I have three cats, one of which is pretty overweight. How can I put one on a diet without affecting the others

Question

...and how exactly do you put a cat on a diet?

Answer 1

They make a cat food especially for overweight cats. Go to your local pet store or a Walmart (something of that source) and get a bag, the other 2 cats will do good on that just make sure they don't start losing too much weight. To get them started just add the cat food you are using now to the new bag of food and then once that is gone just start using the new kind of food at all times. If that doesn't help you need to seek a vet.

Answer 2

It is very important that all the cats be switched to a food that has NO corn. Corn is used to fatten slaughter animals and most have a life span of under two years.

CA Natural has chicken and rice, Natural Balance has a venison and pea, also a chicken and brown rice. Nature's Variety has Raw Instinct, entirely grain free.

These are the higher priced foods for cats and you can only find them in small pet stores where the owners are knowledgeable about proper nutrition for cats and dogs. The store where I get my food will not carry Science Diet as they consider it such a bad food even though they get many requests for it and could sell a lot.

You must learn to read the labels on the bags. Most inexpensive foods have corn as two of the first three ingredients. The more expensive foods have a higher protein percentage.

If you switch to the better food the overweight cat will immediately stop gaining weight and the weight will come off gradually. It may take 6 months or a year to do a complete job. You must have faith that the cat will not be gaining. That in itself is a step in the right direction.

Your other cats will be getting more nutritious food in the bargain.

To learn the procedure for switching dry foods click under my name in the icon. Slowly, gradually is the key.

I think you should use at least three different kinds of foods. I rotate the dry food among three different sources regularly with my cats. Do use the venison and pea as that is a different protein source as most foods are chicken.

Answer 3

I will admit, I'm not a cat expert, but possibly you could feed the overweight cat its diet in a seperate area (maybe confine it when it's time for it to eat) and then feed the other two cats confined from the other one. Alternatively, you may be able to rub a blanket of whatever that one cat sleeps on all over only its food bowl, and do the same for the other cats' bowls. I'm not sure, you could probably ask the vet that prescribed that diet.

Answer 4

What kind of foods have you been feeding your cat? Usually more premium foods are better like Innova EVO. Cats aren't supposed to eat grain and unfortunately if you're feeding your cats food from the grocery stores you are giving your cats McDonald's everyday basically.

You should stop free feeding your cats - that's leaving food down all the time.

Feed all cats twice a day and only leave food down for an hour. Give Innova diet to the obese cat and make sure it's separate from the other cats.

Also note -- play with your cat more. Exercise is important even for cats -- make the fat cat run with his/her favorite dangle toy or string.. get your cat active. Just like humans, dieting isn't the permanent answer.

Answer 5

1.keep the overweight cat in a room without the other cats.

2.give him a separate food bowl in the room you have chosen.

3.after a day do not feed the cat.
(make sure there is a litter box in the room)

4.give it water!

5.every 4 hours give your cat a handful of food so it doesn't starve.

6.do this for 1 month and your cat will loose well over 10 lbs.

7.have 3 healthy cats and go back to regular routine

Answer 6

It's very hard but it can be done. You have to feed all the cats at the same time, feed the cats without a weight problem normal cat food. Get the fat cat some diet cat food and feed that cat the amount stated on the box or bag. They all have to have their own food dishes. It's a pain, but my fat cat is now thin and they still have to eat out their own dishes and their own amounts.

Answer 7

I do not have multiple cats anymore, but when I did...I kept thier feeding areas separate because mine is on a strict diet (1/4 cup of diet food a day...but no luck yet so far!). I had his food in our room in a timed and portioned feeder, and I kept the other kitty's bowl in the laundry room. During the day they were kept out of eachothers areas, and at night I kept our kitty in our room while the other kitty roamed the house. It is just a matter of what works for you and them...but separation is the best bet.

Answer 8

I have the same problem. But I think cats are like people and some are just meant to be bigger. My fat cat actually doesn't eat any more than the others. My vet told me it would be okay to buy the lower calorie food for all of them as long as it was a good quality one. She said the others wouldn't starve.

Answer 9

trapp the overweight cat in a room just for a week .. put its food in there and a litter box .. that way it will not touch the other cats food.. adn there are special diet packs where you can get it from your local pet store

Answer 10

I have 4 kitties and 1 is over weight, she is 17 years old and when the vet suggested a diet I told him to forget it. You only have 1 run at it and whatever makes her happy works for me. Don't sweat the small stuff, life is too short.