Dieting Help

[kestria]

My family cat is quite overweight. He is 6 years old and weighs just under 19lbs. I think he would be best around 14lbs. We’re currently feeding him about 250 calories of dry food a day for the past 4 months but he has not lost any weight. I don’t think he eats a lot but he is still fat. He is also an extremely picky eater and refuses to eat anything else but dry. I would really appreciate some help with how to change up his diet so he can lose those extra pounds. What should be his ideal calorie intake and what foods are the best for weight loss?

 

[yeva2292]

In terms of ideal calorie intake, that is probably something your vet will be able to help the most with. If you discuss your cat's current and ideal weight, along with activity levels (don't overestimate activity), your vet should be able to give you a number to aim at.

Regarding losing weight, I wouldn't say any food is specifically better for weight loss. Weight loss is based on calorie consumption. However, foods that are higher in water content might help your cat feel fuller sooner, if that's a concern. At the shelter that I volunteer at, dogs that need to lose weight are fed dry food (at a caloric deficit) that has been soaked in water, so that they can feel full, but receive fewer calories. Also, with canned food as an example, calorie content per ounce differs greatly between companies and even different proteins/recipes within the same brand. I'm sure the same applies for dry food. If your cat like to eat a large volume of food, you could try looking for a brand that fewer calories/cup.

You stated that at 250 cal/day, he has not lost weight. He hasn't gained weight though, right? If his weight has stayed constant, I would try a slight calorie reduction to 220 cal/day and re-weigh him in a month. Your vet should be able to recommend a more appropriate caloric deficit. When considering calorie consumption, you have to make sure to include ever bit of food that your cat eats - cat food, treats, tiny licks and tastes of human food, etc.

 

[Pjg8r]

What is his activity level like? If you could increase that it would also help. I had a cat years ago and to help it lose weight I put dry food on plates on levels of the cat tree. It would be very small amounts at a time and she had to climb up and down to eat.

 

[duckpond]

Calories are important, but in my honest opinion i think where the calories come from are as important if not more important than the amount of calories. Cats need a Catkins diet
Most dry foods are way to high in carbs for a cat to easily loose weight. Truthfully there are only two dry foods i would want to feed full time.

I do feed my cats Dr. Elseys dry, chicken, its very high protein, moderate fat, and very low carb. Its a little pricey, but they dont eat a lot, as it is high calorie and high protein., so that averages out. I cant recommend this food enough.

Young again is the only other dry i know of that can come close to Dr. Elseys for low carb. Mine do so well on Dr. Elseys i have not tried the Young Again food.

Dr. Elsey's cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

Below is a link you can use to compare a lot of the dry foods out today. Wet is easier to find high protein, moderate fat, and low carbs. But you have to find something the cat will eat as well

CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat