There are lots of great suggestions on this thread already but I didn't see much about variety. It sounds like you're only feeding one kind of food, is that right,
Sheeni
? The AvoDerm? Our cats really-really-really love to eat but if we don't feed them a variety of foods, they get bored and just simply don't/won't eat well. It's also possible they don't particularly like that food.
FeebysOwner
already mentioned that thought.
I also couldn't agree more with what Talien says about the importance of very slow weight loss.
Beyond trying to add more variety, another suggestion would be to feed foods that have less vegetable matter than the AvoDerm. Personally, I'd avoid the rice flour, oatmeal, oat fiber, and pea fiber (which can raise carbs) in favor of less carby foods that get their calories from meat, which tends to satiate cats more. One brand that has lots of relatively low-calorie foods is Weruva. If you keep the carbs low by avoiding foods with ingredients like tapioca, peas, and potato starch, you can easily feed a protein- and water-rich diet with quite a bit of variety. Weruva's site also has zillions of charts showing protein, fat, and carbs. I love them for that!
There have also been Cat Site members whose cats lost weight, slowly, over time, on Fancy Feast Classics, which don't have any fillers. Yes, the calories in FF are higher than lots of other foods but if they keep the cat eating and satiated, that's half the battle. Feeding a calorie-dense meal right before bed can also help avoid having the cats wake you up.
Unfortunately, it often takes a fair bit of trial and error to figure out a good menu for cats: it took us a couple years (yes, years!) to figure out a good long-term rotation for ours, who have food issues including sensitivities to some ingredients, constipation, and insecurity about having enough to eat. I sometimes have to readjust, when recipes change or a food gets discontinued. Don't beat yourself up. I, too, went through spells of wondering what I was doing wrong but I did better by just focusing on making small, gradual changes until I reached the right combination of foods and the right eating schedule.
Good luck!
I also couldn't agree more with what Talien says about the importance of very slow weight loss.
Beyond trying to add more variety, another suggestion would be to feed foods that have less vegetable matter than the AvoDerm. Personally, I'd avoid the rice flour, oatmeal, oat fiber, and pea fiber (which can raise carbs) in favor of less carby foods that get their calories from meat, which tends to satiate cats more. One brand that has lots of relatively low-calorie foods is Weruva. If you keep the carbs low by avoiding foods with ingredients like tapioca, peas, and potato starch, you can easily feed a protein- and water-rich diet with quite a bit of variety. Weruva's site also has zillions of charts showing protein, fat, and carbs. I love them for that!
There have also been Cat Site members whose cats lost weight, slowly, over time, on Fancy Feast Classics, which don't have any fillers. Yes, the calories in FF are higher than lots of other foods but if they keep the cat eating and satiated, that's half the battle. Feeding a calorie-dense meal right before bed can also help avoid having the cats wake you up.
Unfortunately, it often takes a fair bit of trial and error to figure out a good menu for cats: it took us a couple years (yes, years!) to figure out a good long-term rotation for ours, who have food issues including sensitivities to some ingredients, constipation, and insecurity about having enough to eat. I sometimes have to readjust, when recipes change or a food gets discontinued. Don't beat yourself up. I, too, went through spells of wondering what I was doing wrong but I did better by just focusing on making small, gradual changes until I reached the right combination of foods and the right eating schedule.
Good luck!