My cat weighs 16 pounds. Is he overweight? What should I do?

Your kitty indeed is quite chubby but looks very sweet! I suggest you do not free feed him during the day and reduce his dry food to a 1/4 cup in the morning. You can also feed him canned food only, 1/2 can in the morning and 1/2 can in the evening. Try this for a few weeks. If he does not lose weight you can buy special weight reduction food, however often cats do not take well to this kind of food. Playing a lot with him, throwing paper balls, etc. is also very important (exercise).

It is concerning that Felix is almost 20lbs. He definitely needs to lose weight. You can start by limiting the amount of food being offered and switching him to a weight loss food gradually. Another thing is to keep him active. A laser pointer is a great way to keep cats active. Heavy cats are prone to different diseases. One big one is diabetes. I recommend if you cannot get him to lose weight talk to your veterinarian. There are prescription diets that will help Felix. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I certainly understand being concerned. Have B seen by a vet. The vet can discuss weight loss methods with you including a prescription weight loss food. Play with him every day to get him moving, and to help him lose weight. You are doing the right thing by getting rid of this extra food, and tell your family you spoke to a vet who said he needs to be at a healthy weight or he will develop serious health problems from being overweight. I hope this helps!

I would classify a cat of that weight last overweight, not obese. I would suggest placing Soots on a lower calorie food, and I have included a link to my recommended brand below, and increasing exercise level. This can be achieved through games like fetch, laser chase, or even walks on a leash and harness. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=29335

Maybe. Some cats with very large frames could be normal at this weight. Here is a video discussing body condition scores in cats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRvL8NcfHs Weight loss occurs by eating less calories or burning more calories through exercise. Play is a great form of exercise in cats.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ari. If he is near 20lbs, he is more than likely overweight. There are three parameters I use to assess weight. The cat should have a thin covering when you run your hands along the ribs. You should not have to dig through a thick fat covering to feel the ribs. Next, the cat should have a waist that curves in from the top view. Finally, the belly should tuck up tightly from the side view. It should not hang towards the floor. If Ari does not meet all three of these qualifications, then he is likely overweight. Start by measuring his food accurately each day. If he likes to graze throughout the day, as most cats do, feed him small servings out of this pre-measured allotment. You can hide pieces of kibble around the house to encourage a cat's natural hunting behavior. Again this food should come from his daily ration. Look at the side of the bag for an estimate on how much to feed keeping in mind that you want to feed him for his ideal, not current weight. Encourage him to run and play throughout the day as well. Even 5 minutes of daily exercise can help a cat to lose weight. I hope this information helps!

2-6 Kg is the amount he needs, if you use the dosage above this one you are risking toxicity. it is not normal at all to lose more than half of his weight, i would say it is very likely that he is suffering from a disease in the background that is causing this, i strongly recommend taking him to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked.