Dog & cat question

[Boondox]

We have a very similar situation. One very large black cat, and three very hungry goldens. We solved the problem by feeding the cat in a room protected by a baby gate. We raised the baby gate about eight inches off the floor so the fat cat could go under, but the dogs couldn't follow.

 

[clemsonfor]

Sounds like good advice to me. A simple solution.....I suspect your cat will be healthier/live longer because of it, and perhaps a little more active. Sounds like getting him to game shape might be a good idea since his future is about to change,who knows, he may need the extra speed should he find himself outside and encounter a yote.

Yea cats (unless you have like a Main coon or whatever there called, the big ones) should be under 16lbs, anything over that will mostlikely get diabetes when there older, almost guaranteed. You may not know it even if they do. This can cause them to die early if you don't give them their insulin like people. Remember my wife works at a vet and she sees this every day.

We had one dog that was okay with free-feeding, she wouldn't over-eat, but most do better with defined meals I think. My wife uses a small kitchen scale to weigh the dogs' meals in. That helps with consistency if you raw feed, plus if you think the dog's weight is not correct, it is easy to know if you are feeding more or less, and by how much.

We feed Science diet. With my wifes discount its really not that much more than cheap store food and cats don't eat much if you don't let them. This food is more formulated for them and has less filler, ie corn which is what a large make up of the cheaper stuff is. SO they can eat less volume yet still get what they need for coat beauty, energy and to keep a healthy weight. These bags we get are either tailored to the animal, like sensitive blatter, hairball, diet or regular food. The regular we can get in a bulk "kennel" pack that is for like businesses and not for resale due to her job and its even cheaper than it is with her discount plus its discounted. The bags say how much food for a certain size cat. So if you want a 15ft target weight cat you feed that amount. If said cat is 20lbs step him down, say use the 17lb range than the 15lb range to maintain. If you want a 12lb cat and its a fat 15lb cat just use the 12lb chart amount. Its listed in cups or partial cups a day. Science diet gives their dealers measuring cups to measure food with, marked in 1/4 cup increments. All our cats eat 1/2 cup a day, of their special food for each of them. They get 1/4 cup mourn and 1/4 cup eve. Some animals can free feed but they only free feed at meal time not all day. I do have and have had some that could or can free feed and maintain a constant weight. Animals are like people, some have self control and just eat to live and other live to eat. They eat every thing they can if its there infront of them.