He is a strict housecat, 10 years old, and weighs 30lbs. He did lose some weight after I got my second cat, but now that I've had her for a couple years, he has gained it all back. I feed him Iams Multi-cat formula dry food in the morning, and 1/2 can Friskies wet food in the evening. The vet told me I have to feed him wet food because of a dry-skin condition he tends to get. And he has a history of urinary-tract infections from bad dry food. I can't take him to the vet anymore cuz he gets mean. I can't get him to play to get excersize and there's no way he's walking on a leash. I'd appreciate any tips anyone can give!! Thanks!
How can I get my cat to lose weight?
Hi there...Having both feline lower urinary tract disorders (FLUTD) and a cat that is overweight will require a delicate balance of diet so I'll do my best to explain the needs of both first then how you can achieve weight loss and management as well as avoid future recurrences of FLUTD symptoms.
A little background about causes of FLUTD. It is caused by several factors, and combinations of these factors, which include obesity, stress, urinary pH, water and fibre intake in the animal's diet. Recurrence is common with FLUTD cats so preventive measures such a canned food diet to keep hydration levels high plus any other ways to encourage more water consumption is a must, easy access to multiple litter boxes in addition to regular check ups as well as supplementation with prescriptions depending on the severity of the condition.
Cats who eat dry cat foods tend to suffer from recurring episodes and this seems to be a common denominator with cats diagnosed with various types of FLUTD. The idea is to acidify the urine because cats with FLUTD have low urine pH so your goal is to reverse this and canned foods have been known to achieve the results.
Additionally, most commercial grade cat foods contain corn, corn meal which are fillers (carbohydrates) that bind the dry food together as a way of keeping foods lasting longer. Try finding cat food products which are devoid of these ingedients. The first ingredients should show chicken, chicken meal, etc. Most show the first ingredients as corn on the ingredient labels. IAMs, Science Diet, Purina, Whiskas, Friskies ...all have corn listed as the main ingredient. Cats who eat these tend to always feel hungry because the carbs don't metabolize fast enough and cats are obligate carnivores so they need a diet devoid of these types of carbs. Products such as Innova EVO, Nature's Variety Prairie, Felidae, Wellness, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, James Wellbeloved (for UK residents), are some examples of premium brands available. Most cats who eat these find that they do not eat to eat as much because their appetite is better satiated.
Additionally, it's important to schedule feed a cat so you can monitor servings taken in during the day http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/feed... . Each product lists the recommended servings based on a age and weight. For an overweight cat you would be reducing the intake gradually by 10% each week that the vet recommends is an appropriate caloric intake. Cats who are switched from a free-fed diet should be fed multiple times a day (if permittable) such as once in the morning, mid-day, and then evening before your bedtime.
When switching to a new brand of cat food it is also important to note that sudden changes can cause sever bowel distress. Cats have very sensitive digestive systems so the quick change will cause bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting. Any vet can confirm this fact. Cat food should be changed gradually by mixing the current brand with the new brand over the course of several weeks. For example you would take 3/4 servings of the old cat food to 1/4 servings with the new for one week...then the next week 1/2 to 1/2...then following 1/4 of the old to 3/4 of the new in the third week before completing the switch in the final week. http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.c...
Furthermore, some cats can take off the weight faster by feeding a canned food diet, which is very helpful for cats who suffer from FLUTD. For some reason the hydration in the canned products helps metabolize food better and are also completely devoid of carbohydrates, which is more optimal for the feline's body and while at the same acidifies the urine pH which is perfect for cats who have FLUTD . When cats eat raw meat in the wild they get hydration from the fresh meat juices as well as some roughage from the animals who are natural herbivores. A mixture of canned and dry are always best for cats in the long-term, which many people are unaware of. We are have been exposed to so many commercial ads regarding dry food for cats, but in reality it's the manufacturer's who benefit rather than the cats. Cats are not naturally designed to eat dry--the products were designed for convenience for the owner.
Here's an article about commercial cat food; dry vs. canned, proper nutritional needs, etc: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family...
Finally, most cats become bored with toys quickly. It's important to rotate them by hiding them and then bringing them back out again so the appear to be like new toys. Interactive toys are the best ones to use to get a cat moving such as a laser light. Most cats love chasing the light. The goal is to get the cat to move back and forth at least for 5 minutes to begin as some tire more easily than others especially if they are overweight. You can increase play time more if they enjoy it. Some cats love chasing feather teasers tied on a string too. Experiment to what gets your cat moving. Just please remember most overweight cats tire easily so keep the sessions short and fun. Interactive toys are the best ways to get your cat to exercise rather than leaving toys for them to play with. They only bat at those and really don't move enough. Not only does the interactive toys work better, but it's a bonding experience for both of you as well.
Here are some websites that I've researched to help prepare for the long road ahead to minimize the repeat episodes:
FLUTD (also formerly known as FUS):
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_fel...
http://www.hdw-inc.com/healthfus.htm
http://www.thensome.com/flutd.htm
http://www.vet.uga.edu/sams/courses/urol...
http://www.holisticat.com/fusfaq.htm
Reply:feed him less..sorry u did ask sorry if my answer was stating the obvious x
Reply:This shouldn't be too difficult for you.
What you should do is take him completely off the dry food, and instead of Friskies, feed him a good quality canned food. Because of his extremely high weight, I would recommend feeding him around 2/3 of a can of a 6oz can per day. I normally say a full can per day, but perhaps in his case a little less would be better.
Because he's already eating some canned food, the transition shouldn't be that difficult. If you feel bad about taking him off dry completely, I would switch to a better brand (Iams isn't very good unfortunately) and only let him have a spoonful per day.
I've linked to suggestions for good canned foods and the better dry foods. Two kinds not listed in there are Nature's Variety Instincts and Wellness Core. I would avoid Evo, even in small quantities, because it's rather high in calories.
Other links will back up what I've said and will give you more info.
The weight loss does have to occur slowly at the rate of about 1 pound per month. Any faster and your kitty could suffer from hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver).
This is what I did to get Poppy to lose weight. She only got as high as 25 pounds, but this has been working!
Good luck!
Reply:I think the food that you are feeding could be the problem. Iams and Friskies are very poor quality. This article will explain more and teach you how to choose a healthier cat food:
http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=3...
Also, Do the two cats get fed at the same time? I'm willing to bet that he is eating some of the other cat's food as well. Feeding them seperately could help.
Do not free feed dry food either. When you give it free-choice, he will constantly be eating and gaining weight. Dry food can be very fattening, especially when it is a poor quality one. Feeding all wet food could help a lot, especially for a cat with urinary issues. Kibble does not clean their teeth as many once thought and so it is not neccessary. If you must feed a dry food, here are some good ones:
Innova
Innova Evo
Wellness
California Natural
Fromm
Nature's Variety
My cat eats Stella and Chewy's. It is a raw meat diet and she has done very well on it. She's even lost weight! Once your cat starts slimming down some, he will be more apt to play and exercise.
Reply:My Tabby cat is 22 pounds and I get my soft food from the vet. The soft food your feeding him may be causing this. I feed my cat r/d prescription Diet food in the morning. He has IBS . the food I feed to him he loves .I divide it 4 ways . Feed him a little triangle a day.I buy in a case. Ask your vet about it....Best of Luck
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