having probelms with cats weight loss

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jadebelle

jadebelle

Member Since 2015
Hey everyone
I'm new here and I had a question about getting my cat to lose weight.
Has anyone else had problems getting their cat to lose weight?
How long did it take to get to the recommended weight?
Some back ground.
Before the diagnosis Trix was having 1/4 cup of Hill's prescription diet for urinary problems (c/d i think) or a pouch of commercial wet food.
The vet put Trix on 1/4 cup of Hill's prescription diet: M/D dry or 1 tin of M/D wet after the diagnosis but I only ever gave him 1/2 a tin because he didn't eat it all. He started in August then as there was no change in his weight, after Christmas the vet said to cut it back to 1/8 of a cup. She was ok with me mixing in about 1/4 of a tin just so he'd eat it as he won"t eat the dry food two feeds in a row.
He weighs 7.6 kgs and the vet would like to get him under 7. The vet would have expected to see some change by now after the reduction. He is a large bodied cat (if his head is at my shoulder his tail nearly reaches my knee) so he's never going to be a dainty 4gk kitty. I always compare him to the build of a rugby player.
I've talked to the vet and she called Hill's to get their advice. She doesn't know of any other weight management food suitable for diabetic cats in Australia at the moment. It was great of her to go the extra mile for me. Now we're just waiting to hear back before we can come up with a new plan of attack.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend :)
Jadebelle
 
Just feed a little less. The dry has more carbs that the canned so I would try to avoid the dry. Just do not reduce too much since rapid weight loss an cause prbolems
 
Both you and your vet read should read over Cat Info, written by DVM Lisa Pierson before going by what a pet food manufacturer tells you. Many of the prescription diets are no better, and in some cases, are worse, than an over the counter food or a home prepared recipe.
 
I'd cut back on the dry, even eliminate it if possible. Also with the wet food add water to help Trix feel full. Weight loss was a big concern for my cats because their a bit ummmmm "fluffy" I have each cat eating 6 oz total of canned food (Holistic select), and 1 TBS of dry food (young again zero carb) for total calories about 250 for a 14 lb cat. I also weigh them once a month and try to make it at the same time each month.
 
Thanks for the link BJM. Looks like some good info on it.
I'll try adding a bit of water in. He does get bladder crystals so bit of extra moisture isn't going to hurt. I have been using the dry food mainly because the wet food is so much more expensive, not that the dry food is cheap but it works out cheaper. I'm going to ask the vet can i make my own food up for him.
 
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Hi Jadebelle,

Saoirse had similar problems on Royal Canin's veterinary dry diets. Indeed, the RC Veterinary Urinary s/o dry diet prescribed for her a few years ago after she had bladder stones removed was the start of all her current problems. She gained weight on that dry diet, and despite the vet subsequently prescribing first the moderate calorie RC Urinary dry and subsequently the RC Obesity Management dry - and subsistence portions at that! - Saoirse struggled to lose any weight. She spent a couple of years without enough to eat and still remained a bit too heavy.

Shortly after Saoirse's diabetes Dx, I switched her to wet, low-carb species-appropriate food. (Note: the vets at our old practice wanted her to eat Hills w/d dry to go with her Caninsulin, but neither the food type, diet restrictions nor the insulin worked for Saoirse. We changed practices shortly after and got support for the change to wet, low carb mini meals and shortly afterwards a change to Lantus, both of which helped Saoirse far more.)

I, too, was worried about urinary tract health going forward so I add about 1-2 tbsps filtered water to each of her meals (she gets mini-meals 10-12 times a day so you can see she gets plenty of water). Touch wood, she has remained within +/- 0.2kg of ideal weight since July of last year and her urinary health has also been good. She's much more satisfied on the wet diet, too. Also, with the wet-only diet I was able to get Saoirse's blood glucose well-regulated on Lantus and then to become diet-controlled (no insulin). Dr Pierson's recommendations really worked for us, so I thought I'd share our story with you. :)
 
PS...

I bought a basic digital baby scales to monitor Saoirse's weight at home. Wish I'd bought one years ago. :) (Good prices on ebay.)
 
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Thanks Critter mom for sharing. Great idea about the baby scales. I'd never even thought of that. I didn't know you could by them. I'd only seen them at drs offices, chemists, etc. My last vet had them and my boy used to love curling up in them. I have just been doing the weigh myself, weigh myself holding cat and do the math thing. They are digital scales but i don't know if it gives a true reading of his weight.
The vet has got me a new type of hill brand called metabolic (for free. Yay.) They are just trialing it on cats and said it was ok for diabetics. Hopefully it will help.
Thanks :)
 
Thanks for suggestions re: Marmy's insulin increases. These are being orchestrated by Dr. Lisa Pierson at this time. Marmy is 8 and1/2 years old and weighs about 8and1/2 lbs. she was 10 pounds pre- diabetes onset. Her scores are certainly all over the chart. I was so delighTed to see the 117 and quick retest113 AMPTscores but by +5 she was high again! Really frustrating. The amazing thing is that she is tolerating these ear tests. She was very squirmy at first and shook her head a lot esp. When I had a nice little drop of blood. My bedsheets , etc. Are blood spattered but she doesn,t run from me, sleeps on my bed At night( never did before!) but she still shakes that líttle head. Any comments or advice will be gratefully received.
 
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