Healthy Weight Question

[MittenMeg]

My cat Raiden has been on a diet since his urinary obstruction in early July. He used to weigh 16lbs. He's been on the RC moderate Calorie SO since the obstruction and is now at 14 lbs. He is a large cat with a lot of fluff (long hair). Compared to my calico (whos 8.7lbs) he's much taller and looks like a monster. My vet wants him at 11lbs but I feel like that is going overboard. I can feel that his ribs are covered by a small amount of fat but can still feel each rib when running my finger over them. I can also easily feel his spine. His belly hangs pretty low but it's not as "fatty" feeling like it used to be. I don't bring him to the vet unless it's an absolute emergency or his yearly physical. This is because he is a high-stress cat that has issues with new people. Because of his diagnosis of FIC I try not to add stress by bringing him to the vet for every little thing. So, unfortunately, bringing him in to have the vet feel him is out of the question. Anyone have tips to know what a healthy weight is?

 

[jen]

Please tell us his prescription diet is canned and not dry? This is will help A LOT with both managing his weight and the urine issues. It is so hard to say without visual aid and without us being able to feel him what his weight SHOULD be. He is heading in the right direction. 5 pounds is drastic but 16 might have been pretty heavy. Maybe another pound or so and then see what the vet says?

 

[duckpond]

Cats, just like people, have a rather wide range of healthy weights. I look and feel on mine to keep a general idea if anyone is gaining or loosing weight. I have one little girl that weighs 7 lbs, and a big ole 19 lb boy, the others are in between. The little girl would do good to gain a lb, and the vet is always shocked by the weight of my big guy, because as the vet says " he weighs 19 lbs but he is NOT Fat" ...lol. the girls at the vets office are always a little afraid to hold him, because he is just so long, tall, and big.

I also have yearly visits, and the vet checks their body scores then. Without a vet visit i would be lost on healthy weights too, it can vary so much between cats.

sounds like he has lost a few, no need to work fast at loosing more, going slow is the best, fast can be dangerous for cats. Then at your next vet visit you guys can decide if he needs to loose more, or if he is at a healthy weight? Try to feed him healthy, the correct amount, and play with him. Exercise is very important for all cats, and especially overweight cats. Cats need to run, jump, chase and play, several times daily if possible.

 

[orange&white]

As others noted, it's impossible to tell you an exact weight which is your cat's healthy weight.

Two pounds in two months is a fairly quick weight loss. It's right at the margin of safety. If you can feel his ribs now, he may be at a good weight at 14 pounds. The back of his skull and his spine should not feel boney; that indicates that he is losing muscle mass, not just fat.

My senior recently dieted from 16.5 to 12.5 pounds over almost a year and a half. 12.5 pounds is what he weighed when he was young and at his peak, before he started slowly gaining weight. Do you or your vet's office have a record of what your cat weighed when he was in "ideal" condition?

 

[Jem]

I was always under the impression that if you can feel the ribs like you described that is good. Also, the waist should taper in slightly before moving out to the hips. You say you can feel his spine, is it really protruding and bony? That, I'm afraid, leans towards muscle loss and not fat loss. I would be concerned about that. I wonder if his food does not have enough protein for him????
jen is correct that wet food is much better for weight maintenance and management. Wet food "tends" to have more protein and less carbs, not to mention moisture to help prevent urinary issues. But be sure to check the carb content.
I have a big cat also, and at 14 pounds (currently) I actually want him to gain a pound or so. He lost a lot of weight due to illness, but slowly he has regained some of it.

 

[maggiedemi]

My boy cat Demi weighs 12 pounds. I think he looked even better when he was 13 pounds.

 

[MittenMeg]

Please tell us his prescription diet is canned and not dry? This is will help A LOT with both managing his weight and the urine issues. It is so hard to say without visual aid and without us being able to feel him what his weight SHOULD be. He is heading in the right direction. 5 pounds is drastic but 16 might have been pretty heavy. Maybe another pound or so and then see what the vet says?

Yes, he is on a canned diet.