Depending on the size and breed of a cat, each one has a specific weight requirement that is best for a long, healthy life. For pet parents with overweight or obese cats, finding the right diet is paramount. We have partnered with NomNom, who have provided us with some helpful information about reaching and maintaining your cat’s weight goals.
What Causes Obesity In Cats?
Even a regular feeding schedule can result in an overweight cat. Things such as treats and an unbalanced diet can lead to cat obesity. To determine the best diet for weight loss in cats, it is important to understand the leading causes of feline obesity.
Free Feeding
For those who have a busy schedule, allowing their cats to graze on a large amount of food throughout the day is a tempting option. However, when a cat is allowed to free feed, she tends to eat more than she needs.
Cat Treats
It is hard for a cat to turn down a tasty treat. Since cat treats tend to be small, many pet parents do not realize how many extra calories they are giving their cat. Too many cat treats can cause cats to gain weight quickly.
Nutrition
Cats are “obligate carnivores.” This means that for a cat’s nutrition to be at its absolute best, diets need to be meat-based. Meat provides the amino acids and vitamins that cats need to stay healthy and happy. Ensure your cat is eating a food that is properly balanced to meet her biological needs. This can help in maintaining a healthy weight.
The Best Diets for Weight Loss in Cats
Putting a cat on a weight loss diet is as easy as knowing the right foods to feed her. Here are the best weight loss diets to feed an overweight or obese cat, and the benefits:
High-Protein Diet
Cats do best on a high-protein diet, especially those who need to lose weight gradually over a period of time. High-protein diets contain carnitine, an amino acid that cats need to turn fat reserves into energy. While found in abundance in animal meat, many plants that can be found in many dry cat foods, such as wheat, lack the carnitine that cats need.
Scheduled Feeding Diet
Teaching a cat to adhere to a food schedule is easier than most people think. The first thing to know is the amount of food the cat needs every day. This does vary depending on the size, age, breed, and health of the cat in question. As a baseline, your average house cat needs about 150-200 calories a day, equivalent to about 1 can of your typical 5.5-ounce cat food, about ½ a cup of dry food, or about 5 ounces of fresh food.
Once a vet has determined the right weight for the breed of cat, taking up a scheduled feeding diet allows pet parents to gradually control the amount of food their cat eats every day. Pet parents should feed their cat two to four times each day with a set amount of food that is to be eaten in one sitting.
Every pet parent wants to give their cat the right nutrition and to make sure she stays active and healthy. If you suspect that diet is playing a role in your cat’s unhealthy weight, trying perfectly portioned, fresh meals may be the answer.
Our fresh food partner is NomNom and now is the best time to give their delivery service a try. They are offering a very special discount, only available to the iHeartCats community.