My feral is fat!

Muffin gained some chubbiness the past two winters, but this Fall her really bulked up. I knew we were in for a harsh winter when I saw how much weight he gained and how thick his fur became. I live in Western PA and we've had 3 snowfalls and numerous days where the temperature has been in the mid teens. He won't come inside, but he has a nice cedar wood, insulated house on my porch which he uses, and he's well fed. I'm wondering, though, if I should be concerned about how big he's gotten? Should I switch him to weight management food? I leave Purina Pro Plan Smart Blend Chicken dry food out for him during daylight hours (he loves it) and wet food at least twice a day (Fancy  Feast, Blue, or homemade chicken breast) but he doesn't eat for 10-12 hours during the nite. I know that I'm the only one on my block currently who is feeding him, though it's possible someone else on another block may be feeding him (he's such a cutie) and I'm not feeding him any differently than I have for the past two weeks. He seems healthy. Should I just continue to feed him as I have been in light of the very cold weather and snow?

successful ferales are often quite meaty - almost fat.  It helps them of course manage harsh winters.

It is possibly your co-feeder feds him mainly cheap dry food - this will cause easily them getting fat, as they dont need more cereals is is the main ingredient in cheap dry food - fattening them up as one of the effects.

.   But this is speculation.

I say, be happy he is in such a very good condition, well prepared to meet this harsh winter oncoming.

He is well doing yes, but he is not obese.

I do believe he is in such a high condition as a successfull ferales in a cold climate is in best cases.

Good luck!

Thanks for your response. I was starting to get paranoid that no one had responded to my post because they think my feral is a blimp and unhealthy looking.  I should add that when Muffin's on all fours and walking around, he elongates. He doesn't have the flabby belly hanging down that my indoor cats have. Still, I worry about him a lot and wish he hadn't gotten quite so big. I guess no one else has ever had the problem of a fat feral and can't relate to my concerns.

I can relate to having fat feral cats. I feed 5 feral cats and then I feed the neighbors cat who is not as fat but not real thin either. I can't afford the expensive cat foods so mine do eat Purina cat chow along with some Friskies canned food twice a day. I have one that is so big she has a hard time walking but I don't know how to figure out how much food to give them because they always seem so hungry when I do feed them. They don't eat slow by no means, they inhale the food and are done in a few minutes. This year they are getting worse about eating fast and then pushing another one away from the bowl. Mine do not eat anywhere else, they live on my front porch and don't wander very far and no one close to me is feeding the cats.

Your kitty is actually not fat compared to mine.