My large cat is overweight. Can feeding less than the chart hurt him?

Thank you for submitting your question Nala. The feeding recommendations on the side of the bag are total daily calories. You can divide this amount however you chose. It is important to note that the feeding recommendations on the bag are geared for the cats with the highest metabolism within each weight bracket. This is too much food for most cats. If your cat is overweight, then you will want to feed less. Cats should only have a thin covering over the ribs. You should be able to feel individual ribs. The cat should also have a defined waist from both the top and side views. I hope this information helps!

Hello. The fact that Rudi is a bit overweight even on a reduced number of calories consumed means he is either a very efficient utilizer of calories, or he just needs more exercise. You can absolutely decrease his caloric intake down to the 160 calories per day, but you might up his exercise with laser lights, feather toys, etc. Anything to get his heartrate up for 5-10 minutes a few times a day will help. It may take a few months for Rudi to reach his ideal weight, so check his every other week. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is best to feed for the recommended weight. So, for example, if April weighs 12 lbs but should weigh closer to 10 lbs you'd want to feed the amount for a 10 lb cat. I often recommend feeding even 25% less than is recommended for the idea body weight because most cats tend to be pretty sedentary. Feeding an all canned food diet can also be helpful for weight loss. There are also prescription diets available like Royal Canin Low fat and Hill's Metabolic that can help with weight loss. If you are concerned with April's weight after taking some steps to reduce her calorie intake, you can always discuss a prescription weight loss diet with your veterinarian.

If Lulu is at a good weight I wouldn't alter her feeding at this time. If she does start to gain weight then my first recommendation would be to cut out the wet food. Also keep in mind that the feeding guidelines listed almost pet food bags are based on animals that have not been spayed or neutered. So if she starts to gain weight decreasing the amount recommended by a fourth it's also a good idea.

Thanks for more information! Wet food has fewer calories that dry food due to the higher moisture content, so I'd recommend wet food for Snowball. Do not free feed, give him food twice a day at set times, and feed him according to the instructions on the can of food. No treats at all and no human food. I see he's an older boy, so he may not be into playing, but you can look at trying to get him more active with some toys. I hope this helps!

Mars is super handsome! He was a really adorable kitten. Yes, I would say he is overweight. This article may help you out: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2230&aid=660 When you feed your cat based on the recommendations on the bag you have to keep two things in mind. 1. You need to feed your cat based on his "ideal" weight and not his current weight. 2. You need to understand that those feeding recommendations on the bag are for unspayed/unneutered cats so with him being neutered you will need to feed him to the lower end of the recommended feeding range. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Mars!

It is very good of you to consider a more controlled diet, because free-feeding can definitely cause obesity and health problems later on. The amount of food needed for an adult cat will depend on the type of food you are feeding. If it is a packaged pet food, then it should have feeding directions on the bag/can. These feeding directions are a good starting point, because they are based on studies. I've put a link below that has good information about feeding cats to prevent obesity. http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/health_information/brochure_feedingcat.cfm If Simba is overweight, then you may have to restrict her diet more closely. Below is a link to information about getting your cat on a diet. http://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/evr_ct_obesity_in_cats_and_what_to_do_about_an_overweight_cat Weight loss plans often take a long time to work in cats, so don't be surprised if it takes a few months to get her slimmed down. I hope that helps and all is well with Simba.