Why are my cats so hungry after switching to wet food to lose weight?

Getting cats to lose weight can be very challenging. Cats are obligate carnivores and cannot use carbohydrates efficiently, so they tend to be converted straight into fat. Any any dry food needs to have a good amount of carbohydrates in it in order to makes it "dry". So, even using low calorie biscuits, it can be very difficult to get a cat to lose weight. (And the bags generally recommend more calories than a normal cat needs.) My best recommendation for weight loss in cats is to change to a completely canned food diet. This website has some good information about cat nutrition. http://catinfo.org/ Some of the packets are actually also high in carbohydrates, so you have to read the labels carefully. It will seem odd that you are actually feeding a higher fat and higher caloric food in a canned food, but cats tend to lose weight that way. I generally recommend an average of 5.5 ounces of canned food per day for an average ideal body weight of 10 pounds for a cat. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Check the labels on your cat foods and see if it gives you a calorie count. Most good pet foods will have that information. Calculate how many calories are in 1/3 of the dry food and compare that amount to the canned food to get an idea of the right amount to feed him to maintain his weight. If you aren't fond of math (like me!) a less precise method is to simply keep an eye on his weight and adjust the amount you feed accordingly. When you run your hands over his body, if the ribs can be felt with light pressure then he's a good weight. If you have to really feel around to tell where his ribs are, he could lose a little weight, and if the bones are felt with no pressure at all, he should get fed a little more.

She should gradually lose weight over several months. Cats usually only lose about one half a pound a month unless you restrict the amount of food given daily. It’s rare for them to get too thin if she’s an indoor cat who is fairly inactive. When she is a normal weight then you may want to increase the amount of wet daily a little so she maintains her normal weight. I have found that some cats still don’t lose on a wet food only diet. If she’s slow to lose the weight I give less wet food and add a tablespoon of plain canned pumpkin to each feeding to increase fiber and fill her up with less calories. Increasing her daily activity will speed the weight loss also by building muscle and burning calories. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. On average, most normal sized cats should be between 8 and 12 pounds. Any cat over 12 pounds (unless it is a large breed cat like a Maine Coon) would be considered overweight. So, Mittens is at the high end of the range already. Based on the photos she does look to be overweight. Due to her body frame I would say 10-11 pounds would be a more ideal weight for her. You just need to cut back on her food. Typically wet food is very high in calories so I suggest you cut that way back or stop giving it all together. My recommendation would be to work with your vet on weight loss if you attempt to get her to lose weight and she doesn't. Sometimes a prescription weight loss diet is needed. Many cats are just vocal - it doesn't mean they are hungry. If you give in to her every time she begs you she will continue to gain weight. Many times it is not food they are after is that they are getting something from you (it's like a type of bonding). You many have to get her an automatic feeder so she does not associate you with food. Hope this. helps. Best wishes.

If he's on a weight loss diet prescribed by your vet, then it may be that he just isn't used to getting "less" food. Feeding a higher fiber diet (most weight-loss diets add fiber) can help him feel fuller on less food, which can help with his being hungry on fewer calories. If the problem continues, ruling out any issues such as metabolic problems is also a good idea to make sure there isn't an underlying cause with it. You may also want to spread out his meals to several more throughout the day, instead of just 1-2 large meals, so that he feels like he is getting "more" over a longer period of time.

What handsome boys! So you have them listed at 8 lbs now. So that suggests to me that they have lost about 2 lbs on the current diet. You are aiming for probably 9 lbs for an average cat. The point is, they need to stop losing weight and either put a little on or at least maintain. Assuming all of those things are true, I’d recommend increasing the food slightly. Say increase one of the meals from 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup. If I’m incorrect and they are at their ideal weight and maintaining on this current diet then a couple ideas: switch to an overweight diet which contains more fiber so you can feed more physical food for the same calories. Or you can consider an automatic feeder to divide the total food into small snacks throughout the day. Best of luck to you and your sweet kitties!

I adopted a cat that weighed 28 pounds. I measured his diet food and added in several tablespoons of plain canned pumpkin to his food twice daily. It took almost two years but he is now 12 pounds. He still gets canned pumpkin daily to maintain his weight. Most cats enjoy pumpkin. The cats may lose weight better on an all meat canned diet or Hills metabolic diet. With pumpkin, canned food, or the metabolic food most cats are not as hungry, and can still lose weight. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Miso.