Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Rigby was about 5-6 lbs when i got him at 6 months. He's 11 months now, and close to 10lb. He's starting to get that extra fur on his lower belly that hangs just a bit. I wouldn't say he's overweight...yet but maybe getting close to it?

any suggestions on the ideal weight/food, etc..

i know he is a bit competetive with the other cat, Izzy, so he tries to eat her food, too.

Don't worry, he's doing just fine...males generally weigh between 9-12lbs full grown and from what I've been told the little pouch is more a result of neutering than overeating. Show cats must maintain a muscular appearance, our pets get to be flabby...But, Rigby is still a kitten and growing...he should top out by about a year or so...I have seen a 14lb Tonk, he was very tall and muscular, you could tell he was supposed to be that large.

Bentley 2 1/2 years old: 10lbs
Alastair 1 1/4 years old: 10lbs (and has been since 10mos)
Finster 11mos: 9lbs

(My mother has Bentley's father who is 4 and only about 9 lbs and much shorter than him, he was a stud cat up until a year ago and was only about 7lbs when she took him home. He does not have the pouch.)

All of mine have the pouch. Alastair's weight is questionable since he is much shorter than Bentley, but his build is much denser and feels like a freakin brick when you pick him up. Because he is the resident overeater I did switch the dry food to Eukanuba indoor formula and only allow him to eat any scraps of wet food Fin leaves behind at breakfast and dinner, and no table scraps for him. Since I switched the food he has maintained his weight.

Hope this helped...

I am very disappointed that the "pooch" is caused by the neutering. Riker is developing one though Jake does not. I just think it makes them look overweight or less athletic and to find out it could have been prevented is disappointing.

Oh well, I still love my babies.

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Ms KC

I hope I didn't give you the wrong idea, Neutering in and of itself does not produce the pooch. The lack of hormones, plus less activity level being inside, not being in competition for food, generally allowed to free feed dry food all day long, spending hours and hours a day sleeping and being loved as a pet, and the pooch develops...but trust me, the pooch is a much better alternative to a whole male marking up you home, the smell alone would kill you...

Whole males lead a different life, and I have never known any person wanting a pet to allow a whole male to stay that way after the first round of marking...if they choose not to fix them that is usually when the make them outside cats...whereby they get miles and miles of exercise a day and live more of a hunter lifestyle...A friend of mine fixed his cat and still made him an outside cat (random rescued cat)...he is poochless for the most part. And I am sure both my parents retired studs will be sporting their pooches within a year or so also...

thanks. my prior cat, i let get a little big, and i just didn't want to let that happen it again. it's easier to cut back on the food than it is to actually get them to lose weight... so i wanted him to maintain a healthy weight... so i have him for as many years as possible. i just love my little guy.

that does help, thanks.I think Rigby is on the shorter side and he definitely feels like a brick! lol. He gets so competitive with Isabella and tries eating all the wet and dry food. He tends to overeat on the dry (high on carbs), so i was cutting back on that less. Just trying to stick with the wet for now, and using the dry as treats.