Obesity Cat Food - Preparing A Obesity Feline Diet

A quick look around any veterinary clinic waiting room will likely show a similar theme—obese cats.

According to a Cornell University follow-up of a four-year study of feline obesity, overweight cats are like to suffer from serious diseases like diabetes, and obese cats are more likely to die at a younger age. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, December 1998, of 2092 cats determined that 20% were heavy and an additional 5% were obese. (Many experts estimate that nearly 35 to 40% of American felines are obese.) The study found that the overweight cats were most likely middle-aged neutered males living in apartments and eating diets of dry cat food, having no outdoor access and little exercise.

Researchers were also surprised to find that cats were becoming obese quickly and that 15% were overweight by one year of age.

According to an article in Cornell University Science News, March 1997, cats living in apartments were two times more likely to become obese when compared with cats living in houses or outside.

Plus, in an article published in DVM News, the Magazine of Veterinary Medicine, author Susan Little, DVM, advises that an American Animal Hospital Association Compliance Study found that veterinarians underdiagnose feline obesity and that cat owners are largely unaware of how to gauge feline obesity and don’t understand its consequences. Dr. Little also notes that traditional high-fiber, low-calorie weight loss diets have been largely unsuccessful. Conversely, she notes that a high-protein, low-carbohydrate formula (like Hill’s Prescription Diet m/d) that is designed to manage feline weight can be beneficial. She also suggests that 250 to 500 mg of carnitine administered to a cat once daily has shown to enhance fat metabolism resulting in weight loss.

So now you’ve acknowledged that portly Pumpkin perhaps needs to lose a few pounds. How will you do this? Experts recommend a full physical exam with lab tests to determine that Pumpkin’s fat is indeed a result of overeating and not some underlying medical condition. Other changes you can make include:

Feed less food in small portions at regular intervals instead of free choice.

Feed foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Review the total amount of food fed in a day and adjust if there is a gain in weight or no reduction. Additionally, James Richards, DVM, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, in Cornell’s Science News, suggests particular tips when fighting feline fat:

1. Schedule regular weigh-ins with your veterinarian.

2. Ask your veterinarian if your cat should be on a particular weight-reduction meal plan.

3. Any weight reduction program for your corpulent cat should be devised under the guidance of your veterinarian.

4. Get that feline couch potato moving! Determine where his interests are with toys—mice, feathers, laser pointers, teasers, etc.—and engage in some quality exercise each day. If you work all day, your cat is sleeping much of the time you’re away. Get him moving and playing when you’re home.

5. For solo-living kitties, experts suggest that pet owners consider adopting a second cat. Having a friend will give him someone to interact and play with while you’re not home.

When you change the kitty’s meal plan, make sure you are consistent and maintain course until you see a change for the better. It could take up to a year to see significant weight loss, but you’ll be doing your feline friend a healthy favor.

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