My cat is over wieght.......?

Question

what can I do to get my kitty healthy?

Answer 1

try and keep him/her active and talk to your vet about the best food for your cat. depending on age it will need different nutrients so talk to the vet first, they can also give you tips on how much to feed your cat. good luck. chubby cats are so cuddly and sweet but we do want them to be healthy above all!

Answer 2

You've come to the right place! I have been dealing with the same issue, and thanks to the helpful people in Cats, I found the solution.

In short, don't leave food out all day - choose the total amount of food your cat will get, and split that into at least twice daily feedings. More feedings per day is fine as well, just don't give more than their daily allowance.

If you're feeding dry food, switch to canned. Dry food is chock full of carbs, which carnivorous cats do NOT need and which contributes to weight issue, among other things.

Feed a good quality canned food, the kind you can only get in stores. See the link below for some of the very best. These brands have little or no grains in them (grains=carbs) and most of them use human-grade ingredients. In a pinch, you could probably snack on them!

The average cat could eat a full can (5.5-6oz) of good canned food per day and still lose weight.

You must be very careful not to let your cat lose weight too quickly. Cats are subject to something called hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) which can occur if they're not eating enough or going too long between meals (24-36 hours). I believe a safe amount to lose is something like 1 pound per month, but it varies depending on how much the cat currently weighs.

Like I said, I'm going through this myself. I switched Poppy to Natural Balance Venison & Green Pea (after a two-week period of trial and error) back in October, and I'm sure she's lost weight. There have been other improvements as well!

Answer 3

My cats eat quality canned meat and the three males are all at a healthy weight (I exercise, my cats don't) - 11-12 lbs. I do believe that cats on a quality meat diet do not gain excess weight. Carbohydrates (corn and other fillers) are not really good nutrition for cats who are obligate carnivores.

That is NOT cheap grocery store canned foods (even Science Diet which is not cheap). I use Wellness, Natural Balance, Lick Your Chops, Avoderm and also a raw meat diet I prepare from organic chicken and organic turkey.

I think you will see your kitty drop some extra pounds, have a much better coat and more vitality if you will use quality meat protein for its food.

So your cat does not need to diet and feel deprived. One 5.5 oz can of quality meat is enough to satsify hunger and nourish your cat appropriately.

Answer 4

I am glad that you are wiling to take steps to get your cat at a healthier weight. Steps you can implement immediately:

1. If you are free-feeding (leaving food out for the cat all day), you need to stop. Free choice feeding has probably been the biggest single factor contributing to feline obesity. Instead, you should feed your cat 3 to 4 small meals each day.

2. Get rid of the dry cat food. Dry pet food must have higher levels of flour and sugar than canned foods so that the kibble will stay uniform and not fall apart. Unfortunately, especially with dry diets, because of the metabolic biochemistry that converts the high carbohydrate content in almost all of today’s commercial cat foods into stored fat, the cat is really at risk for weight gain.

3. Feed your cat a diet with high percentages of protein and fat and low percentages of carbohydrate (grains). Protein is THE key nutrient in a carnivore diet. Find a high quality wet canned cat food that yeilds high protein and as little carbs as possible. There are several weight management brands of cat food available in pet stores and at the vet. I use Iams Weight Management for my (once fat) kitty. He is in almost ideal weight now - just a pound to go!

4. Minimize cat treats - once or twice a week a most.

5. Do not give table scraps.

6. Encourage kitty to exercise: walking, playing, running - heck, even batting a feather teaser helps to burn calories!

7. Getting an obese cat to lose weight needs to be done gradually… no crash diets allowed! Cats have a unique metabolic response to fasting and whenever a feline’s food intake is rapidly and markedly depressed, a serious and potentially fatal disorder can occur called Hepatic Lipidosis.

8. BEFORE you embark on a diet for your cat, it wil be a very good idea to have a vet check him out, weigh him and suggest the target weight the cat should aim at. The vet can also help you device a proper weight loss program.

In sum, to get a fat kitty to lose weight:

1.) Have a thorough physical exam, lab tests, and accurate weigh recorded. Be sure to rule out hypothyroidism or other metabolic disorders.
2.) Feed less food than you have been
3.) Feed foods high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrate
4.) Feed small portions at intervals (2x to 4x per day) rather than continuous free access/ free choice
5.) Increase the cat’s activity/exercise by enriching the cat’s environment
6.) Reweigh the cat at three to four week intervals to assess your weight loss diet’s progress
7.) Reconsider the total daily amount fed if weight gain or no weight loss is noted
8.) Once the cat is at an idea weight, adjust the total amount fed so that the cat’s body weight remains stable.

Answer 5

Cut back on the treats, cut back on the food and get him more exercise... Same as anyone or anything else.. Less calories, and more exercise. Check your food, if it's not a quality food, that might be part of the problem.

Answer 6

Feed it at certain times, and then take away the dish until the next "certain time" comes. Don't let it eat whenever s/he wants.

Answer 7

Dieting. Unforiunatley, its the only way.

Answer 8

LISTEN TO ME IF YOU DON'T PUT YOUR CAT ON A DIET IT WILL DIE. IT HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND'S CAT