And I thought Toby was overweight ...

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Anyone tried Go cat indoor biscuits with the lower calls?

I don't know the ingredients of the Go Cat, but dry foods that are low cal tend to have more carbohydrates in them and that can contribute to obesity - one of the reasons why I'm not keen on the idea of low cal dry foods for weight loss.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I wouldnt touch Go-Cat, but I have used JWB Senior/Light, and I have PAH light at the moment (although that was an accident!! DEcided it might not be a bad thing for fosters who dont have a lot of freedom).

[ccmacey]

I think its the dry, when my Macey gets it she eats alot and now is a fatty, she will be going to get weighed soon. I only put half a bowl out now so she cant eat half the bowl, its only a small bowl.

Anyone tried Go cat indoor biscuits with the lower calls?

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

When I think of the amount of dry I would give Jaffa and Magpie when they ate mostly dry - it was really small.  I always weighed it out and even though they had small bowls, the amount of food in them for breakfast looked small, and for supper even smaller (they had some wet food at teatime).  I doubt many people would choose to give that amount if they weren't weighing it out.   

[Desley (booktigger)]

That is a good point Susanne - when you weigh out dry food, it does seem such a small amount, I know someone with an overweight cat which was due to dry food, she swapped the bowls to help, and gave me what she was using - they are the size I use for water, wouldnt dream of using them on food as they are too big.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I think it's more to do with the increase in dry food being fed to cats.  And although I'm not a fan of dry food, I don't think it's solely the fact that it's dry, but that it's so easy to overfeed.  A lot of owners just put a handfull into a bowl and then refill it when it's empty, so that the cat is eating several times the amount he should be to maintain weight.  It says in that article the cat is now losing weight, so I very much doubt it's anything to do with the neighbours at all.  Simply an owner over feeding her cat and being oblivious to the amount he's actually eating.  I think cats are less likely to moderate their intake when eating dry too.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I dont think it is catfood getting heavier on fat content, cats supposedly dont overeat, but I do disagree with that - I wouldn't have had overweight fosters if that had been the case - only one had a small appetite, the others would eat whenever you gave them food, and one was used to going eating in other peoples houses. My neighbours are very good at making animals overweight, they give lots of 'treats' and think cos it is fresh meat it is good for them. Lack of exercise is another factor - Ginger lived on the streets and was still overweight, cos his only exercise was walking to the next house on his 'list'.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I have to say I think the manufacturers of catfood have got a few things to account for; not just with this case but generally.  I've had puds for the best part of 20 years and only in the last few have I noticed my puds are a little rounder than is normal. Has anyone actually researched what the energy value of Whiskas is today compared to 10 years ago, for instance? 

This lady has obviously just not noticed how big Sooty was getting. And yes, she hasn't realised the health implications for him and that's not being a good meowmy, but consider this - even if the whole street was feeding this puss, wouldn't he have just sicked up his dinner if he'd been overfed? What kind of food would you need to feed a cat for him to get this big on diet mainly consisting of standard catfood, unless standard catfood was getting heavier on fat content?

There's more to this than anyone has concidered... 

[dolcetta46]

Oh..poor guy.  In our complex there live a white little mutt who looks like a miniature blimp, he waddles about struggling to keep up with his frail old lady, his owner.  The lady even carries a custom made little cart in case he can't manage any longer while they are out for a walk (obviously though they don't venture out that far.).  I was tempted to have a word with this lady as it was quite clear she was really killing that dog, but I bit my tongue as we already made a bad enough reputation even before moving in with all the racket we created fixing up our unit, I am hoping someone else would. 
I really don't understand, these owners clearly honestly deeply love their pets yet they do this to them.  Just so sad.

[J (Indoorcatsuk)]

That cat was on our local news last night ( Look North Yorkshire ), you can watch a video of it from this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/looknorthyorkslincs/latest_stories/index.shtml

[CurlyCatz]

that is nothing more than pure abuse and neglect imo..both my boys have been overweight at various times but never ever to that extent.  you'd think aswell as the lo cal diet they'd also install a ruddy bigger catflap for the poor lad 

[Garfield&Gypsy]

My goodness, poor cat!
He's huge! it can't be good for him!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Poor thing.  You don't get that fat overnight so you'd have thought she would have done something sooner.  Can't say I agree with the advice to stop giving him meat and feed him only biscuits.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

OMG the poor thing ... I thought my Foxy was a fatty ... but at least she can still wash her own bum (just!!! )

[blackcat]

That poor cat!!! What was the owner thinking to let him get that big - even if the neighbours are feeding him, surely she can keep him indoors and limit his food - nothing to suggest she has contacted the neighbours and sought their cooperation either!!!

[melysion]

Look at the size of this cat ..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=514377&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true