Eating less calories gaining weight

So according to Cat Info my boy who should probably weight 12# is getting about 230 calories (13.6x12+70), however he is gaining weight.  He weights 16.0# right now.  Should I decrease his # of calories?

IMO, each cat is different. I have a 14 pound cat eating 3.6 ounces of food a day; I have a 7 pound cat eating 3 ounces of food a day. (I feed raw, I measure in amount, not calories). Most of my around 12 pound cats eat 4.2 to 4.5 ounces of food a day.

Yes, I would gradually reduce the number of calories. Ideally you want to target 2% - 4% weight loss weekly - but doing it slowly enough he isn't overly hungry between meals. Have you seen Mickey's weight loss thread?

mschauer meticulously recorded how she got her 27 pound foster down to 17 pounds before he went to his furrever home: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/245236/mickey-my-27-lbs-foster-and-his-journey-back-to-a-healthy-weight

I am going to reduce his calories, read the article about Mickey, and boy it seems like I'm feeding my fat boy way too much.  Here are some pictures of him.  I am going to cut him back gradually, starting with about 200 calories per day, do you think that's too much of a cut back at first?

Try it. See if he seems too hungry. Give it a week. I think mschauer weighed Mickey in weekly.

If he's not hungry between meals at that amount of calories, the worst (I believe) is that he'll lose weight a little faster than the "ideal" target. But you'll know that first week. Dr. Pierson says that she's never seen a cat develop fatty liver eating an amount of food that is 50% of their IDEAL body weight. So from that perspective, I don't think there's a risk at that level of calories.

He does look a little chunky! But gorgeous! He looks really soft and silky. :rub: (Either he has a larger frame than Mickey, or he carries that weight better, because he doesn't look like he weighs one pound less than Mickey! :dk: )

He has a large frame. It runs in his family. My dad has his half brother who weighs like 14# and isn't fat. He is soft and silky. I think he will be hungry no matter what, that is how he got his name.

Ah, I take it this is Munchie. :lol3:

Are you in a position to feed him smaller portions at meal times, but snacks between? :dk: Maybe that would help?

Oh - another thought. Is he one that like raw?

Because the first night my cats all ate 100% raw for the day was the first night I slept through until the alarm rang. :nod: Even though they eat a fair amount less food (the were all eating about one 5.5 ounce can of food a day), it's more satisfying (apparently).

He already gets snacks in between meals (to the best of my ability as I work full time).  He LOVES food.  He does eat the raw tidbits I drop for my kitties, but he is also the one who can't tolerate beef at all, he pukes if he even gets just a smidgeon of it. 

I have been feeding about 200 calories for the past 5 days, he is at 15.8# now.  I'm happy we are finally moving in the right direction, however he thinks he is starving to death......but that is nothing new he's always been that way.

GREAT news!

cprcheetah said:

 
I have been feeding about 200 calories for the past 5 days, he is at 15.8# now.  I'm happy we are finally moving in the right direction, however he thinks he is starving to death......but that is nothing new he's always been that way.

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My cat looks like that. He's pudgy and weighs 15 lbs, but the vet says he's not as obese as he looks, so whether or not he should lose some weight is entirely up to me.

He gets 3-4 meals a day and yeah, acts like I haven't fed him in 4 days every 4 hours.

So weight loss update on Munchie he is 15.0# now!  I am feeding roughly 185ish calories per day. I think I can tell a difference in his before and after pictures.  I am taking him to the vet on Tuesday for a variety of reasons and am going to ask them to do his metabolic measurements so I know how much he should weigh.