I Have a Chubby Sphynx - Help!

[sailormoonsault]

Hey everyone! I have a sphynx that I rescued from a really bad home situation about a year ago, he is now 2. The diet he grew up with wasn't the proper one for his breed so when I got him he was kind of overweight because he was eating non-stop and his digestive system was all messed up. He's been on the proper protein and fiber rich food for awhile now but his weight doesn't seem to be getting any better. In fact, it seems to almost be worse - he's 13 pounds and definitely looks it. I do not free feed him and give him the amount that I am supposed to so I'm thinking maybe it's exercise? The problem is that he is VERY picky with toys. He gets bored fast and doesn't care for catnip, kickers or lasers (He actually will sit there and stare at me when I'm using a laser as if to say - I'm not an idiot) Currently he really really likes the plastic springs you can get off Chewy (only the blue and red ones though) but who knows how long before he'll tire of them and they don't keep him occupied for long. Any toy suggestions? He's tired of the crinkle balls and caged bell balls.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Kudos to you for knowing that getting a cat to the ideal weight and maintaining it is important to overall health. You might want to ask your vet what is the ideal weight to shoot for so you know what to work towards. You might be feeding the suggested amount, but if their metabolism is slower then they need even less. Just like with people 2 can eat the same amount and be 2 different body types etc. We had a boy that was 13 pounds and successfully got him down to 10 pounds by just slowly reducing the amount of food. It is not fun and yes the crying for food can be annoying, but they eventually get into the new groove. Just stick to your goal. I do recommend the toy called DaBird. Most cats love it @sailormoonsault

 

[Sheldon13]

I second DaBird. It’s amazzzing!!!


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[sailormoonsault]

Kudos to you for knowing that getting a cat to the ideal weight and maintaining it is important to overall health. You might want to ask your vet what is the ideal weight to shoot for so you know what to work towards. You might be feeding the suggested amount, but if their metabolism is slower then they need even less. Just like with people 2 can eat the same amount and be 2 different body types etc. We had a boy that was 13 pounds and successfully got him down to 10 pounds by just slowly reducing the amount of food. It is not fun and yes the crying for food can be annoying, but they eventually get into the new groove. Just stick to your goal. I do recommend the toy called DaBird. Most cats love it @sailormoonsault

Thanks so much for the toy advice! He currently loves a long bootlace I gave him but it's hard for me to actively entertain him as I'm at work all day. He loves grippy toys like mesh balls and springs so he can sit on his haunches like a little goblin and gnaw on them.
The vet I take him to in the LA area is a private practice vet (code for very pricey) and she's not used to treating sphynx cats. Her bedside manner is lacking but she's very good. When I first got him he was definitely at a healthier looking weight of about 9 or 10 pounds. The only visible issue regarding his weight atm is that he has a saggy belly. Will that go away if he loses weight?

 

[Catzzzmeow]

I just read your other post about cleaning their butt and you think it might be they are a bit to chunky to clean thoroughly. I didn’t want to sound “catty” if I commented on the best thing to do is to get them to their ideal weight LOL. But working on getting that weight down will do wonders. Our one boy definitely lost his fat around the belly area. The breed naturally tends to have the bit of a belly (primordial pouch) but it should not be thick from fat. It might be a bit jiggly after losing the weight, but you would be surprised how it really tightens up quite a bit. @sailormoonsault

 

[Yana and Osiris]

I just read your other post about cleaning their butt and you think it might be they are a bit to chunky to clean thoroughly. I didn’t want to sound “catty” if I commented on the best thing to do is to get them to their ideal weight LOL. But working on getting that weight down will do wonders. Our one boy definitely lost his fat around the belly area. The breed naturally tends to have the bit of a belly (primordial pouch) but it should not be thick from fat. It might be a bit jiggly after losing the weight, but you would be surprised how it really tightens up quite a bit. @sailormoonsault

Just curious, do they have hanging skin after weight loss?

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Just like with people it depends on how overweight they are to start. If the skin stretches a huge amount, then there would be more skin to hang and not bounce back. If mildly overweight it would be a minimum amount if at all.

 

[Yana and Osiris]

Just like with people it depends on how overweight they are to start. If the skin stretches a huge amount, then there would be more skin to hang and not bounce back. If mildly overweight it would be a minimum amount if at all.

Oh good to know. Wonder if oil massages can help it

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Oh good to know. Wonder if oil massages can help it

Then you are possibly going to have issues with that oil making them dirtier and making their skin unbalanced unfortunately if oil is applied.


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[oolahappi]

Sounds like my boy. He's 12.8 lbs and should be 10.0 lbs. He's not big on toys either, but having a friend to chase and wrestle with helps. I also encourage him to get on his wheel (one fast cat) and give lots of praise when he runs. If you can't get a wheel, most cats love chasing ribbons or string - you just need to find the texture and thickness they prefer.