What Do You Feed a Cat That Needs to Lose Weight?

Obesity is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the world, and not just for humans. Our feline companions have steadily been increasing in weight as we take them farther and farther away from the lifestyle that nature designed them to live. If we want our pets to live long, healthy lives, we need to modify their diet to compensate for their domestic lifestyle and help them achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

  1. Your Cat Is a Carnivore

    • Cats are obligate carnivores; in other words, they're designed to depend solely on animal flesh for their nutrition. In the wild, felines large and small might eat the partially digested stomach contents of vegetarian animals--in small amounts--but their bodies lack the systems necessary to digest vegetable matter. Your domestic cat is no different. He is built to handle large amounts of protein, but very small amounts of carbohydrates. Meat is his natural diet.

    Commercial Cat Foods

    • Despite the biological makeup of the domestic cat, many if not most commercial cat foods are far too high in carbohydrates and vegetable matter; such ingredients are less expensive to use in the production of pet food than meats. The result? Your cat ends up living on a diet that will make her fat in a hurry, and unhealthy as well. Diabetes has reached nearly epic proportions in the domestic cat population, due to the fact that a cat produces insulin in response to protein--not carbohydrates--and can't cope with the carbohydrate load of most commercial cat foods.

    The Mouse Model

    • A natural feline feast

      The nutritional breakdown of a mouse is about 50 percent fat, 40 percent protein, and 3 percent carbohydrates. Keep that in mind when you're shopping for a cat food. Look for high-protein foods like chicken, lamb and ocean fish. Steer clear of by-products; while these are technically protein, they're not digestible in the same way as real meat, and the nutrients aren't absorbed by your pet. If possible, choose a grain-free diet for your pet, and be sure that the first ingredients on the label are quality meats. Choose a wet food as opposed to dry; despite what manufacturers tell you, crunchy foods don't clean your cat's teeth, and they can lead to kidney issues and dehydration.

    Guideline Cautions

    • Have your catchecked for medical issues that could be causing his obesity. If he is otherwise healthy, read the feeding guidelines on the cat food that you've chosen. Look at the amounts listed for the weight your cat should be--not what he already is. Break his food into two or three servings a day, and be sure to provide clean, fresh water at all times. If your cat still doesn't lose weight, remember that the guidelines are just that; guidelines. If your cat is very sedentary, or older, he may very well need less food than the guidelines suggest. Continued problems losing weight should be taken up with your vet.