Overweight rescue cat on a diet, need advice

Hello!

I'm fosterhome for an obese male cat who is about 7 years old (indoor cat). He was taken from his owners due to neglect.

He weighed approximately 11 kg (24,25 pounds?) and the vet wants him down to 7 kg. I was instructed to give him 90 grams (3.17 oz) of diet food

daily over three meals to begin with, then possibly reduce. I've had him for about a month. I weighed him three weeks ago and he had lost 1 kilo. The first four days or so he hardly ate anything before settling in.

I reduced the amount to 80 and weighed him a week later, he weighed the same. Reduced to 70, a week later and he weighed the same. For a week now he has gotten 60 grams a day and has still not lost anymore weight.

        He's a cozy, loveable and sure cat and prefers to sleep and be petted. I've tried to motivate him to exercise with playing but he is a bit lazy.

Question: Should I follow the instructions on the diet-food (9 grams pr kilo, which amount to 90 grams as of now, to lose weight) or should I give him less as I do now?

I'm concerned that he might be getting too little food, but at the same time he is not very active at all. He has not changed his behaviour and seems just as content as before, although he signals that he wants food when it nears feeding time. Then again he became fat for a reason..

Any thoughts?

It's really important not to underfed too much in cases like this because of the risk of hepatic lipidosis. I definitely wouldn't reduce any further at this stage. Talk again with your vet about how to proceed.

If you're having difficulty getting him moving with play, you could consider harness training him and taking him on walks. It's a great way to get him moving that should be stimulating enough for even his laid back outlook.[article="22395"][/article]
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You might find this thread interesting [thread="245236"][/thread]

Much appreciate the links!

I'm contacting the animal protection org, which relocated him to see what they think I should do.

Mickey, the overweight cat in one of your links, looks almost exactly like my little friend. He's also ginger

Thanks!

Good luck with your foster and his weight loss journey

Hi Marjuice.

And Welcome.I love fosters btw I have 5 I use for TNRing & abandoned kittens.They are such a gift.In those links provided & maybe i missed it I can't find anywhere where is says what a SAFE weight loss per week or month is.It may be there and i missed it.Often people with overweight cats that used to say feed one cup of dry per day will suddenly say"Ok Joe this is all your getting at 3/4 cup now.Wrong.Weight loss has to very slow.hepatic lipidosis sets in faster with dieting cats weigh more than cats that go off food from other health ailments.As for leash training your kitty.My Boy walked on a harness since a baby.All 15 yrs 11 months.Once you decide to do this.Train them.Don't think of ever going back.Once a kitty that has been an inside suddenly gets to go out with Dad or Mom for a walk & BTW they walk you for awhile.My Boy did walk at heal at about 2 yrs of doing it.They will not understand you are feeling under the weather and can't go for a walk.They will not understand that you've changed your mind and life is too busy now.My Boy's walks were well over an  hour.Excellent form of exercise though.The best IMO but you need to know up front.the commitment behind it.It is to THEM forever.An excellent link to read & i know you have a lot of reading is by Dr.Pierson a vet who has a huge website.All about foods to litterbox problems to pilling your cat etc.She has a blog on weight loss(safe) for a kitty.

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity

I was personally  told by my Internist 1/2 per month.But as you can see when reading the numbers are all over the place.Be careful!! As I'm sure you will be.Every single kitty responding to treatment different than the other's.HTH Hugs C.

hi and welcome to TCS, @nglisson!

are you wanting to quote a previous post, and reply to it? if so, you've got the quote part figured out.     to quote and reply, just type your reply below the quote box.

Hi, I'm New to this site and unfortunately I am also looking for answers for a foster kitty I just took in. I'm used to fattening up senior Persians and Himalayans. I am personally consideringfinding a veterinarian that is also practiced in homeopathic methods. I don't think more food less food or a special food is always going to be a fix for an over weight kitty. People are over weight for different reasons and I believe the same is true for kitties. Cece does not eat that much food and we are working on more play and exercise

I think there may be something else at work here. A homeopathic. Veterinarian will listen to e rethink about your cat and run the appropriate blood test to try and find the problem.

Hi.

I agree with bloodwork & T4 checking for HYPO thyroid as this will affect things as well.Most (not all) chubby kitties have been free fed at some point or have not be monitored as per just how much they are actually eating.And how much activity they are participating in.

In multi cat households, which I have had, many are switching bowls etc & it is truly hard.But exercise truly is huge.My boy Maxwell walked on a harness since a runt & we went on daily very long walks.He was never chubby, nor any of my 17 I have had in my life.But exercise & food reduction carefully, weekly weighing  should be done as HL can kick in faster than a cat that has gone off food completely.Say from ckd etc.

1/2 lb per month.But full blood panel & here in Canada it is called a geriatric panel but does not include T4.I  believe in the US the T4 is part of reg.blood work.And for sure full urinalysis looking for ketones, anything as diabetes just like humans can affect the bigger ones sometimes.Holistic vet I have no problem with.But weight loss one way or the other has to be very gradual,whether given natural supplements etc.But a new set of eyes looking at baby does not hurt & full testing of everything would be my route.

They gain it very quickly in fact & lose it very quickly when sick, but to lose in control it has to be just that In control not to affect the liver.So patience is a virtue, but long term  baby will feel like a new babe.But safety is a must & yes rule out all other possible causes of weight gain.Dry food can be a  culprit with many, where the bowl is simply just filled when emptied and like people as we get bigger we really don't feel like jogging around the block.lol JMO Hugs C.Body scale of your cat here is tons of images:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=cat+...v&ved=0ahUKEwj2oYqyyb_MAhVG8WMKHbL6DHwQsAQIJw