overweight kitty

Question
i have a domestic short hair tabby...he is in good health and spirits and active...since about two months, i have been feeding him nature's variety wet food..no kibble...up to two cans a day...lately i have only been feeding him one and a half cans (about 8 ozs) since i have noticed he has quite the belly...in fact his belly is quite visibly hanging when he walks...what can i do...feed him less...exercise him more...both?  i have done quite a bit of research and am very happy with using "nature's variety". at this point i would imagine he is around six and a half to eight pounds...six months old...what makes things a little trickier is that he is always begging for food...i have been a long time cat owner and have never experienced constant desire to eat...when it is time to eat..he devours it...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...sincerely...jason"  

Answer
Hi Jason,

Would you say that his appetite has increased dramatically within a fairly short period of time?

8 oz a day is on the larger end of the portion scale. Adult cats usually average 4-5oz per day. Some active cats with higher metabolisms will require more, but if you've been noticing a disproportionate weight increase, I would think that he is not making use of the calories.

Have you thought about adding any fresh foods to his diet? Maybe if he had something he had to 'wrestle' with a bit, it would give a greater sense of satisfaction? You could try some raw chicken wings or necks. These will also help to keep his teeth clean.

Exercise is also a good idea. =) A fun feather wand or a laser pointer will help to make exercise time exciting. I try to give all of our cats 2, 15-20 minute play sessions every day.

Good luck, and let me know what your thoughts are about these ideas!

Best,
Michelle
http://www.usrmb.net/