my cat needs to lose weight?

Question

ok so i have two cats.one of the cats are way over weight and the other one is just about to be over weight.i feed them in the morning in one bowl and thats it until the next morning i give them about two cups because its two cats.i tried feeding in seperate bowls but it didnt work the other one just ate the other cats food .and they dnt eat right away.they go to it every once in awhile.so i dont want to put one in one room and the other in another because i live in an apartment.and if i put them in seperate rooms they claw the doors open.so any one have ne advice?

Answer 1

Get them both to eat canned food. Feed them twice per day in separate bowls. You could feed each of them 1/2 of a can in the morning and another 1/2 each at night (two cans per day total). That should keep them satisfied and they will still lose weight.

If one is a nibbler and one is a hog, you could give them each 1/4 at a time. After a few minutes give them the other 1/4 each. For instance, give them some food, hop in the shower, and give them the rest when you get out. This is what I do to ensure that Poppy doesn't hog all of Sophie's food and that she has a chance to actually eat!

From my blog:
In a nutshell, most cats are fat because they've been fed too much (free-feeding or indulging them) and because they're fed dry food which is NOT appropriate food for them due to the grain/carb/sugar content. Cats are obligate carnivores who need to eat a high meat-based protein diet, which is also high in fats and low in carbs.

Many vets, who are sadly ignorant on the topic of proper cat nutrition, will recommend prescription diet foods (usually dry). Cats are expected to lose weight on a starvation diet of 1/4 or 1/3 cup of food per day. Everyone is miserable in these situations.

The solution is to switch the fat cat (and any others in the household as well) to a good quality canned food. Because these foods are species appropriate, the cat will lose weight at a safe, slow pace (no more than 1 pound per month). Switching foods needs to occur slowly, and if you're trying to get a kibble junkie to eat canned food, that will happen naturally.

That's it. Easy as pie. Not only will fat cats lose weight, but it and any others in the home will reap many benefits of eating a speciies appropriate diet.

See the links below for detailed information on this topic.

EDIT: I should tattoo this on my ***: DRY FOOD DOESN'T CLEAN THE TEETH! CANNED FOOD DOESN'T ROT THE TEETH!

Answer 2

Quality of food is just as important as quantity. You need to get these cats a decent brand of food - any cat that is prone to overweight (as yours both obviously are) are not going to do well on any supermarket brands, like Fancy Feast, Felix or Meow Mix, that kind of thing.

Cat's average weight is 3.5-4.5kg (7.7-8.8lb). You need to check the feeding guide on whatever food you buy, and make sure you feed the cat's the right daily amount for the weight you want them to be, not the weight they are. You might want a vet to run an eye over the cats so they can tell you what their ideal weight is.

I recommend Hills food, especially the diet food r/d, it's excellent for weight loss. You can only get it from a vets. Royal Canin is also good food - Iams and Eukanuba aren't bad, and about the only decent brands you can get from supermarkets.

Goes without saying you should try to get your cat's to exercise as much as possible - get a laser pen, most cat's can't resist it! Put their food up on levels so they have to jump to get it.

Feel free to email me if you need further help, I'm a vet nurse and I run weight loss clinics at my surgery and have had good success!

Some of the above answers are full of misunderstanding. Dry foods can be fine for weight loss SO LONG AS it's a high quality dry food. Decent quality dry foods do not contain sugar. If you're going to give your cat Go-Cat biscuits only, then of course this will be fattening. Proper dry diet food are good for weight loss because they tend to have a high fibre content, which fills animals up nicely.

Decent quality foods can be just as successful fed either the canned or the dry versions. An animal doesn't have to go hungry to lose weight, if you feed the right food.

The only real difference between wet and dry foods of a GOOD BRAND is that the dry foods don't contain much water! Which is why you have to have fresh water next to the food at all times.

Chalice

Answer 3

I will try to keep it simple. Your metabolism is basically the rate at which your body burns calories to create energy. So the faster your metabolism, the faster you burn calories and the easier it is to lose unwanted weight. To boost your metabolism naturally you just need to eat the right foods.

You can sit down and literally eat a 1,000-calorie dinner and yet be absolutely starving just a few hours later and the reason is simple: Because your body didnt get what it needed in those 1,000 calories so it sends signals to your brain telling you to ingest more calories and thus, the late-night cravings. That means that the surest way to end those late-night cravings and keep your weight loss goals on track is to eat a more balanced, nutritious diet that actually gives your body what it needs.

It's VERY EASY to lose weight if you eat the right foods. Check out Dr. Charles Livingston's video here: http://www.sexyjese.com - it will blow your mind.

Answer 4

I have never fed canned foods to my cats or dogs....I find the extra expense of teeth cleaning a teeth problems due to the canned food a problem. Not to mention the stink of canned food, their breath also stinks, as does the water like diarrhea waste products (poop) in the littler boxes!
Science Diet has a diet DRY food that is lower in the so called carbs the other poster mentioned....but...
Having had a fat cat...I found that feeding her a short handful when she asked for it the way to go....she has gone from 19 pounds to 13 pounds over the last few months....
I fed her the IAMS multicat formula....I have fed IAMS DRY food to my dogs and cats for the last 22 YEARS with absolutely no urinary or dental problems. And yes they are spayed and neutered.
In fact the only time I ever had dietary problems with urinary tract infections was when I fed canned food or Purina, Friskies, and the likes, garbage products.
I personally have NEVER heard a veterinarian advocating the use of the canned foods for dogs and cats because of protein problems....if the animal needs soft food I will soak the kibbles in water but canned food no I won't feed canned food. Fresh food, raw chicken & fish, yes I will feed that as treats....about once a week.
Feeding your cats small amounts and often...(of quality DRY food) to where they will clean up the tablespoon or two of kibbles at a time and encougaging them to play with toys (laser lights work great) until they are tired (takes about 20 minutes out of your day) will result in weight loss for your kitties.

Answer 5

You need to limit the food you give and try a weight loss/weight control food. And make sure they get some form of excercise too so they burn calories. I suggest getting a pen laser light (from like Target for like $10 in the stationary aisle). My cats love the laser light.

Answer 6

Sorry, I disagree with Chalice, Hills dry foods are full of things cats do not need and RD is definitely low quality.

Cats are carnivores. Period. They do not need dry food that is full of grains and fillers.

For more information, see the links below

Answer 7

take a break from mayo with mustard

Answer 8

edamame soy beans are a great low cost snack look for them in the frozen foods section

Answer 9

stay busy you dont want to eat just because you re bored

Answer 10

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