Overweight Cymric Kitten Food Advice

A kitten who's already carrying extra weight at five months despite being active — that's a genuinely tricky situation, and it tells me the issue is likely caloric density rather than lifestyle. Kittens have very different nutritional needs from adult cats: they need higher protein, more calories than adults per kilogram of body weight, and specific nutrients for bone and muscle development. But there's a real balancing act when a kitten is already overweight, because simply slashing calories risks shortchanging their growth. Before I point you in the right direction, can you tell me: how old exactly is your Cymric, what are you feeding them right now, and has your vet confirmed the weight concern or given you a target weight to aim for?

That's really helpful, thank you. Cymrics are fascinating — they're a naturally stocky, muscular breed, so some of what you're seeing may partly be build rather than pure fat, but the vet's concern is worth taking seriously. The tricky thing with supermarket wet food plus free-form dry kibble is that the caloric content can vary wildly and it's easy to overfeed without realising, especially with dry food where the energy density is high. I'd actually steer away from just reducing portions of what he's on, because at five months he still has significant growing to do — bones, joints, and that big Cymric frame all need proper support. What you want is a food that's nutritionally complete for kittens but precisely formulated so you can feed the right amount without overshooting on calories. Can I ask — are you open to moving to a breed-appropriate or controlled-calorie kitten food, or are you keen to stick with a wet-only approach?

That's exactly the right instinct, and the good news is you can absolutely thread that needle. My recommendation is Royal Canin Mother & Babycat or, given he's five months and past the very early stage, Royal Canin Kitten — specifically the dry version with precise portion guidance on the bag. But actually for your situation, I'd go with Royal Canin Kitten Instinctive wet pouches as your primary food, measured carefully by weight. Here's why: the wet format has significantly lower caloric density than dry kibble, so you can feed a satisfying volume without the calorie overload — which is often the root cause of early weight gain in kittens on mixed dry diets. Royal Canin Kitten Instinctive is also nutritionally complete for kittens up to 12 months, with the right protein levels and nutrients for skeletal and muscle development, which matters a lot for a sturdy breed like the Cymric. You feed by the pouch-per-day guide on the pack adjusted for his current weight, which gives you real control. It's widely available on Amazon UK and is one of the most consistent kitten foods on the market for predictable results.

I'd cut the dry food out for now, at least until his weight stabilises. Dry kibble is very calorie-dense and easy to over-serve — it's almost certainly what's been tipping the balance given how active he is otherwise. Once you've had a follow-up weigh-in with the vet in four to six weeks and his weight is tracking better, you could reintroduce a small amount of dry as maybe 20% of his diet if you want variety, but measure it by weight on a kitchen scale rather than by volume. For now, going wet-only with the Royal Canin Kitten Instinctive pouches and following the feeding guide closely gives you the clearest view of what he's actually consuming — and the most straightforward way to adjust if needed.

You're doing exactly the right thing by catching this early — five months is a great time to course-correct before habits and weight set in for the long term. Stick to the portion guide, keep up with the vet weigh-ins, and trust that all that zooming around is a really good sign. A healthy, active Cymric with good nutrition behind him is going to thrive. Good luck with him — he sounds brilliant.