‘Who Ya Callin’ Chubby?!’ Buddy Goes On A Diet (Again)

Buddy losing his normally meowscular and ripped physique is my fault.

Ruh roh! It’s diet time again.

The meowing protests have begun.

Buddy has noticed his dry food tastes a little bit different, and he’s not happy. And while he may not be good with numbers, he strongly suspects his snack allocations are a little light.

He’s right.

Good boy has become fat boy, and that’s my fault and my responsibility.

When you love your cat, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that giving in all the time is an expression of love.

Cats are pros at insistence, especially when it comes to food. When Buddy stands in front of the treat cabinet and meows mournfully, or when he gives me his sad-eyed stare as if he’s Julius Caesar — “Et tu, Big Bud?” — I’m weak and I fold. Snacks are dispensed.

Fatcat
Chonky cats suffer health problems, reduced mobility and ill-fitting suits. Image: PITB

Yet there’s no denying Bud is plump.

He’s got a belly, and it’s not just his pronounced primordial pouch. His cheeks are starting to fill out. When he loafs, he looks like a gray blob.

He’s also incapable of doing his old door-opening trick, which requires him to jump and momentarily hang from the handle while his feet find purchase on the frame. Shoving off on his hind legs, he would push the handle down while leaning into the door, easing it open.

He’s just too chunky, unable to balance his weight properly to pull it off nowadays.

Most importantly, a chubby Buddy is not a healthy Buddy. That’s my fault.

So it’s back to the diet, and hopefully the little guy can be motivated to move more during play time. If not, well, we’ll have to resort to drastic measures to get him moving. An angry vacuum ought to do it.

12 thoughts on “‘Who Ya Callin’ Chubby?!’ Buddy Goes On A Diet (Again)”

    1. Yeah I give him about half a bowl of dry food before bed so he doesn’t have to wake me up. I’ve stopped filling it during the day and cut back on his snacks.

      You’re right, wet food is not the problem.

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      1. He is food motivated at times but if he eats the blue buffalo treats sometimes he vomits . Vet wasn’t concerned about his weight last time but I am going to bring it up again. He was heavier when he was younger.

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  3. I’m sorry but you made me chuckle!
    Puspus gets huge in winter but right now he is rather skinny as it’s very hot ,I think it’s also his winter fur.
    Bon courage Buddy! you can do it ……..

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  4. Awww bless 🤣

    We’ve had to put one of ours on a diet too – it’s so difficult though when two of our cats are so tiny ( 15 +16 yrs old) and need fattening up!

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    1. So the big one chows down on the food for the other two? Haha. Someone else was just saying that recently, that they have to feed their cats in separate rooms. That sounds like a challenge

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  5. Bella has a vet-prescribed diet as she is easily able to become overweight. We think it’s due to past trauma before she came to us. It is, however, tricky as she is sneaky and will lick anything left lying around ( pretty much anything) or shout at us for treats ( she gets a small few once a week). It’s truly difficult! as the shouting gets louder and more insistent (I am sure Buddy does the same!) She can also go out and feed herself by catching mice. I wish you luck with Buddy on this one, cat servants are not designed to win this battle!!!

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    1. Yeah we’re really at a disadvantage with our furry overlords when it comes to cutting calories. I’m glad Bud is an inept hunter and scared of the outdoors, even if that means he’s useless against rodential invaders.

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  6. Ganmo was on her way to becoming Princess Plumpy, but has slimmed down since we started to use a puzzle feeder for her kibbles (google “cat puzzle feeder digger”). I think that the feeder has slowed down her eating as she has to work to get food out of the feeder. Also, it looks like she is enjoying this little challenge. Maybe worth trying if you haven’t – Buddy might love it 🙂

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    1. I have a “puzzle feeder” that’s like an egg which Bud has to bat around to knock treats loose, but a real puzzle feeder for his kibble is a good idea.

      He eats wet food slowly, coming back to the bowl several times over 10 or 20 minutes, but he does tend to inhale dry food.

      Thanks for the suggestion, and I’m glad your Ganmo is healthy and happy.

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