Cat On A Diet....need Help

[patti511]

My Sheena is 3 lbs overweight and the vet told me she needs to cut down on calories. I put her on Blue Buffalo weight control food mixed with Merrick healthy weight food on 6/1. She is supposed to eat 1/4 cup three times a day. She’s been eating less less of it - leaving a tablespooon or so. Today’s mid day feeding went untouched. It’s likw she lost all interest. She’s sleeping right now, having eaten only (almost) a 1/4 of a cup this morning. Is it possible her stomach is shrinking? I’m worried. Anyone else have their cat on a weight control diet?

 

[duckpond]

It may just be that she does not like the food? What was she eating before the diet food? My vet and i were talking about cat diets, he said he recommends using the same food they have been eating, but cut back by 20%. And wet food, wet food is often lower in carbs, higher in protein than dry. Its often easier for them to loose weight on wet than dry. If she will eat wet?

If you do not like the dry she was on you can always try to switch later, after the diet. But a diet for cats is very stressful, so same food just 20% less hopefully will reduce some of the stress.

Normally no, a cats stomach does not shrink like a person on a diet. I dont think so anyway. I think they just get hungrier. If she is not eating well in the next 24 hours or so i would call the vet, cats that done eat can get very sick, quickly. I might try some of her old food? Just cut back?

 

[patti511]

It may just be that she does not like the food? What was she eating before the diet food? My vet and i were talking about cat diets, he said he recommends using the same food they have been eating, but cut back by 20%. And wet food, wet food is often lower in carbs, higher in protein than dry. Its often easier for them to loose weight on wet than dry. If she will eat wet?

If you do not like the dry she was on you can always try to switch later, after the diet. But a diet for cats is very stressful, so same food just 20% less hopefully will reduce some of the stress.

Normally no, a cats stomach does not shrink like a person on a diet. I dont think so anyway. I think they just get hungrier. If she is not eating well in the next 24 hours or so i would call the vet, cats that done eat can get very sick, quickly. I might try some of her old food? Just cut back?

She was eating Instinct canned mixed with Instinct dry. I want to cut out the dry altogether, but that won’t be a problem. I just have trouble knowing how much wet to give. The dry weight loss food is easy to measure and she did eat it at the beginning. Now she’s refusing it. You’re right... I should stick with the old stuff and give less. Maybe just a half can in the morning and a half can at night? She is huge. It seems like so little. The guidelines on the cans are always so much more than for an inactive indoor cat. Do you think 1 can should be sufficient? Instinct is a quality wet food.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Give her what she is used to, just less of it. Not eating is far more serious than being 3 pounds overweight. Kitty diets can be very challenging. Don't give up, it is sometimes trial and error. But it is important that she eats enough calories and that too many aren't cut at once.

 

[DreamerRose]

3/4 of a cup of dry food is a LOT of food for a cat on a diet. No wonder she stopped eating. You don't say how much she weighs, but 3 pounds is a lot to lose. Lily weighed 11 pounds when I got her, and the vet said she was 1-2 pounds overweight. I fed her LESS than 1/4 cup dry food in the morning, and one portion of Sheba pate in the evening. In six months, she lost 2 pounds.

 

[patti511]

3/4 of a cup of dry food is a LOT of food for a cat on a diet. No wonder she stopped eating. You don't say how much she weighs, but 3 pounds is a lot to lose. Lily weighed 11 pounds when I got her, and the vet said she was 1-2 pounds overweight. I fed her LESS than 1/4 cup dry food in the morning, and one portion of Sheba pate in the evening. In six months, she lost 2 pounds.

Sheena is 17 lbs. The vet said she should be 14. She’s a big girl. The vet said to give her about 250 calories a day. The dry food I was giving her is Merrick Healthy Weight. I’ve decided to cut out all dry food and only give her canned. Her usual food is Instinct and I’ve just added Fussie Cat. Both low in calories. 1/2 can Instinct in the morning, and a 3 oz can of Fussie in the evening. That’s less than 250 calories. We’ll see what happens. :-/

 

[duckpond]

I dont know how many calories she was getting? you may not either? If the vet said 250 per day i think i would try to stick very close to that. You dont want her to loose the weight to quick, she can get very very sick. And she will be hangry and miserable, and make you miserable.

Wet is good, and those are both good foods i think. Just make sure she gets enough, slow is key for cats and weight loss. Stay around the 250 mark for a few months, if she is not loosing then take it down by 20 or 30 calories per day for a few months and see how it goes.
Keep us updated with her! I will be rooting for her!

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Yup, you don't want her going into hepatic lipodosis from too rapid calorie loss. Your plan so far sounds like a good one.

 

[DreamerRose]

Sheena is 17 lbs. The vet said she should be 14. She’s a big girl. The vet said to give her about 250 calories a day. The dry food I was giving her is Merrick Healthy Weight. I’ve decided to cut out all dry food and only give her canned. Her usual food is Instinct and I’ve just added Fussie Cat. Both low in calories. 1/2 can Instinct in the morning, and a 3 oz can of Fussie in the evening. That’s less than 250 calories. We’ll see what happens. :-/

That sounds good. I don't think you need to worry about liver problems as long as you continue feeding her. Good luck! I hope it works out.

 

[patti511]

Thank you, everyone!