Cat weight gain, can it be related to the cold?

There is so much good info on here!  What does everyone think of this....

Tassie started putting on a bit of weight round the middle and the vet noticed and said to cut her food. I was already feeding her half the recommended dosage because it was summer and she is an excellent hunter. So I cut it and she has increased in weight again. I have cut out dry all together and she has 100g wet food a day (recommended dose is 300g) containing 200mg taurine.  I schedule feed her (she will eat all day if she was allowed!)

She is now weighing 4.5kg, she was 3.7kg in May when we got her (she was stray).  The other factor is that her fur has at least doubled, if not tripled  in thickness and we live in a cold climate - soon we will have snow which will stay until April. She has always lived in the cold climate and was a stray since birth.  Despite the cold she is very active; up trees everyday, we play with her lot and she comes for a walk with us most days (which is just the cutest!) 

There doesn't seem to be a common agreement on whether cold climate = weight gain so I thought I would ask here

I will add one thing, related to the increased fur thickness - even her tail feels thicker. Would that be the case if it weight gain? I really don't want to starve her!

Hmm, I am not sure. The vet definitely thought she was overweight for her build? I am a little surprised by that since she seems so active. Is she still hunting outside or is the wet food her only food now?

She is feeling almost bigger by the day, and definitely bigger than when we went to the vet. I have seen her hunt but haven't seen her catch anything so hard to tell if she is feeding herself - but nothing has been brought in recently. I have wondered if she is eating elsewhere

She sounds very active.  And she eats fresh kills and zero kibble which means she is not in the category of weight gain due to inappropriate 'foods' simply being converted to fat without doing much by way of nutrition.  Definitely the added fur will add weight and bulk, but it's fur not fat.  Generally I'd say she needs to be eating more in the cold in any case - my guys always increase food consumption over winter as they need to it keep warm (single coated Korats).  So it may be that she is feeding elsewhere.

Is her weight definitely of concern?  I know she has quickly put on weight since you rescued her, but that would be good - it would be her body coming back after probable scarcity? 

I don't know that 4.5kg is huge - if she is is of a normal shape (I'm sure people can post you a chart of cat shapes if you are interested), it could all just be muscle packed on through exercise and good food.  My Korat neuter, (these are small-medium sized cats) is certainly not big like other cats - but tru to breed, he is a ball of muscle with more heft than what it looks like.  He weighs in about 4.5kg.  Looks like an athlete!

Any chance she could be pregnant?  

She kinda looks tubby, rather than lean and athletic And when anyone comes over they comment on the fat cat, poor thing!

But if you feel her, for example around the neck, there is a good 1.5 inch of fluffy fur before you get to her body and when you flatten it, she looks like her old self (like the profile pic)

She is neutered so shouldn't be pregnant

I have also decided that 4.5kg isn't that heavy. I don't think she is getting anything from hunting because we have a lot of snow now and she has been inside more so don't think she is eating elsewhere. She hasn't gained so I guess I will just keep an eye on it. I started giving her some cat milk this week, just a few tablespoons during the day and seems to keep her content and not begging

Your cat sounds like mine! She was a stray and is now indoor/outdoor and she is VERY active and loves to zoom around but now that it is getting cold I am really feeling more chub around her middle, even though I am feeding her the same amount. I want to reduce her food, but I don't want to have to do that in the winter. As it is she's only getting half a can and a bit of dry, so I'm not sure why she is putting on. She kills any mouse to cross her path but leaves them uneaten.

Good luck with your girl...if that is her in your avatar she is beautiful.