How do I put one cat on a diet without starving my other three?

Question

I'm not home often enough to consistently monitor my cats' feeding habits and one cat is very thin while another is very not. I would put out less food, but am afraid my thin kitty would wither away.

Answer 1

Feed them separately. Feed them before you go to work, when you get home and before you go to sleep. Let them eat the quantity they are supposed to eat at the moment you feed them, and don't just leave the food hanging around. Obviously the fat cat eats most of the food and the thin one eats what's left. i am not saying the fat one is a "thief", but perhaps the thin one has less appetite and the other one takes advantage of it. Also, you could try giving them different foods, if you feed them separately. You can give the fat cat Royal Canin "light" and the anorexic one "exigent", which is more appetizing.

Answer 2

If the one fat cat doesn't have a medical condition causing it to gain weight, then you may just have to separate it into another room during feeding time. Do you leave dry kibble down for them to eat while you're gone? If so, contrary to what some veterinarians say, it's not really a good practice. Feed them twice per day at around the same times. Each cat should have one full 5.5 - 6 oz can of food daily, or a mix of that and kibble to equal the same amount. You can feed them each half of their daily amount before you leave in the morning, and the other half when you come home. If you prefer to feed them dry kibble, then just use the recommended amount listed on the back of the bag and split that into two meals per day.

Answer 3

This is a tough situation. I have three cats. If one needed special food, I'd have the same problem. 1st, do not free feed, like leaving kibble in the bowl. Feed them in separate rooms and pick up the un eaten food. You'll probably have to feed more often, but thats okay for the fat cat. just don't fee him more than you should total. You may also consider switching to a food that has far less grain in it. That's probably what's making kitty fat anyway. I switched to Evo No Grain. It's some money, but it's good stuff!

Answer 4

If you figure this one out, let me know. I have 3 cats, one is elderly, one is a kitten, and one is a middle aged FAT FAT FAT cat, hes 25 lbs... and I have yet to figure out a way to diet the fat one, while the other two get what they need... My only suggestion would be to lock the thin kitty in a room with his food alone, till he is done eating, then feed the other cats- at least thin kitty will get his food he needs, and the others can be dieted easier... that seems to work okay for me, anyways...

Answer 5

Your vet did no longer do any exams to confirm what your cat is allergic too. became IBD or IBS honestly clinically determined? there are a number of assets you're able to do right here and feeding the vet's foodstuff isn't superb First no dry ingredients Cats shouldn't eat it era and yours extraordinarily. have you ever examine the label of what you have been feeding? Your cat is a carnivore an needs meat to stay to tell the tale. Muscle meat may be the 1st element. no longer meal and in no way grains or byproducts. i might attempt a grain unfastened foodstuff like wellbeing. A 12 ounce canned is going for decrease than 2 funds so as that's approximately 4 servings of suited high quality foodstuff for extra value-effective then fancy ceremonial dinner. If that would not artwork i might evaluate a uncooked foodstuff foodstuff plan which you will practice your self. you are able to digital mail me for hyperlinks in case you elect Your cat needs to eat and should no longer pass extra then an afternoon with out foodstuff. make valuable she eats, have you ever tried undeniable poultry as a handle or the different undeniable meat? i anticipate this became clinically determined because of the fact of diarrhea. get some acidophiles from the well-being foodstuff keep and sprinkle some interior the foodstuff on a daily basis

Answer 6

Idealy, feeding the cats seperatly would be the best plan... but I also know that for most working people this isn't a very practical option. The best bet in that case would be to try a food formulated for multiple body types, like Iams multi-cat or something similar. I've been using this food because I had a similar problem and it's worked really well, my overweight one lost weight... and the skinny one stayed where he was at before. Good luck!

Answer 7

When you go to feed your cats give the cat on the diet it's own food and watch as all your cats eat. Push the cat on a diet away from the other food until the other cats ate all of the food and there is no more left.

Answer 8

I have 2 cats. One is 20 pds, 1 is 10pds. The food is left out all the time and they eat at the same time. Putting the big one on a diet didn't help. My vet said that they are different cats and have a different metabolism. He suggested getting the big cat to do more, (lol, that was hard) and switch to a different food. They have a kind of food that is supposed to help maintain a cat's weight. I forget the name, but you may want to just mantain and make the fattie exercise more. That's what we did. Good luck!!

Answer 9

Put them all on 'catkins' - Seriously - it worked beautifully for my cats. Start adding some high-quality grain-free canned food to their diet, and the overweight one should lose weight effortlessly, while the normal-weight ones maintain their weight and stay happy.

I had the same problem, and after I found this page written by a vet: http://www.catinfo.org , and researched the issue, I tried adding canned Wellness to my cats' diets. My chubby boy slimmed down beautifully, slowly & safely, without constantly begging & pestering me for food, as he had when I'd tried to get him to lose weight with 'light' dry foods. He gradually went from over 16 pounds down to just over 12 pounds, while my other cats maintained their healthy weights. Bonus: They shed less now, and their coats are incredibly plush & shiny. They look fabulous for their ages (now 13 to 19).

These pages have more info on how the diet works, choosing a good food, and feeding:
http://www.catinfo.org/
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=whycatsneedcannedfood
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=016

Also, find a toy the overweight cat enjoys, such as a laser toy or 'da bird' (feathers on a string & stick that make a sound like a bird fluttering when they spin), and spend some time playing together whenever you have a moment. If you don't already have some cat trees for them to climb on, you may want to buy or build some - having a place to climb may help encourage activity.

Hope this helps!

Answer 10

Just put less food out at the same time(s) each day. Cats are survivalists. If the thin kitty isn't getting enough to eat, it will be the first there when the food is filled to get him/her share.