The photos don't distort. Neither do the candid comments from my friends. I must face the fact: I have created a fat cat.

Murphy, my youngest at age seven, has always been the athlete among the three felines. She could scale the top landing of the tall cat tree in my office in a single bound, bat a paperwad down the hallway like a fast-moving hockey player does with a puck, and race up and down the stairs without a single huff. But no more.

Kibble by kibble and treat by treat, I have managed to cause Murphy's weight to balloon over the past couple years. Until now, I never gave much attention to the fact that Murphy is always the first to the food bowls in the morning when I add dollops of canned food into the dry kibble. She is the first to seek me out when I am preparing dinner, especially if the main course is fish or chicken. And, she knows how to put on the charm during the day by sweetly posing on the stairs in anticipation of a tasty snack.

Lately, I've noticed that Murphy has perfected the art of napping and lounging. She even ignores the occasional fly or spider that enters my home. Instead of giving chase, she lazily lifts her head, acknowledges them, and returns to snoozing.

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I checked old veterinary records and was shocked to discover that Murphy weighed 11 pounds three years ago and now waddles in at 15 pounds. Four pounds may not seem significant on a person, but that represents a huge — and unhealthy gain on a cat.

Ironically, my dog, Chipper, is fit and at an ideal weight. That's because I do powerwalks with her daily and participate in an agility class with her. I also pay close attention to the amount of food and treats she eats each day.

What is good for the dog is good for the Murph. The days of "super-sizing" Murphy are over. Overweight cats are at more risk for diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and a host of other conditions. So, I've started a new plan that calls for increasing Murphy's play time and slowly decreasing her food amounts. I am working with my veterinarian because I know the dangers of "crash dieting" that can lead to hepatitic lipidosis, more commonly known as fatty liver disease.

Our goal is to get Murphy to lose no more than a few ounces per week so that the excess weight comes off gradually and doesn't return. I'll keep you informed.

I share this with you Catnip readers with the hope of motivating you to take steps to maintain healthy weights in your cats.

Please share success stories and "before" and "after" photos on how you got your cat from fat back to fit. Send them to me at catnipeditor©tufts.edu. Together, we may inspire others that true feline care and compassion can be calorie-free.

Arden Moore
Editor