Weight Loss Success for Cats

Do you have a cat with a weight problem? It's very easy for cats to become overweight. Unfortunately, it can be quite a challenge to get cats to lose their excess weight. But, because obesity can negatively impact a cat's health and quality of life, maintaining an appropriate weight is important.

I have a cat who weighed 18 pounds about a year ago. The vet told us he didn't like the way her lungs sounded and if we didn't do something about it soon, she was going to develop health problems. My Ursa is a big cat but even still, she was obese. She's lost about 3.5 or 4 pounds in the first year of her diet; the vet said this was a great amount to lose in one year. Now, my husband and I are pretty cat crazy people - and we have no children. Your mileage may vary. This is what worked for us:

1) I had always been taught that cats should be fed once a day. The vet suggested we break up the cat's meals into several smaller meals throughout the day. We went from feeding about a half a cup once a day to feeding two TABLESPOONS three times daily, at 5:30 am when we get up, at 4:30ish when I get home from work, and at 9:00 pm. Side benefit of this routine is that I have not set an alarm clock in over a year. Who needs one when you have a dieting cat? When I thought about it, this made a lot of sense; after all, it's recommended for people to eat many small meals in order to keep their metabolism up. It makes sense it would work the same for cats.

2) The vet also recommended we switch her food. We'd been feeding light or diet cat food to Ursa and senior cat food to our two older cats. He suggested we switch her to the senior food as well, because it is as low calorie as the light food but higher in fat and can help a cat feel more satiated. Again, this made a lot of sense. I know with myself, a moderate amount of fat in a low calorie diet makes me feel a lot more full than combining low calorie with low fat.

3) Our vet also recommended a fish oil supplement. The little bit of extra fat adds a lot of satiety without too many calories. We cut open one capsule over Ursa's afternoon and evening meal.

4) This is the one that makes people think we're crazy. The vet said, as much as we were able, to make the house an obstacle course. He said that one problem with weight loss in cats is that it can be so difficult to get them moving. One way to use this to your advantage is to place kitty's food in a place where she has to work to get it, like on top of a counter top. Sometimes this can help stave off boredom eating. "I'm hungry...but it's so much work to get to the food...I guess I'll just lie here." We also put a barricade in front of the litter box - not enough to make it hard for her to get to, but enough that she had to give some extra effort to jump in. And, we tried to make a point to play with her a bit more than usual each day.

5) Most importantly, you need persistence. Cats are like children. If you give in once to their pestering, they've learned they can get you to do what you want and will beg even harder the next time. Staying firm in the first few weeks of a cat's diet are the most important. Ours have learned we wil not give them food except at meal times, so they only meow for food at mealtimes. Also, weght loss in cats takes time. Ursa has been on her diet for two years. She is still not as svelte as the vet would like to see, but as long as she is still making progress, we and the vet are happy.

Ursa is doing much better. She plays a lot more on her own. Before she would play a little bit and then do this scary panting breathing - I never hear that anymore. It is really hard to keep a cat on a diet. They can be persistent and pretty demanding when they are hungry. But, just keep reminding yourself that it's for your cat's health and in her best interests.