| Paw Colors | Points |
|---|---|
| Grey | 0-49 |
| Red | 50-149 |
| Orange | 150-299 |
| Green | 300-599 |
| Magenta | 600-1499 |
| Purple | 1500-4999 |
| Blue | 5000-9999 |
| Brown | 10000-24999 |
| Black | 25000+ |
Help! My cats are too fat and i do not know how to get them to lose weight
Keywords: Fat Cats
Answers to this question
10 Answers
1
What are you feeding?
Chow is very high in carbohydrates which can make for a fat kitty. Canned food is much better for them, preferably a high quality canned food. Limit the cat’s intake with small meals a few times a day as you wean the cat off chow. Forget free feeding in a chow bowl - your cat needs a set diet.
Help kitty get some exercise by playing with him every night. Use a string or plastic bottle cap and play away! Any exercise is great for your kitty. As with humans, it stimulates the metabolism and helps them burn calories and fat.
Comments to Answer
0
My cat refuses to eat can food we give her diet food nothing works !!!!!!!!
0
Cats are all different, just like humans and other animals.
A large built big boned cat will weigh more than a small boned petite cat.
I have big and tall built cats that are a muscular and healthy 19 pounds… and on the other end of the scale I have a teeny tiny boned cat who weighs in at a meer 7 pounds yet she is very healthy too. Based on their individual body structure I could never compare them.
It’s best to assess your cats weight by it’s body condition and not compared to other cats.
Here’s a chart to help you do that…
http://www.purina.com/cats/health/BodyCondition.aspx
0
Once you determine if your cat is overweight, you need to be aware that there is NO such thing as dry “diet” food for cats. Dry foods are filled with carbs that make your cat fat. You can’t make a dry food without carbs, so there are no dry diet foods.
The proper amount to feed per cat/per day should be about 5.5 ounces of wet (high quality grain free canned or Raw Meat/Bones/Organ) food.
The calories in that amount of food are sufficient for most “normal” sized cats. Of course a highly energetic cat will need more food to keep it healthy, and a lazy cat will need less food to keep it from getting obese. But 5.5 ounces of wet food per day is a good place to start.
Here is a fantastic site that will help you help your cat lose weight!
http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesity.htm
0
Cats were never meant to eat dry food, also known as cereals or kibble. We, humans, make them eat it for convenience to us. It has nothing to do with them or their nutritional needs. It’s completely species inappropriate.
All small domestic cats descended from desert cats. In the wild, desert cats derive their entire liquid intake from their prey. They do not have a thirst mechanism because they don’t need it when eating a species appropriate diet. They get all they need from what they eat. Additionally water was usually not available to them in their desert climate. So they do not often drink water. Regular ol’ house cats have descended from those same wild desert cats.
So in a home environment, your kitty does not get the moisture it needs from dry food and it’s almost always in a constant state of dehydration. Water fountains are encouraged to TRY to get your cat to drink more and your kitty may even enjoy it, but it will never meet its water intake needs drinking from a bowl.
Deadly feline illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, obesity, allergies, Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), bladder stones, kidney stones, chronic constipation, urinary tract blockages and Urinary Tract Infections (FLUTD), with and without deadly crystals run rampant these days. Cats are not taking in enough water to stave them off. Proper water intake through a species appropriate diet alone can prevent most of these conditions.
Overall, wet is all around better for any cats diet, be it canned or Raw and they should never be fed dry cereal kibble if we wish to most closely match their wild nutritional and dietary needs. Kibble meets our needs… not our cats.
0
I recommend varying the diet with a constant rotation of accepted canned foods that your cat enjoys. If you do this, and allow your cat the same assortment they would have in nature when eating mice, bugs, birds and rabbits, your cats’ digestive system won’t be so sensitive and you won’t have to run around looking for a specific brand when your store is out. You will have a nice variety to choose from instead.
Canned foods I recommend for your rotation:
Nature’s Variety - http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?r=0829192&page=1172&-session=naturesvariety:D04EC9250c614143FDKiM2BA9520
Wellness Grain Free Formula’s - http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_wellness_can_index.html
By Nature Organics - http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/productpages/catmain.php
Organix - http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/store/organix/organix_organic_canned_formulas_for_cats
Evanger’s Holistic Pheasant - http://www.evangersdogfood.com/cat/20089.html
Evanger’s Organic Braised Chicken - http://www.evangersdogfood.com/cat/50103.html
Evanger’s Turkey & Butternut Squash - http://www.evangersdogfood.com/cat/50111.html
PetGuard Organics - http://www.petguard.com/cat-products/canned-food
Felidae - http://www.canidae.com/cats/cat_and_kitten/canned.html
EVO 95% Meats - http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1662
California Natural - http://www.californianaturalpet.com/
Merrick Canned - http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/canned_cat_food.php
Merrick Before Grain - http://www.beforegrain.com
Natural Balance - http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/catformulas/NB_CatCanned.html
Eagle Pack - http://www.eaglepack.com/Pages/HS_CanCat.html
0
Why do cats get fat? It can be a combination of issues, or just one. First the obvious - overfeeding. This may happen either because you’re giving in to the begging or because you’re free-feeding (keeping food available all day) and your cat is not self-regulated. The second reason is feeding inappropriate, low-quality food (most dry foods). The third would be medical reasons I’m not qualified to discuss, but they’re rare. Most cats are fat simply because they’re fed the wrong food and are fed too much.
Is it bad for cats to be overweight? Of course! It’s very bad. It often leads to diabetes, not to mention that fat cats probably don’t feel very cat-like. Who would when dragging around extra pounds?
Why is dry food bad? With very few exceptions, dry food is not appropriate food for cats. It’s chock full of carbs/sugar, doesn’t provide enough meat-based protein, and is often loaded with grains such as wheat or corn (which provide those carbs/sugars). Wheat, corn and soy are known allergens and in many cats will cause digestive upsets. Not to mention most also contain “meal” and “byproducts.” Cats are obligate carnivores who need to eat a diet high in protein (from meat) and fat and very low in carbs. The mouse is the perfect cat food - meat, organs and bones, with perhaps a tiny bit of grains that may exist in the mouse’s stomach. In addition, dry food leaves cats dehydrated. They do not instinctively drink enough water because they’re designed to get it IN their food. This results in concentrated urine which can lead to all sorts of problems. And it DOES NOT CLEAN THE TEETH! Really - think about - does dry food clean OUR teeth? If it did wouldn’t dentists prescribe cookies instead of brushing?
What should cats eat? Cats should eat a species appropriate diet which very much resembles Atkins (Catkins). A raw diet is the very best, so long as it’s properly supplemented to meet a cat’s nutritional needs. There are many raw feeding forums available through Yahoo Groups that one can join to learn more. The next best choice is a good quality canned food (or even a commercially prepared raw diet such as Nature’s Variety). These foods will have meat listed as the first ingredient, will not contain corn, wheat or soy, may include organ meats, and will not list “meal” or “byproducts.” See the What to feed link for suggestions. Additionally, the brand By Nature Organics is a very good food, and at 150 calories per 6oz can, is a very good choice for weight loss.
What about supplements for weight loss? The addition of L-Carnitine to a cat’s diet may assist with weight loss. 250-500 mg per day can be added to assist with weight loss. It is probably best to start with a lower dosage until you see how your cat reacts.
How soon will I see results? Cats need to lose weight slowly, at the rate of no more than 1 pound per month, and often less. This is because rapid weight loss may cause hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) which can be fatal.
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.
How much should cats eat?
This varies. Average cats may eat between 20-30 calories per pound per day. But note that that is IDEAL pounds. Using 25 calories per day for example, an 8 pound cat could eat 200 calories per day. By the same token, a cat who weighs 20 pounds but should weigh 10 could eat 250 calories per day. You multiply the ideal weight by the calories to arrive at that figure. When working toward weight loss, it’s perhaps best to start at the lower end of the scale (20).
How do I find out how many calories are in cat food? See the link “Values in canned food.” If it’s not listed there, you’d need to contact the manufacturer…..I believe that link provides some help there as well.
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.
UPDATE: Poppy lost 5 pounds and Sophie lost 2 following this plan (from October to October). Each cat gets one can (5.5oz) of Nature’s Variety Instincts per day. No one is starving or miserable. My vet is happy with her progress and so am I. Only 4 pounds to go!
1. Why cats need canned food: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=whycatsneedcannedfood
2. What to feed: http://www.catinfo.org/commercialcannedfoods.htm
3. Obesity links:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=016
Source Link: Values in Canned Foods
Source Link: Switching foods
Source Link: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=therightweightlossprogramforcats
Source Link: http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/catweight.html
0
one way to get a cat to lose weight is to feed him only 3 times aday wen it is not time to eat put his foods away, and feed him only i hand ful, and always leave fresh water out.
0
i cant believe nobody suggested to play with your cat more to make him lose weight
-1
I think your long stories are worthless and should never be read by anyone who wants the right advice. Always get info from your VET not these freaks!!!!!!!!!!!
-2
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