how do u get a fat lazy cat to lose weight???

Question

i have a tabby cat and he weighs about 20 or 21 pounds. we wanna make him weigh at least 16-14 pounds or somthin. he hardly plays bc he doesnt have anyone to play with since i am at school the whole day and everyone else is at work. i play with him wen i get bak from school sometimes like at 3 or 3:30 but its not for long bc sometimes he just doesnt wanna play anymore. i want him to be more active. he also eats alot altho we've been cutting down how much food we give him and we're gonna buy him diet food next week. but i also want him to be more active so wat can i do to get him play more by himself during the day while no one is home?? or to make him lose some weight at least. thnx!!!!

serious answers only plz. not answers like the ones fruit salad (which seems to have the mind of a fruit salad) and''tohelpyouandyou''

i buy him toys sometimes but he gets bored with them after a while. and i cant get another cat for 2 reasons. 1. the owner only lets me keep 1 cat. and 2. my cat is VERY jealous. if we were to get another pet, he would think we're gonna pay more attention to that animal instead (which isnt true) so if i bought another cat or kitten especially he would probably try to maybe bully it (like he did to 2 other cats wen he lived somewhere else) or hurt it. so i cant buy him another cat to play with...

Answer 1

Hi there...generally, it's first recommended to discuss an appropriate weight loss guideline with your vet. Sudden changes in dietary requirements can be distressing to a cat and could contribute to other health problems. Cats who have dramatic caloric intake can suffer from something called fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis) which shuts the liver down and is fatal. Therefore, before beginning any weight loss plan, please be sure to get approval from the vet to make sure this will not cause any other un-necessary health problems for your cat. Some cats can be overweight as a result of thyroid problems so this should be checked as well.

In the wild, animals will naturally eat what they need and no more. The task of searching for food and other basic necessities involves lots of exercise and so wild animals remain naturally fit and healthy.

The food available to them in their natural habitat is perfectly designed to meet their needs in an environment that has not been tampered with.

Domestic animals are provided with food which they do not have to hunt for and which is not always suited for their bodies. Cats who are free fed as well as given table scraps are more noted to have obesity problems because they eat out of boredom. In addition, they are often exposed to a lifestyle which contributes to sluggish metabolism, underactive thyroids and livers which are not able to remove toxins or eliminate unwanted fat from their bodies.

Most commercial grade cat foods contain corn, corn meal which are fillers (carbohydrates) that bind the dry food together as a way of keeping foods lasting longer. Try finding cat food products which are devoid of these ingedients. The first ingredients should show chicken, chicken meal, etc. Most show the first ingredients as corn on the ingredient labels. IAMs, Science Diet, Purina, Whiskas, Friskies ...all have corn listed as the main ingredient. Cats who eat these tend to always feel hungry because the carbs don't metabolize fast enough and cats are obligate carnivores so they need a diet devoid of these types of carbs. Products such as Innova EVO, Nature's Variety Prairie, James Wellbeloved (UK), are premium brands. Most cats who eat these find that they do not eat to eat as much because their appetite is better satiated.

Additionally, it's important to schedule feed a cat so you can monitor servings taken in during the day. Each product lists the recommended servings based on a age and weight. For an overweight cat you would be reducing the intake gradually by 10% each week that the vet recommends is an appropriate caloric intake. Cats who are switched from a free-fed diet shoudl be fed multiple times a day (if permittable) such as once in the morning, mid-day, and then evening before your bedtime.

When switching to a new brand of cat food it is also important to note that sudden changes can cause sever bowel distress. Cats have very sensitive digestive systems so the quick change will cause bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting. Any vet can confirm this fact. Cat food should be changed gradually by mixing the current brand with the new brand over the course of several weeks. For example you would take 3/4 servings of the old cat food to 1/4 servings with the new for one week...then the next week 1/2 to 1/2...then following 1/4 of the old to 3/4 of the new in the third week before completing the switch in the final week.

Furthermore, some cats can take off the weight faster by feeding a canned food diet. For some reason the hydration in the canned products helps metabolize food better and are also completely devoid of carbohydrates, which is more optimal for the feline's body. When cats eat raw meat in the wild they get hydration from the fresh meat juices as well as some roughage from the animals who are natural herbivores. A mixture of canned and dry are always best for cats in the long-term, which many people are unaware of. We are have been exposed to so many commercial ads regarding dry food for cats, but in reality it's the manufacturer's who benefit rather than the cats. Cats are not naturally designed to eat dry--the products were designed for convenience for the owner.

Here's an article about commercial cat food; dry vs. canned, proper nutritional needs, etc: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family/cat-food/fullstory.html

Finally, most cats become bored with toys quickly. It's important to rotate them by hiding them and then bringing them back out again so the appear to be like new toys. Interactive toys are the best ones to use to get a cat moving such as a laser light. Most cats love chasing the light. The goal is to get the cat to move back and forth at least for 5 minutes to begin as some tire more easily than others especially if they are overweight. You can increase play time more if they enjoy it. Some cats love chasing feather teasers tied on a string too. Experiment to what gets your cat moving. Just please remember most overweight cats tire easily so keep the sessions short and fun. Interactive toys are the best ways to get your cat to exercise rather than leaving toys for them to play with. They only bat at those and really don't move enough. Not only does the interactive toys work better, but it's a bonding experience for both of you as well.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

All I can suggest beyond getting a cat for him to play with (not sure how you feel about a second animal...if it is even possible) is to leave plenty of toys around. Make sure there is a variety, different shapes, sizes, ones that make noise (bells or even some are designed to crinkle like a plastic bag), and perhaps some that are on the top of the scratching post that are on a spring so it sways back and forth. Encourage him to play with them while you are around and he may get more interested in him when you are away for the day. Howerver, cats are kinda lazy and are big sleepers to begin with, so the diet change is a great start. Good luck!

Answer 4

Change in food to a less caloric is good, but change it slowly as he may get diarrhea. A laser pointer is a great hit at my house, all 4 of my cats really enjoy it, and I don't have to do a lot to entertain them. Also I have a child's fishing pole that I have put a catnip toy on that they like as well, I call it going cat fishing. I cast the line and the cats go after it happily. Make sure you check with your vet to assure there is no medical reason for his weight before changing his diet, the exercise is always fine.

Answer 5

I'm guessing you go to the vet to know the weight and have a target weight for your cat. So you should also ask the vet how to help the cat lose weight, that way it's done properly and the cat's health isn't compromised.
Cutting down food for cats seems weird to me, as I've never had a cat over eat, and we've always just left their food out for them to eat when they wanted to. But if you think your cat has a weight problem and his behaviour has changed "he just doesn't wanna play anymore" - It really seems like you should talk to your vet about this and make sure something isn't wrong.
good luck to you and to kitty :)

Answer 6

I've tried many diets and couldn't make anything work. Since having my first child, I've been carrying around an extra 30 pounds. This diet just made sense and showed me that everything I was doing before was wrong and a waste of my time.

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Answer 7

First, a good vet check-up is in order. Ask vet if there is a prescription food you could give your cat and feed him the amount the vet suggests. Then the next part is fun PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY when ever you have time and don't give up until he's played a while with you so you can keep track of how much activity he gets. I knew of a very large cat who loss weight slowly and is more happy now he gets around easier.

Answer 8

Get another cat, they will keep each other occupied. Then only feed the cat 3/4 cups of food twice daily, that is all an adult cat like yours needs to eat in order to stay healthy an lose weight.

Answer 9

Bring a new little kitten into the house. He'll be so busy keeping an eye on the new guy, that he'll get a lot more exercise by default.

And, yes, you really must put him on smaller portions of diet food. You should never indulge him with "treats" just because YOU feel guilty for neglecting him!

Answer 10

diet and keep playing with him buy him him some toys that he could chase, also my cat was overweight so i used to buy him diet treats and put them on a small remote control car so he would chase it but don't over do it , also when i got another cat of the opposite sex he was very happy to run about with the other cat so this could be an idea but just make sure the cat is spade you don't want lots of kitty's lol

Answer 11

Cut down its food amount per day, and try playing with him they love stings). Also, it may sound weird, but I'm serious: Walk your cat outside. Though, if you're afraid of your cat getting too drawn to the outside, or you want them to be an indoor cat, then don't do this. But try the string thing and the less food thing.

P.S. The string thing will help lose the laziness