Preventing diabetes in an overweight cat

[Mister]

I've another cat that I'm scare about. Tryst. He's getting obese and I'm afraid he'll develop diabetes. I try to engage him with toys, a laser pointer, I run after him but every day I see him he looks bigger (unhealthily bigger). Is there anything I can do? He's on blue buffalo weight control/management hard food. He eats 1/5 of a cup 2x a day. I don't want to decrease his food because he always seems hungry....

Prevention tips? Weight loss tips? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks...

 

[KPassa]

Switch him over to low carb, wet food. Usually, cats can self-regulate their food intake pretty well when it's properly balance nutrition for an obligate carnivore, as found in low carb, wet food. In order to help Tryst lose weight in a healthy manner, have a read-through on Dr. Lisa Pierson's site about feline obesity.

 

[Deb & Wink]

Wet food is easier to portion control and helps a cat feel fuller. If you add about a tablespoon of water to the food, that fills the cat up too and keeps them hydrated.

Unfortunately, as you have discovered for yourself, the weight control dry foods do not work well to get a cat to lose weight. Take the weight loss slow and easy.

Vet Dr. Lisa Pierson has a good article on her website on helping overweight cats to lose weightslowly and safely.

It can be done, but may take many months. I did it with my civie Monet, taking him from 16 1/2 pounds down to a slim, ideal weight of 12 pounds but it took a year. The vet says I did a good job, slow weight loss so that Monet still retained his muscle mass. He is more active and playful now that he is his proper weight. So much healthier for him to be slimmer too.

This Body Condition Score chart will help you to see where your cat Tryst falls in the range of too skinny to just right to too heavy.

 

[BJM]

To avoid GI tract upsets, make food changes gradually, about 20-25% per day different.

When I switched all my cats (its beeter for them) to low carb canned food, 2 overweight cats lost weight without even trying, and that was with free feeding, no portion control at all!

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

...I don't want to decrease his food because he always seems hungry...

Hi,

You've had some great advice there. Low carb wet/canned food is great for all kinds of reasons. The condition of all my cats improved enormously after switching from dry to wet.

I'm wondering why your cat "always seems hungry". It may just be that the dry food isn't satisfying his appetite sufficiently. But if he were my cat I'd consider testing his glucose, just to rule out the beginnings of diabetes... Would you be able to hometest him? Or test his pee with glucose test strips? ('Diastix' can be bought cheaply from pharmacies).

You're doing a great job. Your cats are very lucky to have you care about them so much. :smile:

Eliz