How do I put my cat on a diet with out effecting the other cat?

it's tough when you have more than one animal.

The best way to really do it is put both on the same food or feed at the same time on a feeding schedule.

it's about all you can do really.

I had the EXACT same situation with my two cats. One is very active and the other is very lazy. I was feeding them both dry food.. big mistake. The lazy one had a big appetite so would constantly eat and not really "burn" the calories, while the other one didn't have a big appetite and would run and run and run. After doing extensive research, I was convinced that wet food was the way to go. It is 100 times healthier than dry food and it resembles a feline diet in the wild. I fed both the same amount of wet food since they're both the same age and breed, and my lazy cat is now looking good and is not fat anymore, while my other cat maintained his weight and they're both happier than ever. I highly recommend Wellness Canned Formula. It's grain-free and has human-grade meat content. Good luck! ♥

You should speak to a vet before putting your cat on a diet. What you think to be "Fat" may not really be Overweight. So please speak to your vet before doing this. You vet can tell you what kind of food to use. If your vet does tell you that your cat is overweight the really only way to do it is to feed your cats apart. No other way around it and this can be done but is difficult.

Good Luck!

I had a cat that was overweight and one that was not for quite a while. For family health reasons (asthma allergies), we needed to transform our cats from indoor cats to outdoor cats. Now both cats are in very good shape. It may not be feasible or desirable for you to make them outdoor cats, but it worked for us.

This is my standard advice for weight loss, which worked very well for me.

Why do cats get fat? It can be a combination of issues or just one. The most obvious one is overfeeding. Another possibility and a very common one is feeding inappropriate, low-quality food (most dry foods). Third is over-treating. The fourth 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.

Why is dry food bad? With very few exceptions, dry food is not appropriate food for cats. It's full of carbs/sugar, doesn't provide enough animal-based protein, and is often loaded with grains such as wheat or corn. Cats are obligate carnivores who need to eat a diet high in protein (from meat) and fat and very low in carbs. 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! (NOTE: Any dental benefits it *may* impart are usually outweighed by the negatives. You should definitely have a dental plan for your kitty, but relying on dry food won't cut it).

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. The next best choice is a good quality canned food (or even a commercially prepared raw diet). 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.

So what should I do? The solution is to switch the fat cat (and any others in the household as well) to a good quality grainless canned food (or research raw feeding). 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 my cat lose? If possible, have your vet set a target weight for you. But if your cat is obviously obese you don't need to do that before getting started. In fact, if you're feeding dry food currently it's also a good idea to make the switch as soon as possible, even if only a few pounds need to be lost. You can also consult this chart to get an idea of how overweight kitty might be: http://www.placervillevet.com/feline%20body%20cond...

How soon will I see results? Cats need to lose weight slowly at the rate of no more than 1 pound per month, and sometimes less. This is because rapid weight loss may cause hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) which can be fatal. So it might not look like it's working for the first few months. It's very helpful to get a baby scale that displays ounces, but even a regular scale can be useful. Just weigh yourself with and without the cat.

Why is this info different from what my vet told me? Many vets haven't been properly trained in feline nutrition. They may attend basic small animal classes, but the only cat-specific training they may receive is sponsored by Hills. Not surprisingly, they are taught to reach for a bag of Hills __/d when a cat presents with a particular problem (k for kidney, d for diabetes, etc.). I am not a nutritionist but I've gathered this information from people who DO know what they're talking about. (See links below).

How much should my cat eat?

This varies. Average cats may eat between 20-30 calories per IDEAL pound per day. Using 25 calories per day for example, an 8 pound cat could eat 200 calories per day. 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 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'll need to do some research or perhaps contact the manufacturer.

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.

That's really all there is to it! Not only will fat cats lose weight, but it and any others in the home will reap many benefits of eating a species appropriate diet.

See the links below for detailed information on this topic.