Tucker's Weight Gain

[mwallace056]

So it been bought to my attention while at the vet that Tucker gain at least 3lbs. I've always free-fed him dry food and he have always maintain his weight of 10lbs. I did switch to different food few weeks ago but would he really gain 3lbs in just a few weeks? Besides I'm pretty sure I noticed that he was heavier before the food change. Any possible causes? Should I get him tested for anything? I've talked to the vet and they said it's due to free-feeding. Do I need to switch to time-meals? But how do I do that? I have 4 cats and they just nibble throughout the day. How do I get them eat more in one setting?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Have you tried canned food? Even 2-3 times a week would help, many members have seen a gradual weight decrease with wet food.
There are feeders that can be set to open only when a cat with a certain microchip approaches.

These articles should help

How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat?

Feeding Cats In A Multi-cat Household: A Quick Guide

Transitioning Free-fed Kibble Kitties To Timed Meals

Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food (canned, Raw, Or Homemade)

 

[Norachan]

Free feeding dry is pretty much guaranteed to make cats put on weight. Canned food is better and it has the advantage of making the cats feel satisfied for longer.

Try removing all the dry food for a few hours and then offering them some canned. If they are a bit hungry the smell of canned food should be really enticing.

 

[mwallace056]

I've always free-fed my cats and none of them were overweight until now but yeah it looks like I have to switch to time feedings and get them eat all their food at one setting. I will try to feed them canned few days a week. I can't afford to go all wet food diet right now.

Is this good enough? I will feed other varieties and other brands like friskies and the aldi brand but mainly special kitty and/or aldi's
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Special-Kitty-Mixed-Grill-Dinner-Pate-5-5-oz/871602
It's 170cal would a can each be enough? Mae(2years)and Daisey(3 or 4 years)are at 7 or 8lbs, gray(6) is at 10lbs and Tucker(6) is at 13lbs which I want to get him back to 10lbs. I'm thinking Mae may need more calories per lb since she's young and the most active. She always gone hunting or whatever. She does catch mice and couple chipmunks but never seem to eat them. At least Ive never see her eating the prey she catch. She just bring whatever she caught in my room so she can chase and play with them so I think she just do it for fun.
her mother Daisey is a bit less active, she always close by the house or on the deck. She knows how to hunt but she doesn't do it often.
Gray is usually on the deck or near by but he catches at least a couple mice a week and usually but not always will eat whatever he caught.
Tucker he's usually on the deck. I don't know if he hunts anymore since I haven't see him with a prey for awhile. But I do see him by the woods sometimes.

P.s my memory is poor so I'm probably misremembering what my cats do during the day or leaving something out. Which does remind me Mae will sometimes play with Daisey and just the other day I saw Tucker playing with Mae.

 

[mwallace056]

There are feeders that can be set to open only when a cat with a certain microchip approaches.

I will try to get my mom to invest The surefeed microchip feeder which costs $150. Is there a cheaper microchip feeder? Or a place to get it cheaper? I would get 4 but my mom definitely won't pay 300 on some feeders plus $20 each to get them microchip but she might be more willing to get one feeder and 3 of my cats microchip
I thought about building a box with a microchip door for my other cats since they have been maintaining their weight just fine on free-feeding.

There is a old house on the property where I could put a microchip door on. But I was planning on just putting a normal cat door and putting k&h heated houses in there for winter. It would be a place I can feed them without worrying about the dogs eating their food. Right now I have their food in my room where they have to jump through the window because of the dogs

 

[Furballsmom]

I thought about building a box with a microchip door for my other cats since they have been maintaining their weight just fine on free-feeding.

this could be good.

I saw this one, would it help? It's on sale ...

https://www.chewy.com/ourpets-wonde...MI7MiUqqzy5AIVFbvsCh3yUgAEEAQYByABEgLaZPD_BwE

 

[Furballsmom]

This hopefully will help regarding how much to feed;

How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat?

 

[mwallace056]

This hopefully will help regarding how much to feed;

How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat?

id rather not stop free feeding my 3 other cats if I don't have to since it seems to be working just fine. They don't pig out on dry food, they only nibble on it few times a day. I put a big bowl of food down yesterday and there only been like 1/4-1/2c eaten so they definitely don't eat a lot or pig out on it. This is why I don't understand why Tucker gain 3 pounds. He doesn't seem to be eating more than he always have. Maybe he just slowing down?
I read though the article so I have to good idea how much to feed if I switch to time meals for all of them plus I have a spreadsheet that uses a formula from the merck veterinary manual that can tell me how many calories they each need

this could be good.

I saw this one, would it help? It's on sale ...

https://www.chewy.com/ourpets-wonde...MI7MiUqqzy5AIVFbvsCh3yUgAEEAQYByABEgLaZPD_BwE

Hmm that's more affordable but I'm not sure if it will work with microchip beside tags? Id rather not put collars on them since they're outside where we got a few buildings where they could get caught on. Plus it got more poor reviews than I like. I know there break away collars but id rather not keep buying a new collar plus a tag because they lost it

I plan on putting Tucker on mostly or all wet diet where my other cats continue eating Purina one or special kitty dry food. I can't afford to feed all wet diet for all my cats

 

[Furballsmom]

Id rather not put collars on them

Oh right, gotcha, so scratch that product idea...

 

[FetchingCat]

One of my cats is a bit more full figured. She is not very active but she also doesn't eat a lot. I heard grain free is more caloric, but also more satiating. Maybe switch to a diet formula, add some wet, and make sure kitty gets some exercise in daily. My tabby eats a ton but is pretty skinny. He also zooms around so he prob burns all his calories off.

 

[mwallace056]

I'm planning or wanting to feed Tucker mostly or all wet food but if I can't do that. What grain-free dry food would you recommend? Up to few weeks ago I've been feeding my cats special kitty outdoor then I switch to Purina one to give them something new and better food. I want to feed them dr elseys or young again. I tried telling my mom they would eat less because it's higher in calories and more satisfying but if anything I will probably only feed Tucker dr elseys or young again and continue feed my other cats Purina one.

 

[Furballsmom]

A lot of members like dr elsey's for its ratios of protein and carbs.

 

[mwallace056]

I'm leaning toward Dr elseys because I've read cats having experienced loose stools or diarrhea and stinky poo with young again.

 

[mwallace056]

I thought about building a box with a microchip door for my other cats since they have been maintaining their weight just fine on free-feeding.

The problem with this is that I can't build anything and my dad won't build one because he doesn't want to use his money. and my mom won't let me use my money. I live off ssi which my mom have control of because she thinks I can't be responsible or whatever. She barely let me buy cat food. so how she going to let me buy like 100 dollars of plywood plus a microchip which cost like 60 dollars And microchip 3 of my cats (getting them microchip is another issue) which would cost another 60 dollars And I just bought a 1,000 dollar bed but I'm thinking of returning it while I still got the time so maybe just maybe she will let me get some plywood and a microchip door.
But we do have a dog house made of plywood, maybe I can get my dad to let me use it. Right now the puppies are using it. But maybe I will get to use it.

sorry for the rant. It just frustrating. I mean we bought a Bissell big green machine and I paid half of it with the ssi money because she wanted one but if I try to buy anything for my cats, I always get turn down unless it real cheap.

 

[mwallace056]

Well my dad bought home a wooden box crate from work, so hopefully I will be able to get a microchip door and get them microchip. Can anyone recommend a microchip door?

 

[mwallace056]

I found this, is this a smart thing to do? Should I have the vet do it?

 

[mwallace056]

Do you think if I bring it to the vet, they would do it for free?

 

[mwallace056]

Well my dad bought home a wooden box crate from work. Now I need to get a microchip door to put on it and 3 of my cats microchip.

I haven't put Tucker on a diet yet but when I do what's the best way to help make him feel full the longest? Pumpkin or guar gum or Psyllium?

 

[mwallace056]

Well I bought 12 22oz cans for Tucker and my mom made a remark that I need to "stop treating your cats like kings and queens" like seriously? I don't feed them wet food that often and when I do which is rare it is as a treat. And according to my math if it right it only going to cost $10 a month to feed Tucker special kitty wet food and another $13/month to feed my other cats Purina one dry food. So I'm only paying less $25 a month on cat food and yet she thinks I'm treating them like royalty which clearly I am not, I mean id like to, I would love to feed only wet food and buy the best wet for them but I don't