Overweight cat & underweight cat help?

[Deanabean]

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has delt with excessive weight in their cat & behavior issues? It's likely that since we have 6 cat's my cat Mixi (referred to as Fattie) is jelous beause she is just too big to lay with us, has trouble getting into areas that the other cat's can, and well she just posts up at the food / water bowl and eats  (especially if she's mad or has left a surprise on the floor in the house) I think she is rebelling now! We have taken her to the vet (well my husband did) she had to have her anal sacks ehhh how would you say unfilled with the built up fluid? Since she really can't clean herself properly I have had to use the pet wipes and brush her afterwards, she hates it to say the least but loves the brushing!  I am kinda beside myself here because we have tried to just feed ALL the cat's 2 times a day(instead of leaving the filled feeder out)

To sum it up... what do we do about her weight issues with six other cat's in the house? And how do I get her slimmed down & bathed better so that she is not getting worse? By the way she's got to weigh at least 25-30 pounds? I know it sounds terrible but we have been trying to do something about it?

Next,
My cat Speckie, (Fatty's rival) is extremely skinny, she does eat, has lot's of little battle wounds/scars because her and Fatty sort of have an ongoing dislike for reach other about territory I think? Not really sure but Fatty tries to lay in the middle of major walkways like ha haa you have to try to get by me! And then the growling starts...

Anyhow Speckie is pretty skinny, tough little thing, I think she may have worms, parasite, or something? I noticed allot of little tiny scab/scratch like patches on her tummy that were not there before? What is this, fleas? Oh god they are indoor cat's and we try to use the advantix for all of them...I'm just worried about their health... as you know with 6 cat's it can get expensive to treat all the different things going on but I can't imagine letting things go untreated! We LOVE OUR CAT'S HELP!

[Savas]

Just one add in here. You may want to check that your skinny kitty doesn't have mange or ringworm.  Patches of missing fur with scabs can be ringworm and can often be mistaking for fighting scars.  If it is this, an OTC cream like Lotrimin (athlete's foot, yes, the human medicine) will take care of it.

It is possible for only one cat in a group to suffer from these conditions.

[PrettyKitty1]

I'm glad I helped. For cats that aren't spayed, metabolic functions occur at a more rapid rate, thus resulting in a slim, normal looking kitty. When your kitty gets fixed you'll start noticing weight gain because her metabolism will slow down. Even though I'm sure you know this, I just wanted to remind you since you are so worry that, in comparison to Mixi, Speckie is too thin. I just think Speckie is healthy and fine for a cat who hasn't been fixed. Mixi is the one who needs more work. I would definitely worry about her. There are way too many cats out there becoming diabetics due to obesity. Their life spam is shorter and their health deteriorates due to lack of exercise and motion. We cannot control the fact that their metabolism slows down big time, but we can, however, give them more play time for exercising purposes and motivation, and we can also reduce/control the amount of food they eat. Trust me, I also have an overweight cat so I know how you feel, including the poo issue lol. But since I've been feeding him light/hairball control food I've noticed his belly isn't as big anymore and he is more active now. I can't keep up lol.
Take care and you too have a wonderful day.  :)

[Deanabean]

Thank you for everything!

This really helps, Mixi is very grumpy allot, probably because the other cat's get more lap attention just because they are smaller. We try to equally spread the love...but you know how that can be? Some snub you, and other are like "I'll take their place" lol

Will absolutely try switching the food and separating Mixi when it's feeding time! Yes, bathing is kinda out of the question... don't laugh but my husband says she has Booty Dreadlocks! Ok, I had to laugh too... but I have to clean & brush them out & she gets pretty mad, but what can u do! 30 pounds in the tub isn't going to work! maybe a small kittie pool in the yard? Honestly I am laughing at the thought but it could work?

Well I will let you know in a few weeks how the battle of the buldge comes out!


As far as Speckie, there is definently no puss or blood to speak of just little odd scratches kinda like splinter shapes? She is a very protective cat, so I think after the constant little battles with Mixi's attitude she feels like she's always on guard?

I will have to have her spayed, 2 of the 5 females are not spayed  Mixi & Poopie are the only Fixed girls. So maybe just to be safe I can take her to the vet & see what they think about her scratches and skinniness prior to the spaying?

Thanks again!
Have a wonderful day!
Deana

[PrettyKitty1]

Hi,

I'll start with the skinny fella. Do you mind telling me how the scabs look? It could be your kitties, skinny and fatty, were in a fight and skinny got scratched big time in her tummy and now it is healing. If they're indoors, it is most likely a fight, not fleas. If the scab is not draining blood or puss or anything like that and it is just normal color I wouldn't worry that much. I would pour some hydrogen peroxide in that area. She should be fine. If she doesn't get better and you see puss and blood coming out, then take her to the vet. How skinny is she? You might be freaking out because in comparison to fatty she looks too skinny when in fact she is healthy and fine. I know, I only see my cat as a bigger kitty when I'm at the vet and he is next to other cats. When he is in the house he looks normal size to me. If you are too worried that Speckie is too skinny due to parasites then take her to the vet.  If she is super skinny then and already spayed then try looking into other possible health issues. Have your vet tell you what could be wrong with her.

About fatty....my vet told me Abby needed to lose 2 lbs as well. During feeding time you are going to have to put fatty in a room, reduce the amount of food you give her and feed her...how old is she? You could feed her twice a day but if she is 7+ years I would feed her only once. Change her to light food and try switching her to a diet that's lower in carbs. Dry foods, unfortunately are high in carbs. If you feed her little by little during the day you may see her grooming problems are solved. I had the sme issue. My cat still can't clean himself back there. He would hang out around the house with big chuncks of stool stuck in his hair...I know....disgusting, and like fatty, he also hates to be touched back there. I changed his food to light. I feed him Science Diet and it is working perfectly. I feed him 2ice a day and not a lot of food. Now cleaning the litter box is easier and faster and I don't have to clean it 3 times a day. Try putting her in a room with her own food. Try to get her used to this regimen of being in one room by herself. When she is done eating she'll let you know. Shut the door and don't let her in until it is time for the second round.
Place the food bowls of your other cats in a separate area where Mixi can't reach. Try feeding them all, including Mixi, at the same time but in different places, and always keep the water bowl available.