Expert: KC - 4/2/2008

Question
QUESTION: hello KC thanks a lot for all the info you have posted online - i browsed through most of your answers, which were highly informative.

on christmas i left my 9 months old cat to the care of friends for 3 weeks, during which they overfed him by far.
i came back to find an almost obese cat. i followed your advice concerning the qty of food needed and the quality of food [i shifted to wellness]. my cat lost weight and went back to normal, and looks much healther, more energetic, and has a gorgeous glossy fur. however he still has that extra belly skin - is there a way to make it go away?

ANSWER: Hi there!  First off, kudos on changing your cat's diet and controlling his weight!  In doing that you have greatly decreased his chance of developing feline diabetes, among many other problems!  It's incredibly wonderful that you noticed it and changed it while he is still young...as you'll see the benefits of it throughout his life.  You'll also continue to notice a wonderfully healthy coat, less shedding, he'll be less likely to develop dental problems, ...the list goes on.  Regarding the belly skin...I'm sorry to say that it probably isn't going to go away.  Many cats, I'd say the vast majority of them, especially females after being spayed, develop some degree of a belly flap.  If a cat has not been spayed or neutered, I believe them less likely to develop or retain this loose skin.  I say this strictly from experience...for some reason it's more commonly seen in cats after neutering which could very well be directly related to the fact that most put on quite a bit of extra weight after being neutered...as they have matured, are not as energetic, have a slower metabolism, etc.  With all of these factors, most owners over feed anyway and thus the cat usually gains a lot of weight over a short period of time and suffers from weight problems the rest of their life.  Seeing as he's only nine months old, and if he was neutered I'm assuming that it wasn't until 6 months of age or later, I'd say you have a decent chance of getting him to lose the excess skin...or at least decreasing it.  If he lost the weight quickly it will take time for the skin to regain elasticity and shrink back up.  His age and activity level are greatly in your favor.  Just encourage him to play and be active.  However, if he retains the skin don't be alarmed...after all, it's only cosmetic.  Also keep in mind that at only 9 months he does still have a bit of growing and filling out left to do.  He's probably going to get a little bit more muscular and stocky, which will also minimize the skin.
Best of luck with your cat, and again, congrats on changing his diet!  You also might want to try the Nature's Variety foods...including the frozen raw...all of my cats simply love it.  At 9 months he should still be young enough to transition to a raw without too much trouble.  I feed mine both raw and premium canned.  However, older cats have a heck of a time getting used to it.  Raw foods are excellent and you can safely feed raw chicken and beef...including chicken wings, as the bones do a wonderful job of cleaning teeth.  Just be sure to NEVER feed cooked bones, as these are the bones that splinter and cause problems.  And always, stick to an only twice a day diet.  Two meals per day is perfect for maintaining weight, etc.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks a lot for your info and support
he is exercising as much as possible -
including taking long walks on a harness/leash
i know it sounds silly but he loves it.

one last question - he loves to eat granola bars.

are these good for him [oat n honey] i saw his eating the on i left on my desk.

i have also started raw food. i was doing red meat as he does not seem to like chicken. i will try the wings.

thanks


Answer
Granola bars are loaded with sugars and not a great choice to feed to cats.  If he only has a tiny bite of them, and not often, it's not going to hurt him.  I wouldn't suggest letting him eat them on a daily basis though.  Also keep in mind that not too long after he eats them, due to the blood glucose curve (when the sugar rush wears off), he's probably going to feel like he's hungrier for his dinner earlier in the day...thus it might lead to his begging and making it clear to you that he thinks he's starving.  It's essentially the same in people who eat sugary foods, only amplified more-so in cats who aren't metabolically designed to consume carbohydrates.  This is basically what you see happen in animals who are fed the commercial foods that are loaded in grains.  They are hungry at frequent intervals, end up grazing on kibble all day, and soon end up very over weight with a significantly decreased energy level.  So...if he loves granola bars, it's fine to give him a nibble if you happen to be eating one.  Just don't make it a regular habit on a daily basis :-)
As for the meats...all of my animals prefer beef over chicken.  You can cut chicken into small pieces and add cut up beef to it, thus encouraging them to eat the chicken.  You can also cut it up and package it into small containers (the beef and chicken in a container together) before putting it into the freezer or refridgerator.  This greatly helps with their eating the chicken...as the odor and flavor of the beef is absorbed into it.
Best of luck with your cat!