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Before her spay, my female lilac applehead was the picture perfect dainty siamese. She only weighed 7 lbs and had a trim graceful figure. Following her spay, she has really packed on the pounds and has lost her figure all together. She is now approaching the point where I would definately call her chubby. What should I do? Should I limit her food? She's only 9 months, and I want her to appear the way she used to! What can I do about this?

Hi There,

I'm assuming that you are free feeding dry food of some kind. If so, a good way to take weight off a cat is to switch to canned food, which contains more protein and fewer carbs. Many dry foods are loaded with grains, which aren't good for a cat in the first place, and will pack on the weight. This is especially true of foods containing corn.

If you are feeding "supermarket" dry food, and your cat insists on eating dry, I would upgrade to something better. The healthier foods are not found in supermarkets. They are available in pet shops, feed stores, and health food stores.

Start reading pet food labels and you will be amazed at how little nutrition is in the cheaper brands. You will pay more for better quality foods, but meat has always been more expensive than cereal.

I think it's always best to feed a limited amount of food rather than free feeding. Some cats do limit themselves, but many don't.

Regards,
PHKitkat

I feed my kitties Nature's Best by Science Diet. Judging by the price tag ($32 for an 8 lb bag), it should be good quality. It has DHA for brain development, which is why I chose it. But yes, I have been free feeding. Perhaps cutting down on how often they have food I can get some of this weight off of her. Thanks so much for your help.

Do nothing about the weight gain.I had a cat that weighed 17lbs and because of her weight the Vet even confirmed that the weight is what pulled her through when she got sick(not related to her weight being heavy).The Vet even said that if it wasn't for all the weight she had she would most likely have never pulled through the illness. She went from 17lbs to 10lbs in about 3 weeks.When cats get ill their weight drops quite fast.Another cat I have right now is ill from dental work and if he hadn't weighed 18lbs he would not even be walking now because he has gone down to 10lbs and I can't wait to have him get back to his old weight.When I asked my Vet years ago about my fat cat he told me not to do anything about it and not to worry about the weight.Also, keep in mind that putting an animal on a diet is very very dangerous and can lead to fatty liver syndrome overnight-it happens that fast so I don't advise it and feel it is absolutely unecessary.There are other dangers that come with putting your animal on a diet.I definitely do not suggest it without veterinary supervision throughout.Enjoy your cat the way she is.Also,after a spay most cats, if not right away, will develop the hanging belly which does not mean she is fat or eating too much but it is a direct result from being spayed.

I agree with Kit about changing and or limiting her food intake. Be sure that you check with your Vet before putting her on a diet though. I would also increase her activity level. At 9 months she should be quite the little busy body. My late meezer Samantha, loved the feather dancer. It is an interactive toy with a feather on the end of a pole. You can get it at almost any pet store and she would play as long as I would let her. She loved to play with it right up until her death at age 13. The laser light was a big favorite too. All of my cats love both toys. This is my Samantha

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PHWildCat/Tessa and 21 cats, 1 dog and even a hamster
Tabitha, in my heart forever.... earned her wings 6/26/05, Samantha, the bestest whineameezer...earned her wings 4/7/06.
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Oh, she is so beautiful! She is full of energy and runs around a lot, but I will definately try to get some toys to encourage her to have more activity. Thanks!