What to do with a fat cat?

Question

I have a fat cat, and sometimes I worry about him being obese. The thing is, he has been fat ecer since I got him, so does he need to go on some sort of a diet or is he just "big boned"?

Answer 1

It's possible that he could be a breed that tends to be large. Maine Coons, for example, can get HUGE. But if he truly is fat then he should lose weight. What a lot of people don't realize is that, often times, the problem with "fat cats" is NOT how much the cat eats but rather WHAT the cat eats. Most commercial pet food (regardless of whether it's generic, grocery, or premium) is full of corn, which is of no nutritional value to cats and loaded with carbohydrates. Overloading a cat on carbs will fatten him/her up just as it will a human.

This is what I recommend:

25-50% of your kitty's diet should consist of meat. The bigger your kitty, the more meat he should eat. I suggest boiling boneless chicken until it's cooked medium (pink). Serve the broth to kitty as well. Many cats do well on raw meats, but don't switch kitty to raw immediately. If you do it, it should be done gradually.

Commercial foods should consist of no more than 25% of kitty's diet. A superior diet doesn't include ANY commercial food, but we all know that sometimes we're in a pinch for time and sometimes need something quick to toss in kitty's bowl.
This is okay as long as commercial foods are kept to a minimum. When buying commercial foods, check the ingredients. Don't buy anything that lists corn as the first ingredient. This always means that corn is the primary ingredient. Look for foods that list meat or poultry as the first ingredient.

Leave grains out if at all possible, with the exception of white rice. White rice can help with digestive problems, but use it sparingly. Veggies should be routinely added to kitty's diet. Of the veggies, include broccoli, carrots, leafy greens, and peas. But be sure to shred/chop and cook.
It's not necessary to feed all of the above veggies every day. You can feed one or two one day, one or two the next, and so on.

I usually tell people to avoid dairy products since cats are lactose intollerant, but occasionally feeding yogurt and cottage cheese (very sparingly) won't hurt and can sometimes help with an upset tummy.

And, while it's best to avoid feeding too many carbohydrates, cooked and mashed sweet potato occasionally fed in small portions is okay if your kitty likes it.

Eggs are a great source of protein and can be fed cooked or raw, but try not to feed eggs more than twice per week (especially if fed raw).

But remember, sudden changes in diet can cause any number of problems. So "ween" kitty onto his new diet by mixing the ''new'' food with the food he is accustomed to and gradually increasing the amount of ''new'' food, and decreasing the amount of ''old'' food, with time as you notice positive changes.

Answer 2

Fat Cats.

Answer 3

LOL - I call Poppy big boned! And she is - but she's also overweight.

You should put him on a diet - it doesn't matter how long he's been overweight - it's not good and will eventually lead to problems such as diabetes, not to mention that being fat is no fun.

It's not actually all that hard. You don't have to restrict intake (much) and you don't have to buy special diet foods.

All you really need to do is gradually change his diet to a good quality canned food. You can feed around 1 can (6oz) per day and your cat will lose weight.

Answer 4

I have an overweight kitty, too. I have started him on a high protein, low carb food (Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix), and also adopted a second cat that's about his age for a play buddy. They chase each other around, so he's much more active than he was.

I am hoping these two things will help mine.

Most of the in-store brands of food have too much carbohydrate, which isn't good for inactive or less active cats.

Answer 5

My kitties are a little plump too. I've begun to feed them meals instead of free-feeding them. After about a week they get used to less food, are awake a lot more, and play a lot more so they're getting more exercise. They look great! Also call the vet to see how much he should weigh. Weigh yourself then weigh yourself holding the cat and the difference will be his actual weight.

Answer 6

Big boned, that made me laugh. It reminds me of south park, where cartman gets called fat a**. And he says, Im not fat, im just big boned. (lol) Sorry. Anyways, you can try putting him on a cat food for over weight cats to help mantain his weight or give your vet a call and ask him about what to do. Good luck!!

Answer 7

''Big boned'' I love it! That made me laugh. hee-hee
Do you leave his food out at night? I had a fat cat too and the Vet told me to remove her food at night so she wouldn't keep snacking. I saw results within a few weeks. You might want to check with your Vet first though, or maybe he's just ''big boned'' as you said. :)

Answer 8

Yeah, watch how much you give him. And try to play with him more than usual to get him to exercise. I saw this on tv, except their cat was humongous. It lost weight very quickly by just changing their old habits.

Answer 9

Moderate the amount of food you give your cat,and use ones with special dieting proteins to help your cat.If your cat remains his size,consult your vet for suggestions.

Answer 10

Try cutting his food portions down or feeding him less. If you feed him twice a day make it once. Leave proportioned amounts of dry food (leave lots of water also) out.
check with vet.