- Joined
- Mar 15, 2001
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hi,
i'm new to this forum. i'm looking for advice about my kitten. i've grown up with animals (cats, dogs, birds, horses, etc), so i am fairly familiar with animal nutrition. however, until recently, i lived on many acres of land and our animals were always outdoor animals that got lots and lots of exercise.
now, living in the city, i realize my 7 1/2 mo. kitten is not getting enough exercise. the woman from whom we adopted him (an adoption org. called pawsafe) predicted he would be an extremely large cat, which was obvious from the time we got him (at 6 wks). our vet also mentioned that he will be a big guy when he grows up.
anyhow, down to the weight issue. i don't think he is *obese*, but he is definitely overweight. he has a hangy rolly tummy, and while his ribs are palpatable, he is definitely jiggly. he also has a bit of a hard time walking. currently, i am feeding him purina kitten chow. their recommendation is around 2 cups per day, which is what we have been feeding. i am now thinking this may too much.
before i jump to any conlusions, i wanted to hear of any experience any of you may have had with an overweight kitten. will he grow into his pudge, or should i visit the vet to persue a diet/exercise regime. i definitely do not want him to develop arthritis or any other side effect from being overweight. on the same token, i don't want to deprive him of necessary nutrients for growth and development. also, is it too early to switch him over to an adult cat food that contains less calories and more proteins than the kitten food?
any comments?
megan
[Edited by meganeaves on 03-15-2001 at 09:36 AM]
i'm new to this forum. i'm looking for advice about my kitten. i've grown up with animals (cats, dogs, birds, horses, etc), so i am fairly familiar with animal nutrition. however, until recently, i lived on many acres of land and our animals were always outdoor animals that got lots and lots of exercise.
now, living in the city, i realize my 7 1/2 mo. kitten is not getting enough exercise. the woman from whom we adopted him (an adoption org. called pawsafe) predicted he would be an extremely large cat, which was obvious from the time we got him (at 6 wks). our vet also mentioned that he will be a big guy when he grows up.
anyhow, down to the weight issue. i don't think he is *obese*, but he is definitely overweight. he has a hangy rolly tummy, and while his ribs are palpatable, he is definitely jiggly. he also has a bit of a hard time walking. currently, i am feeding him purina kitten chow. their recommendation is around 2 cups per day, which is what we have been feeding. i am now thinking this may too much.
before i jump to any conlusions, i wanted to hear of any experience any of you may have had with an overweight kitten. will he grow into his pudge, or should i visit the vet to persue a diet/exercise regime. i definitely do not want him to develop arthritis or any other side effect from being overweight. on the same token, i don't want to deprive him of necessary nutrients for growth and development. also, is it too early to switch him over to an adult cat food that contains less calories and more proteins than the kitten food?
any comments?
megan
[Edited by meganeaves on 03-15-2001 at 09:36 AM]