How to tell if my chunky Tom is the right weight?

[Liz]

My boys range from 2.5kg the Boris kitten at 18 weeks up to my NFC Svartleheim Starlight Express or Starrykins and he is 9kgs we have all the weights inbetween, the girls range from 2.5kgs to nearly 7kgs in Sabrina feral

Mine are all fed wet and dry including Hills, 18 varieties of Royal Canin dry - we cater for all age groups and have Hyperthyroid and Diabetic in fact our age ranges are the Boris at 18 weeks to Floddy at age 18 we tried feeding age specific foods but everyone else ate the wrong stuff so we feed normal catfood and biscuits the same and alla re in good nick according to our vet

We feed Bozita wet tins and cartons, Felix, Whiskas and whatever is on offer

[JenGeorgieBob]

As everyone else has said, he looks a nice healthy, cuddly weight, weight kind of like my boy Benji.
Just wanted to add another recommendation to the list, pets at home do a dry food which isn't too expensive and my lot enjoy as treats, comes in a brown paper bag type, and if you sign up to their VIP pet plan you get discounts and offers and they donate to a nominated charity.
He does look gorgeous! And it sounds like he has landed on his feet with doting cat slaves

[Mymblesdaughter]

I've received one of those charts from the Bristol cat study which my two are taking part in. I have to get the vet to check them next time I go and fill in the chart. It's a bit embarrassing I think both of them will need to go on a bit of a cut down before the next vet visit.   

Thanks Tiggy's Mum I will let them know that it's a good food. It's so difficult to tell when they don't give you all the details.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Phwoar

I found this chart with useful images/descriptions, I would say from looking at the pics he is maybe a 5.5 or a 6?

http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/cat%20body%20condition%20chart.jpg

Edit to add:

Does anyone know the meat content of Royal Canin dry food? My parents were asking me about it as they feed it to their cats but I couldn't see the meat content when I looked online. 

I think Royal Canin are a bit secretive about % and nutritional content, obviously the ingredients will be printed on the packaging but I don't think they publish percentages eg meat content or phosphorous percentage. Despite that I think it's a highly thought of brand and seems to be very palatable.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

It should say on the back of the packet

[Mymblesdaughter]

Does anyone know the meat content of Royal Canin dry food? My parents were asking me about it as they feed it to their cats but I couldn't see the meat content when I looked online. 

[Skiddaw]

I agree. He's very similar to our Munchkin in terms of size and weight judging by the photos and he was a late neuter too.

Our boy gets through 3 sachets of wet per day (sometimes 4 if he has spent a lot of time running around the garden) and usually a mouthful or two of dry as well (he's partial to Royal Canin). He's very keen on Iams pouches though he will sometimes eat Natures Menu too. Of course, as he does go outdoors he probably burns off more calories than your boy (though I wouldn't call him the livest wire on the planet especially in the winter!)

Your boy is beautiful 

[Mymblesdaughter]

He looks fine to me. As other have said wet food is much better than dry. Try to get a high meat content food, things like whiskas and supermarket brands are actually very low meat content. Some of the higher meat content food are more expensive but cats actually eat less. Zooplus is great, they have lots of choice and most of it at cheaper prices than the high street. If you go through Quidco you also get a bit of cash back.

Lots of people seem to rate Bozita also Animonda Carny. I feed my two applaws wet and Porta 21 dry. Applaws is expensive though and is a complimentary food. My two are pretty fussy though so have to feed them what they will eat.     

[caledonia]

As others have said he looks fine to me. I have a Maine coon boy and my other cat is tiny.

I give them just a pouch of wet food a day but they do drink lots.

I also give them royal canin which is one of the more expensive biscuits however I bought it in bulk and think its prob worked out cheaper even than go cat which I used to give then. I bought a 10kg bag off zoo plus in September and I would say there is probably another months worth of food in it.

If you have the space and storage buying in bulk might allow you to get a good quality dry which he will like. Obviously you might have to try smaller sample sizes first and mix them in with what he is used to.

But in terms of his size I think he just looks like a healthy chunky boy :-)

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think if he is not keen on the biscuits I would stick to pouches 

I suspect most cats on here have 3 a day and if he had no biscuits I dont think that would be a bad option but cats, well my cats can be as fussy with biscuits as with any other food......sigh.

Purina One used to be the ones of choice here but only the fish ones and considerable more expensive than Go Cat. Now they eat Pro-Plan which is even more expensive......sigh.

You will find all the better makes expensive, mine dont like James Wellbeloved. I used to feed my first cat Whiskers biscuits which are at the cheaper end of the market but am sure others will come up with a mirad of options.

[Greenlaner]

My Billy is seven and he is quite big and hefty . He loves being an indoor cat. He has gourmet pouches and various of the dreamies  style treats.  Has bowls of water available all day, which he dips into whenever he wants some.  That is a lovely cat , you have.

[kimbee]

Ah thankyou Gill! I did not know that, I'm always pretty wary of well packaged pet foods with bold claims but its difficult to know what's best is there another brand you could recommend? He does drink a lot of water actually, that's probably why. I think he's avoided the addiction, when ever I put them down for him he just says 'why is it not meat?!!' So you've made him very happy!

Yea I think he's a late neuter too, he's very stocky around the shoulders and has a lovely fat Tom ruff, perfect for snuggling!!

xx

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

He looks like he was a late neuter cos he has a fairly big head but dont think he is over weight just nice and chunky 

No, pouches are best for cats cos they contain water whereas many cats dont drink enough to have mostly biscuits. Biscuits tend to put on weight.

Go cat biscuits are not the most wonderful food for cats, I dont know about wet but apparently go cat biscuits are very addictive, some thing that is in them.

He is just gorgeous but eating pouches will be better than loads of biscuits 

[kimbee]

Hello!  Thanks for your replies!

Here is my cutie, and one with my boyf to give some scale!

Gill - Oh, I thought the biscuits would be a healthier option than pouches, are they not as good? I give him GoCat for indoor cats.

Thanks again! xx

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Definately pictures will help 

However I would reinstate the second pouch and gradually reduce the amount of biscuits 

[Yvonne]

Good evening Kimbee and     to Purrs

Do you have any pictures of your big boy ??

[kimbee]

Hello! I'm new!
 
My boy is a big neutered 5 year old (approx.) house cat, who adopted me 4 years ago. I've never had a house cat before we have tried him outside but he gets very upset and scared, I think due to what happened to him before he got found by the rspca. Anyway,i digress, what I want to know its how to make sure he is the right weight. I used to feed him two meat pouches a day with as many biscuits as he wanted started to get a bit round so I cut him down to one pouch in the evenings (plus biscuits). He is a very big boy,i think he has some Maine coon in him, and his coat its long and fluffy for a shorthair so its quite hard to tell how much fat he has.does anyone have any tips for me?  I want to make sure he has enough food but I'm concerned about him greeting overweight as he doesn't get as much exercise as outside cats. Oh and I can't trust his appetite as he is a pig!


Thankyou very much! Kim and bman