Millie has always been quite a large cat - but she now looks barrel-like so I need to do something about it.

I took her to the vet earlier today to get her checked over as she is 13 and I wanted to make sure her plumpness is just that - and nothing sinister. She needs a dental and has been booked in for after payday as it will cost £170 ish and the vet said she is in no pain so it is OK for her to wait. Apart from her teeth the vet assured me she is healthy - just overweight. Given her age she recommended I didn't do anything drastic.

As well as Millie I have Mogling and Mischief - her Mum and sister. Both are plump but not seriously so - just a bit of middle age spread. The vet isn't concerned about either of them weightwise. I also have Tigger (my only male who disappears for a couple of days at a time) who is underweight and Tabitha who has only recently stopped feeding her kittens and is also underweight. And then I have three 16 week old kittens. All my cats are moggies - not a pedigree amongst them

Feeding time is going to be a nightmare!!!

I work more than full-time so can't be here to watch who eats what. The cats (apart from the kittens) all go out so aren't all around when I feed them. I usually leave wet and dry food down and just top it up when it disappears so that there is always food available when Tigger comes home (he wanders a lot). I can see why Millie has got fat and feel guilty - as I realise over-feeding is a form of abuse.

The vet suggested I feed wet food only when I am in so I can monitor who eats it and then leave dry down (which I do anyway). Millie doesn't like dry food so the vet thinks she will only eat it if she is really hungry.

The kittens are fed separately - I come home two or three times during the day to check on all the animals (I have bunnies too) - so Millie doesn't have access to kitten food.

I did think I may start seeing if Millie will eat some raw chicken to help her teeth but then read somewhere (I think it was in one of Alan's posts) that his moggies have put on weight since he started feeding raw, so that could exacerbate the problem.

All my cats are active and go out in the garden and even the older ones still chase each other and play so they are getting exercise.

I will try and do as the vet suggested and just keep an eye on Tigger and Tabitha and make sure they are not losing weight. I just thought I'd post here to see if anyone had any other suggestions or advice for me. I really do try to be a good slave - although I know having an overweight cat contradicts that.