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Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,560
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

My little Bogart turned one year old recently and I took him in for his annual checkup after the waiting period on his new health insurance policy had ended.

 

He weighed in at 13.2 pounds and his health  is really good ....  except she wants him to lose ONE POUND .... gradually.

 

Bogey has been eating a dry/wet food ratio at about 50/50, and the Iams kibble used to be for Kittens, which is higher calorie.   I have recently changed that to the Indoor Weight/Hairball formula, which is lower calorie.

 

Since kibble is much higher in carbs than wet food, she thought changing the new kibble dry/wet ratio to 40/60 would probably do the trick.  If not, then just put out wet food and only give him the dry twice a day.

 

Have you ever had to put your cat on a diet, and, if so, what did you do? 

 

TIA !!

 

Tink

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,247
Registered: ‎09-24-2011

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

Change vets!  weight fluctuates throughout the day!!!!!

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,258
Registered: ‎06-08-2011

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

Okay, I've stopped laughing now.  Seriously, I've had cats all my life.  When I was a kid, all of our family cats spent most of their time outside.  They were always slender and rarely, if ever, went to the vet.  Today it is mighty dangerous for house cats to spend much time outside, so all of mine are indoor cats.  Unfortunately, that has resulted in several overweight cats.  Extra weight is dangerous for cats whether it's one or several pounds.  Diabetes and thyroid problems are rampant with indoor cats.  I've been through that with my last two.  Better to control a cat's diet and keep weight in check.  When we think of percentages, a one pound gain in a twelve pound cat is substantial.  I agree with your vet, but I can't make good recommendations with what you should feed your cat.  I would just suggest you limit how much your cat eats.  I got a new kitten who is quite slender and I'm working hard to keep it that way.  Good luck with your kitty.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,892
Registered: ‎07-03-2013

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

My mother's dog needs to lose a few pounds.  They changed up what she was eating a little and cut back the snacks.  My kitty has the opposite problem, he needs to gain weight.  It's not easy.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,070
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

I was a PetsMart today, looking at the kitties in cages (these are all rescues).  There was one cat there (white long-hair with pink ears), who was very sweet.  However, the sign on the cage said she had belonged to an elderly woman who had to go to a nursing home, and no one could take the cat.  The cat's name was "Double Stuffed", and the sign said she needed to lose a few pounds.  She was not very active, and didn't want to play with a feather wand, like the other cats did.  She also was 5 years old, and had been at PetsMart over a month.  What happens to these kitties if they aren't adopted?  I felt so bad for her!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,341
Registered: ‎04-19-2010

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

This would be a nightmare for me.  I absolutely could not tolerate their meowing and nagging if I were to withhold food.  Just could not do it and would cave like a ton of bricks.   


-- pro-aging --


Rochester, New York
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,481
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

I think you can change the food like you said and that the weight will come off slowly.

 

 

Lyn08

 

The cat may not be as active because she is traumatized being away from her home. She may  be more active in a new home. I would not expect a 5 yr old cat to be as active as a kitten. What happens to her if she is not chosen depends on the group that has her. Some have them for so long and euthanize them. Some keep them until they find them a home. There are usually people that want an older cat over a kitten. We are now in kitten explosion season so there seems to be an abundance of cats.

 

doxie

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,481
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

peaches

 

I think that is why you might have better luck if you reduced the food slowly. Maybe they would not notice it as much.

 

doxie

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,148
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

Our dogs need to lose weight and the vet just suggested cutting back the amount we feed them, not changing their food. I've never had to have a cat lose weight, they've always been under IMO.  13 seems huge, but then my cats only weighed around 8 lb.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: VET WANTS MY CAT TO LOSE ONE POUND !!!

When I was having to feed my kitty with kidney disease any time she acted like she wanted food (to keep her weight UP), I felt bad if I didn't give my other little girl just a "bite"... but those bites were adding up.  So she got a little fat.  My vet told me something I never knew... that wet food is basically 80% water and contrary to what most people thought, that it would help a cat lose weight faster than special dry food.  She was eating almost all wet food, now she's having a little dry as well (for helping clean her teeth), but she actually did slim down a bit on the wet food.