weight loss with 2 cats

[onyxeyes]

ok. my boyfriend's lexy girl weighs almost 10lbs and she's just a tiny built cat. she's about 3 yrs old and all she does is eat and sleep. my cat, onyx is about 10lbs, but is very skinny (he's just a large built cat) and is about 1 yr old. he's very active and tries to get lexy to play, but she won't.

my goal is to help lexy lose some of her body weight and get down to around 6-7lbs, but how do i do that without onyx losing any weight?

i tried limiting the amount of food they get in a day, because i was told cats will ration their food, thus eat less. also i heard it will help their hunting instinct kick in so they are more active. all that accomplished is onyx losing the tiny bit of flab he had and lexy stayed the same.

i don't really have any way to isolate the two of them to give them different kinds of food. i thought about weight control food, but i don't want to risk onyx losing more weight.

any ideas?

[Cat&Dog mom]

When you figure it out could you let me know, my one cat is 20lbs, hense the name Fat Cat, and my other one Cozmo is about 12lbs, large build and does not need to loose weight. good luck.

[Sara_W]

My vet gave me this list for one of my cats and it seems to be working, he's lost a few pounds so far.
Toss her toys for her to chase, wiggle a wand for her to jump up high, or provide a taller cat scratching post for her to climb.
Go for a walk. Show those dogs a thing or two, and take your cat for a walk-even if it's just inside the house. Many cats learn to enjoy walking on a leash, especially if trained while still young. It's a great excuse for you to get more exercise, too.
Ease into shape. Watch how your fat cat handles increased activity. Don't let your cat become exhausted, overheated or out of breath. Also remember that older cats may not be able to exercise vigorously.
Replace treats with praise. When your cat is begging for treats, it could be that she's just begging for your attention. Substitute play, grooming, stroking or conversation for food treats as expressions of love. You can also try catnip as a non-food treat.
Resist those pleas. Is your cat an expert at begging for table scraps? If you find it difficult to ignore those "sad eyes" (or wailing!) at mealtime, keep your feline in a separate room.
Feed cats individually. If you have more than one cat, consider keeping them in separate rooms during their mealtime. This will prevent the greediest cat from overeating, and ensure that slower cats get fed.
Play fetch. Toss dry food kibbles to your cat, one piece at time, to combine exercise with mealtime.
Avoid fiber overload. Many reduced calorie pet foods include increased levels of fiber that can interfere with a pet's ability to absorb and digest nutrients. Food with the proper balance of animal-based protein, fat, carbohydrates and moderately fermentable fiber sources, such as beet pulp, is a healthier choice. Try new Eukanuba® Weight control Formula for Cats-which also has a unique Feline Fat Burner systemª, which promotes health and well-being while helping cats to burn fat and lose or maintain weight successfully.
Smaller meals, more often. As with people, several smaller meals each day vs. one large serving help cats burn more calories. This is through meal-induced thermogenesis-heat produced by the body during digestion, absorption, metabolism and storage of nutrients actually causes more calories to be used.
Tip the scales. A baby scale works great for keeping track of your cat's weight, or alternatively you can take your cat in your arms, step on your own scale and then subtract your weight from the total weight shown to find your cat's weight. Check weight loss progress every two weeks.

[onyxeyes]

hmm....well she doesn't currently eat anything besides her dry food....no treats, etc. i do take my onyx for walks outside, which he loves, but lexy is afraid of the outdoors ( i think something might have happened to her)....so it just scares her to death to be outside. we do play with her as often as she is willing. she has access to stairs and climbing posts...

as far as feeding them differently....i'm not sure how to do that....right now i just limit the amount of food available to them throughout the day, but they can eat at their convenience. while i am home i can observe her eating habits....and she never eats large portions...only a bite or two here and there.

is that eukanuba food ok to give my smaller cat too?

[Levi]

Does the vet feel that the cats are not at the right weight or is a weightloss plan a decision of your own?

[onyxeyes]

the vet commented at lexy's last check up that she wasn't dangerously overweight, but she was definitely chunky. she said i should just work on keeping her weight down so she doesn't become obese as she ages.