My cat is overweight and still gaining. How much should I feed?

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is best to feed for the recommended weight. So, for example, if April weighs 12 lbs but should weigh closer to 10 lbs you'd want to feed the amount for a 10 lb cat. I often recommend feeding even 25% less than is recommended for the idea body weight because most cats tend to be pretty sedentary. Feeding an all canned food diet can also be helpful for weight loss. There are also prescription diets available like Royal Canin Low fat and Hill's Metabolic that can help with weight loss. If you are concerned with April's weight after taking some steps to reduce her calorie intake, you can always discuss a prescription weight loss diet with your veterinarian.

This is genetics. Just like people, some are more prone to obesity despite diet. The best diet to feed is actually a canned food to stimulate weight loss in cats. Look for a low carbohydrate percentage... idieally inder 10%. You can also try to increase the exercise and activity level by using treat disornsers or a laser pointer

I recommend you switch to the Royal Canin light 40 food. https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Canin-Cat-Light-400g/dp/B000T5MCTI/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1504529362&sr=8-3&keywords=royal+canin+light+40 You feed them based on the recommendations on the bag according to their "ideal" weight (not the weight they are now) which I would say should be 10-11 pounds. Whatever the bag tells you to feed you can split anyway you like - into 2 feedings, 3 feeding, whatever you want as long as that is all they get for the day. If they still don't lose weight, you probably need to see your vet to get a prescription weight loss diet. You are right to be concerned. Overweight cats often get diabetes which is really not fun to manage in a cat :( Hope this helps. If you have more questions feel free to post again! Best wishes!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ari. If he is near 20lbs, he is more than likely overweight. There are three parameters I use to assess weight. The cat should have a thin covering when you run your hands along the ribs. You should not have to dig through a thick fat covering to feel the ribs. Next, the cat should have a waist that curves in from the top view. Finally, the belly should tuck up tightly from the side view. It should not hang towards the floor. If Ari does not meet all three of these qualifications, then he is likely overweight. Start by measuring his food accurately each day. If he likes to graze throughout the day, as most cats do, feed him small servings out of this pre-measured allotment. You can hide pieces of kibble around the house to encourage a cat's natural hunting behavior. Again this food should come from his daily ration. Look at the side of the bag for an estimate on how much to feed keeping in mind that you want to feed him for his ideal, not current weight. Encourage him to run and play throughout the day as well. Even 5 minutes of daily exercise can help a cat to lose weight. I hope this information helps!

Hi! Feeding charts on bags of food provide a general estimate for how much an average active adult cat at an ideal body weight should eat. These charts are by no means set in stone! Individual animals' metabolisms can vary widely, just as they do in people. Since Roronoa Zoro is a bit overweight, you are doing the right thing by feeding him a bit less to achieve some weight loss. At this point, I would not make any adjustments simply based upon the feeding guide alone. There are calculations that can determine the number of calories per day that Roronoa Zoro should consume based upon his ideal body weight, body condition score, and overall activity level. Feel free to request a consultation if you would like to discuss this in more detail.

Yes, you should definitely cut the food back. If she seems overly hungry when you cut the food back you may need to talk to your vet about putting her on a prescription weight loss diet. Prescription diets are low in calories (so they can eat more of it) and it is very filling (they are high in fiber). If she doesn't lose weight I would be very worried about her developing diabetes. Remember, you need to feed the amount of food recommended on the bag for their IDEAL weight. Ideally she should be between 10-12 pounds. The average indoor cat should have 20 calories per pound so you should only be feeding her 200-240 calories per day INCLUDING her treats.