Fat Feral cat

I've been feeding two feral cats (used to be more) for the past few years, both in good shape and fit looking. This past summer one of them disappeared for about a month and then returned with his ear clipped and a few pounds heavier. Now he gained a lot of weight. He sits by front door looking for food 5 or 6 times a day (I was giving more than usual to put on some weight for the winter) I don't know whether or not I should cut back on his food, getting to heavy can't be good. I feed him both wet and dry food. Any suggestions or comments would be welcome

Manalapan66 said:

 
I've been feeding two feral cats (used to be more) for the past few years, both in good shape and fit looking. This past summer one of them disappeared for about a month and then returned with his ear clipped and a few pounds heavier. Now he gained a lot of weight. He sits by front door looking for food 5 or 6 times a day (I was giving more than usual to put on some weight for the winter) I don't know whether or not I should cut back on his food, getting to heavy can't be good. I feed him both wet and dry food. Any suggestions or comments would be welcome

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It appears that he also has another caretaker.  Someone trapped and neutered him (thus the clipped ear).  How much are you feeding him each day?  I know you said 5-6x, but how much each time.  Has he ever been wormed?

He eats at least 3 times a day sometimes 4, I put Lysine in his food for his first feeding. As far as being wormed I don't know if he was when he was neutered but I've never had it done. He showed up around noon today and ate wet food and left, now 2 1/2 hours later he's back but I'm not going to feed him as he's getting too heavy and I can't believe its good for him. He was the Alpha cat around here until he was 'snipped, since that time another cat that I feed has become the 'boss. 

Manalapan66 said:

 
He eats at least 3 times a day sometimes 4, I put Lysine in his food for his first feeding. As far as being wormed I don't know if he was when he was neutered but I've never had it done. He showed up around noon today and ate wet food and left, now 2 1/2 hours later he's back but I'm not going to feed him as he's getting too heavy and I can't believe its good for him. He was the Alpha cat around here until he was 'snipped, since that time another cat that I feed has become the 'boss. 

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How much are you giving him when you say you just fed him wet food.  A whole can, half a can,etc...?  Ferals do put on extra weight for the winter in order to keep warm.  If you think he might have worms, you can get a dewormer and put it into his food.  Yet, sometimes the taste is very hard to disguise.

As far as the other feral cats you are feeding, they too need to be spayed or neutered.  The cat population is out of control.  By feeding the cats you are making them strong and able to reproduce.  The males will fight, spray, yowl, and wander all in search of a mate.  They are completely hormone driven. 

If you are feeding the cats, the kindest thing you can do them is to get them spayed/neutered.  If not, you will have dozens of cats on your hand.

The fat one 'Pretty Boy is neutered and the other 'Benny is intact. There are no females around for the last year or more and I haven't seen any kittens for a few years. Pretty Boy usually eats about a half a can per feeding and Benny when he does come eats about the same but only shows up a few days a week. I did have an episode a few months back when a unknown cat showed up and started to eat the dry food, well Benny saw him and beat the living hell out of him (if I hadn't chased him off I believe he would of killed the stranger) since then its only my two regulars. I tried trapping Benny so I could get him neutered but he won't go near the trap at all. My main concern is Pretty Boy, I don't want to ruin his health by over feeding. I've stopped putting out dry food and now only give him the wet food. He came earlier and ate a half a can of wet food and has since come back twice for more but I haven't put out anymore. I built a nice cat shelter for the winter but he hasn't used it, I figure he must have a warm dry place that he sleeps.