overweight cat

[catdog]

Do you have any suggestions for our overweight cat? We have 2 cats, a male and a female both are fixed. The male is very overweight and the female tends to be thin. We have to feed them separately because the male will gobble up the food and the female gets none. The female is also a grazier and the male sneaks in to eat her food. Although the female is much older she is more playful and lively. I worry about his weight, he was a rescued cat would that have something to do with it?

[Brad Buckley, D.V.M.]

Cats can be very difficult when it comes to weight control. Their eating habits, low metabolism and the tendency to be "easy keepers" presents a real challenge. I always recommend calculating the daily amount of food recommended for your cats and adhering strictly to those amounts. Since bowl swapping is common, it is often necessary to separate the cats when they eat. I realize this is easier said than done and sometimes the lifestyle makes this nearly impossible. Therefore, I would consider changing their food to Purina DM. This food must be prescribed by a veterinarian and can be a little pricey but the results can be great. DM is a higher protein, lower carbohydrate cat food that is often jokingly referred to as the Catkin's Diet. It is safe for overweight cats and better approximates their protein and carbohydrate needs than typical cat foods. Overweight cats are prone to diabetes mellitus and this food was designed for those cats but can be used for weight control as well. Purina also makes an OM variety (also available from your veterinarian) that was designed for weight control specifically. If the veterinarian prescribed foods don't fit the budget then ask an attendent at Petco or Petsmart to direct you to a higher protein or weight control formula food that is available over the counter. They won't be quite as effective as the prescription variety but will be better than the traditional food that we often feed.

Take home points:

1. Calculate and measure food amounts
2. Use Purina DM or OM if possible
3. Separate cats from each other if possible to better control amounts
consumed.
4. Ask your veterinarian to help you design a custom plan for your cats and weigh your cats often to measure progress.

Good luck with the cats and their weightloss.