and he usually gets maybe 1/2 a small can of Nutro wet food a day, split morning and night. He gradually lost weight (and he was four at the time) and last year the vet said he was at a good healthy weight - 13 pounds, down from 16; he's a lanky, long-legged DSH. I also thought 1/2 cup seemed awfully tiny, but he's been just fine. But I can't stress enough the importance of portion control - I know that'll be a tough discussion with your husband. But I suggest talking to your vet regarding your concerns and setting a plan...also, most vets are very good about having your cat weighed very regularly without charge to you.

Good luck - it's hard when they look at you for more food, but you're being a good meowmy.

Thanks! That's really good to hear. I was actually thinking about feeding in a similar way that you are. Keeping a little dry but higher end, and then some wet. I may switch to all wet when I can afford the price difference.