Hacker News Reader

When it comes to dry food, many cats do stop when they've had enough. My cat is given 1 cat of wet food a day and then unlimited dry food, and she's 10 lbs; 9 would be ideal but 10 isn't worth worrying about for a cat her age. My ex's cats are both allowed access to unlimited dry food; one is in a similar position to mine, slightly pudgy but not worryingly so, and the other is perfectly fit.

A dog would eat until it weighed 500 lbs, but some cats will actually pace themselves.

Ah, maybe that's the explanation: we indeed only use dry food.

Mine does. His bowl gets refilled whenever it's empty. He is not fat. He is castrated.

You have an exception, then. Go spend an hour in a vet office lobby and you'll see a parade of obese cats.

Well, my cat hurt herself last year doing some errands in the neighborhood and so we did go to the vet (first time ever in 9 years) -- there were no fat cats there.

I've had this particular cat (my first) for 10 years and she's lean and mean.