Best way to get my 24 lb cat to lose weight o
Best way to get my 24 lb cat to lose weight o
Hi there, this is Dr Linda, a small animal vet with 10 years of clinical experience.
Losing weight is generally a matter of less calories in and more energy spent. Easier said than done, I know!
Assuming your cat has no underlying medical issues, a slow and steayd weight loss should be achievable with relative ease. We do not want to take things too fast, as this can result in fatty liver in very over-weight felines.
I'd strongly advise you switch to a Satiety diet like Royal Canin Satiety. These foods are designed so your cat feels fuller and is not so food driven. The food can also speed up metabolism.
We need to determine a healthy weight, which we can usually do by using a Body Condition Score chart. If unsure the best weight for your cat, ask your vet or nurse to tell you.
We then use the feeding guidelines to feed for the DESIRED WEIGHT rather than the current weight.
Remember that any trests or tit bits count as calories and must be subtracted from the daily food allowance. No more than 10% of the diet should be treats.
It can help to use our daily food allowance to get our cat moving by using interactive food puzzles and by hiding kibble around the house e.g. under small cardboard boxes or on the top of the cat tree.
We can also encourage movement with e.g.:
If possible, allow outdoor access to e.g. a safe garden or catio and consider harness walking too.
I hope this helps!
