My cat is fat, but he does a lot of work-out and eats healthy?

Question

Ironically, I am a trainer... just want him to lose some unwanted fat (I know it's cute to look like Garfield) Any suggestion??

Are you serious, raw meat? Is it safe for his stomach? If this works I will give it a try...

...sorry, this has nothing to do with the question... he's so cute I have to go to him now and give him many hugs... ^_^

Oh I see... that's Hills, I know it's good, it's also very expensive

He will die and get VERY VERY upset without his favourite snack...

Treadmill? I think they sell exercise equipment for pets, very very expensive...

....??? YouTube

OMG!!!

It's brilliant! Did he patent this magic weight-loss wheel... ^_^

THANKS to everybody, I am here to send you all the THANKYOU from my cat, I just told him what happened here, and he promised he would do his best to get in shape... ^_^

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) http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1327&articleid=217 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. http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1399&articleid=1155

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/review.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. The exercise wheel is a great product if one can afford it and have the place to keep it around. Here's another one: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1aVLdeIKZuM

Answer 2

Have you had his thyroid checked at the vet by a blood test? If he has hypothyroidism, this is why he has gained so much weight and cannot lose it. It's very possible for cats to get this! I would talk to your vet before going to any great lengths like trying a new diet (raw diet is not good for cats or dogs, ask your vet. The way meat is processed these days can be dangerous to animals as well, it's only safe if they catch the meat themselves and do the kill and even then, it's not guaranteed to be safe - by domesticating animals we have taken away a lot of the natural bacterias that were once so abundant in their digestive tracts to allow them to safely eat raw meat). If the vet gives the all clear, he will better be able to tell you what is best for your particular cat because no one here knows what the ideal weight would be so getting advice here could be dangerous to your cat. Not trying to be a bummer, just hate to see you trust a diet heard on here and have trouble with it. Good luck!

Answer 3

I just read about this in a magazine today! There are pills that the vet can prescribe that curb your kitty's hunger! I don't know if I'd suggest this, but it may be something to bring up with your vet.

Also, if you haven't put your kitty on some diet food and stop feeding him snacks (even though thats a hard habit to break). You can also try feeding your kitty twice a day (once in the morning and once at night) if you have your cat just eating out of his bowl all day. A set meal time might help your kitty too!

I hope your kitty becomes a more healthy kitty!

Answer 4

You can try switching his food to a light food! My cat only likes his Science Diet hairball control light formula and he's still a fatty, so I mixed in another kind to try to get him to not eat so much and he is eating less, he was kinda upset the 1st few day's but he is over it now. He eats less and has been doing this for a week and I feel like he is losing some weight I will weigh him tomorrow to see.

Answer 5

You may want to take him to the vet to see if it is diabetes or hypothyroid. Those diseases (amongst others) can prevent cats from losing weight--regardless of exercise and diet.

Better safe than sorry. You may just be told you have a healthy, chubby cat!

Answer 6

If you go to YouTube you can see this video (reference below) made by Richard Norton, who apparently lives in Norway (?). He built an exercise treadmill wheel for his Bengal cats. It dispenses treats after the cats have made a certain amount or progress. You might consider contacting him.

Answer 7

Dude, come on - ask your vet. A fat cat is a sick cat. Two pounds excess in the kitty world is 20 pounds in the human world.

Put pussn'boots on your treadmill or something.

Answer 8

I KNOW EVERYONE WILL DISAGREE WITH ME.....
I LET MY FAT CAT BE FAT....
SHE LOVES HER FOOD AND I AM NOT GOING TO BE THE ONE TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM HER...
SO SHE MAY NOT LIVE AS LONG... AT LEAST I KNOW SHE WAS HAPPY...
MY VET DID TELL ME HOWEVER...
1. DO NOT GIVER HER KITTY TREATS.. JUST EMPTY CALORIES FOR A CAT
2. STAY AWAY FROM MOIST/ CANNED FOODS.. SAID THEY ARE FULL OF FILLERS AND OFFER NOTHING REAL NUTRIENT RICH FOR THE KITTIES...

.....I STILL FEED MINE HER KITTY TREATS.... DONT TELL.

Answer 9

You should try feeding your kitty "Science Diet Light" it has fewer calories and everything to keep it healthy and to lose unwanted weight .

Answer 10

Cats don't get fat usually if they are on a high-protein, low carb diet (which is their natural diet). So a raw meat diet or a quality canned food diet should keep him trim.

Answer 11

push a grocery cart for 45 minutes