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Step 1
Unlike dogs, cats have a much more delicate balance between their eating habits and their health. You can help your cat lose weight but it is vital you do it gradually. Dogs can go for longer periods of time without food or with feeding interruptions (although this is not recommended!) than cats. No crash diets for cats!
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Step 2
Feed your cat good quality food. My brands of choice are Innova and Blue Buffalo. Cats can become finicky and boss us around with the flavors they like to eat. But just as this doesn't work well with children, it won't work well for your cat either. If you give your cat only a hi-quality, high protein food, he or she will deign to eat it when they get hungry enough. Cats usually get used to the new food even if they are fussy at first. Always make sure a cat eats on a regular basis. It doesn't have to be much in the way of quantity. But, again, unlike dogs, cats cannot go for long periods of fasting without ill effects.
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Step 3
Most people let their cats 'free feed'. It's more common in cats than dogs since it appears the cat will only eat what he or she needs and won't overeat. Wrong. Many cats frequently overeat this way. If you feed your cat only a SMALL quantity of food two to four times a day, (I find two is enough for mine) you will be regulating your cat's intake. Whatever isn't eaten in the first 15 minutes should be taken up and saved for the next meal or disposed of. Essentially, you want to feed your cat the equivalent of one small mouse a day: high protein, a little roughage and water. (Yum.)
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Step 4
A good way to get your cat to lose weight is to increase his or her activity level. Playing more with your cat is the most obvious way to do this. But you can also become a little ingenious about it. Try putting your cat's food on a higher surface that will make the little guy have to climb to get it. Water too. Don't make it difficult, just a little more exercise. If you have stairs in your house, putting food dishes or the cat box where it is easily accessible, but more of a workout to get to, can also help.
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Step 5
In short, feeding small amounts of good quality food at regular intervals combined with increasing your feline's activity level should help your cat SLOWLY shed unwanted pounds. Lots of love and grooming is likely to make the whole process more fun for both of you, though!
Comments
JMKnudson said
on 9/20/2008 This is the article I was looking for. Thanks much for the info!
Sush56 said
on 9/10/2008 Great article!