I have a cat that I adopted from a family member and the cat is over weigh by a grand scale. she is on diet cat food and is feed about one cup a day but she is still not getting any slimmer. she plays with a little dog daily so she is getting a lot of exercise but shes still fat. i don't know what to do with her anymore but i know she needs to lose weight. any suggestions?
Kitty
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The first step is to switch your cat off of dry food and onto canned. There is no better way to get a cat to gradually lose weight. Forget crash diets for your kitty, since that can lead to hepatic lipidosis, which is very dangerous.
What would your cat eat in the wild? Would he tear into a field of corn if hungry? Would he feast in a rice paddy? Of course not, but stop for a minute and read the list of ingredients on the diet cat food you are using. Is corn listed there? If your cat won't eat corn in the wild, why would we feed it to him in our homes?
Cats are obligate carnivores, lacking amylase, which means they can't properly digest carbohydrates. Many dry foods and most especially diet foods contain very high levels of carbohydrates, which is not even close to what a cat would eat in the wild.
We do know a cat will eat a mouse in the wild. Mice are high in protein and very, very low in carbohydrates. Knowing this, it is simply a matter of finding canned foods which are high in protein and very low in carbohydrates, no different than a mouse in the wild. This is what is called the 'Catkins' diet, after the Atkins diet for humans.
I personally recommend Innova, Innova Evo and Wellness. Innova is less than 3% carbohydrate, while Innova Evo is 1.06% carbohydrate. The various Wellness flavors range from 1-3% carbohydrate and are grain-free.
Also, put your cat's food upstairs and water downstairs, if you live in a split level. This will require he be more active to eat and drink. Additionally, buy some cat toys and schedule regular play times. Once your cat starts slimming on the canned food, he will definitely have more energy and become more active at play.
Why do I recommend these methods? Simple, I asked the same question you did a year ago on behalf of my own kitty. Well over a year later in using the above outlined methods, my kitty has gradually and thus safely lost weight.
Anonymous
I think that a cup of food a day is too much. My cats get a total of about 1/2 a cup a day. You'd be surprised how little they actually need to eat. Make sure that what you are feeding her isn't full of fillers and only contains what she needs. Force her to play. Get her some toys and set aside some time each day to play with her and get her moving.
April H
5 lbs - 1/4 to 3/8 cup(s) a day
10 lbs - 3/8 to 5/8 cup(s) a day
15 lbs - 5/8 to 3/4 cup(s) a day
check your cats weight weekly and fix the amount of food appropriately to her weight each week.
If you are new cat owner, you may be wondering how much food you should be feeding your cat each day. The amount of food your cat needs will vary depending on its age, weight, physical activity, metabolic rate and whether it's pregnant or not. Since every cat is different, you should tailor the amount of food it's given on your cats own individual needs. Here are some general rules you can follow.
In general, cats tend to be overfed and under-exercised, so if you're unsure about the correct amount to give your cat initially, it's a good idea to start with less food. However, if your a new cat owner and your cat is constantly meowing for food, make sure that it gets enough food to put the cat at ease. A cat that is thrust into a new environment, may become nervous and want more food than it would typically. Once your new cat becomes comfortable with its new surroundings, which may take anywhere from 1 to 6 months you should start reducing the amount of food it gets to normal levels.
Check the product label on the cat food you buy for the pet food makers recommended guidelines on how much to give your cat.
Try to feed your cat wet and dry food each day. Split up the meals by giving your cat dry food in the morning and wet cat food at night. A cat might not eat all of its food in one sitting, so by giving your cat dry food in the morning, your cat will be able to nibble on whatever he doesn't eat during the day. As long as your cat does not gain excessive weight, leaving dry food out all day is not a problem. This should be avoided with wet food, because of the spoilage factor.
In general, an Adult cat that weighs between 5-10 lbs should have between 2 to 4 oz (¼ to ½ cup) of dry food, or 5 to 9 oz of canned food per day. Kittens, senior adult and pregnant cats will typically require more food than these amounts.
Feed you cat Premium pet food whenever possible. Premium foods contain higher quality ingredients and will provide your cat with better overall nutrients that make for a healthier cat.
Avoid feeding your cat table scraps. Feeding table scraps can disrupt the balance of your cat's diet, which can lead to obesity. It may also encourage your cat to beg for food, or even to stop eating its own pet food and want to eat human food only.
Try to establish a specific feeding schedule, so your cat will know when to expect its next meal. Most often this schedule will be based around your work or school schedule. Because of this, it usually makes sense to feed your cat once in the morning, and once when you get home from work or school.
Lastly, always provide fresh water for your cat.
?
The vet may know how to get the weight off of the cat, but dont ask her about what food to feed the cat. Vets get very little if any nutritional training. Most of them recommend science diet because that is whats for sale on the shelf in the waiting room.
catladydenise
The cat could have a thyroid problem but only the Vet will know with bloodwork. After a clean bill of health keep up the diet food and exercise. Weight loss wont happen fast (and thats better for the cat). It will take time and patience but keep it up.