Best canned food for my slightly overweight male

Am looking for some canned food for my 2 and 1/2 year old male, he is slightly overweight but not much and he is a big boy and is long. I need to have some brands you use for your cat to help them lose weight and keep them healthy. I don't really know where to start as there is so many out there, but am guessing I need to go for low carb and high protein. I am desperently needing help as he is on the hills light science diet and when we eat he is always looking for food. What brands have you fond have helped your cat lose it and keep it off. We have wanted a cat for soooo long and know we have him what to keep him healthy and happy, he is pampered in the sense of looks of cuddles, toys etc. we only got him a little over a week ago and he was overweight when we got him , so he not gotten that way cos of us. We have fallen in love with him already and don't want him to get sick.
Please help I need brands and the flavours that are best for him we live in Australia also

Here are some TCS threads with info:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/314824/my-fat-cat

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/315331/overweight-cat

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/309534/overweight-cat-suggestions

Most of the canned food suggestions in those threads are US or European brands unfortunately. What brands of food are available in Australia? I did find these threads:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/219319/help-wet-food-australia

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/257595/kitten-dry-food-and-wet-food-good-brands-in-australia

Generally, any canned food will help as long as you feed enough calories daily. The typical recommendation is 20 to 25 calories per pound of ideal body weight daily. Some cats may need a little more or less. First figure out how much your cat should ideally weigh and approximately how many calories that should be. Then figure out how many calories the cat is currently eating daily. Once you have that, you can start to reduce the amount of calories. Calorie reduction needs to be slowly to prevent fatty liver disease. Don't go from like 600 calories to 200 calories starting with one meal. Spread the reduction out over a few weeks.

Carb isn't much of a concern unless a cat needs low carb for medical reasons like diabetes. Some people like to stick with super low carbs for even healthy cats but food selection tends to be very limited. Personally, I suggest sticking with under 15% carbs. The occasional higher carb food as a treat is ok and will not cause any harm. Definitely try to stick to grain free canned foods.

See if there are any brands listed on these charts that are available in Australia:

http://www.petobesityprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Cat_Canned_Pouch_Foods.pdf

http://catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

A few small canned food daily meals helps keep most cat tummies happy.

If your cat has settled in since you got him a week ago, you can probably start a diet change now. But go at the cat's pace. Some cats hate too many new changes at once and may stop eating altogether.

He is a handsome boy, and looks fit for a good cuddle.
I don't know about brands in Australia, but as you said, it can be overwhelming when looking at all the choice. You are in a good position though as he's not drastically overweight, and you're not dealing with a medical condition that requires a specific diet, so that makes it easier.
Our boys were both overweight a few years ago and we got them down to a good size. We did it slowly (loosing weight quickly is not good for cats) and through feeding them mostly wet food. We feed a variety of brands, and we spread their mealtimes out to 3 or 4 meals per day. This way they're not getting "starving" and desperate for food.
Also, if you can get him a bit of exercise like supervised walks outside, that would help.

Cuddlemum said:

Am looking for some canned food for my 2 and 1/2 year old male, he is slightly overweight but not much and he is a big boy and is long. I need to have some brands you use for your cat to help them lose weight and keep them healthy. I don't really know where to start as there is so many out there, but am guessing I need to go for low carb and high protein. I am desperently needing help as he is on the hills light science diet and when we eat he is always looking for food. What brands have you fond have helped your cat lose it and keep it off. We have wanted a cat for soooo long and know we have him what to keep him healthy and happy, he is pampered in the sense of looks of cuddles, toys etc. we only got him a little over a week ago and he was overweight when we got him , so he not gotten that way cos of us. We have fallen in love with him already and don't want him to get sick.
Please help I need brands and the flavours that are best for him we live in Australia also

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I don't know the brands available in Australia, either, but you're right about going for low-carb, high-protein foods. For our cats, we avoid all foods with grains (including rice and most tapioca), potatoes, peas, and carrots. Their foods are all pretty low-carb (under 10% dry matter), which works well for them. I agree with @pushylady about feeding wet foods: most are lower carb than dry foods to begin with plus they have lots of water that helps keep cats hydrated and gives them a sense of a full belly. We also feed lots of small meals. The combination of low-carb wet foods and small meals keeps our hungrier cat's weight normal. (She still seems to have food insecurities after being very underfed as a kitten before we adopted her.)

Since your cat's so new to you, I might suggest taking the food transition somewhat slowly. I might start by decreasing, very slightly, the dry food while trying out small amounts of new wet foods on him. We did a version of that when we took our cats off dry food after adopting them: they were more skittish than your cat looks, though, so we waited a few weeks before starting to really cut back on their dry food. First we fed dry food only at night, then reduced the amount we set out each night. After about a month, they'd gone from a bowl to just a few kibbles each as a garnish. And then it was forgotten! Fingers crossed that your cat isn't a dry food addict!

What, by the way, is your cat's name? He looks very sweet!

Can't help you on the food thing,  just wanted to say although yes he's slightly over weight,  he's a very healthy looking animal,  you should be proud,  I only wish I could get some of these stray's around here to look as such !!

I feed my boy Wellness CORE Kitten Formula, but I'm transitioning him into the Indoor Formula, which does help maintain a healthy weight. Here's a link to their website, and yes you can get this food in Australia. http://wellnesspetfood.com.au/ I don't know where all you can get it in Australia, and it's not cheap, but I'd never give Finlay another thing to eat. Best wishes to you and your handsome baby!

Thanks for the help his name is BEAR

Hey Cuddlemum!

I have the same problem with my little girl, she loves to eat. (ADDICTED)

I feed her a no wheat diet (gluten free), that has high moisture content.  Wheat and by-products are things to avoid (cats wouldn't naturally eat it, so why would we feed it?).  There are some great resources out there to help start your feline friend on a healthy, natural diet.  Since I started her on this diet, her weight does not fluctuate (it is now healthy and stable), and I FINALLY don't have to go to the vet with her unless it's a routine appointment.

http://www.instinctpetfood.com/why-raw?gclid=CKnoqdXC68sCFQYuaQod4nUEww

http://www.catinfo.org/

There is some great information on those sites.

Hills is mostly vet recommended, however I strongly suggest you read into using a Hills diet as a permanent food source for your fur baby.  Vets recommend it, however it's not what they crack it up to be. (in my opinion, based on research)

is a GREAT book, but I wouldn't use this as your only resource.

I hope this helps you! 

Good luck with your new addition! He is a very handsome man, and lucky to have owners like you who are looking out for him!

J

The brands that I used to get my 22lb boy down to 13lbs were Nature's Variety, Merrick (before they were bought out by Purina), Soulistic, Canidae and Wellness. I don't know which of those might be available in Australia.
Basically your goal is to get as much meat as possible and as little carbs as possible. Carbs listed after salt, or some type of mineral are almost nothing, basically just another mineral source at that point.

Thanks for the info, have seen wellness and a few others I have heard say are good. Been reading as much info as I can about cats in general as am new to this, so thankful I found this site, it's been great to talk to others about advice.

Cuddlemum said:

Thanks for the info, have seen wellness and a few others I have heard say are good. Been reading as much info as I can about cats in general as am new to this, so thankful I found this site, it's been great to talk to others about advice.

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Wellness foods are pretty good plus a lot of cats like them, so they're a great place to start. I agree with @Minka about the carbs and the suggestion on where carby ingredients fall in the ingredient list... here's a chart (in PDF form) that lists lots of canned foods, with their carb content. It's a little outdated but still a valuable resource. I stick to foods that are under 10% dry matter (the C column under "dry matter"), which limits choices somewhat but there are still plenty of good foods to feed!

Thanks

I have started on some wet food (started on weekend ) I bought and almost transferred his dinner meal to wet food, then hoping to do his breakfast. I did the ratios and he had some straight away with no problems and been watching his poo etc and writing it all down and weighted him and will weigh him again later today to keep an eye on his weigh. I weighed him and going off the scales the vet had and mine he has lost a little bit he was 6.1 kg at the vet on the 19the of March and weighted him the other day and he was 5.8 kg, think that's like 13.4 pounds to 12.8 pounds but that is over two weeks. And he has been playing with my daughters and getting exercise. How much is OK to loose in a week? And how much is too much? Am guessing what he has lost is not too much and there scales might or mine scales might not be completely the same. When in the vets hubby was holding him on the scales, at home he sits on it by himself long enough to weigh him.

He gets so excited at dinner time and jumps up and down with excitement lol. And tries to eat out of the can before its completely open lol. He is right there in my face as he cant resist. Lol it's rather funny. I thought he might be a bit fussy but isn't, he is a garbage guts lol clap.giflaughing02.gif
He eats it very quickly so am guessing that is what he is used to eating wet food and that's why he gets so excited.
I have even noticed he is miaowing more too, as before he was rather quiet. And Hardely ever made a noise . I guess he has something to miaow about that's worth miaowing about lol biggrin.gif

We have had him for three weeks know and maybe he is settling in and feels he can talk to me know as we not taking him back. I am sure animals feel insecure, and wonder if the person is just going to get rid of them and take them back especially if it has happened before to the cat. I don't know much about his background besides that he was given up cos he scratched too much and wasn't suitable for kids but he has been great, had a few issues with my seven year old daughter in his face too much and him giving warming bites but she has backed right off. He doesn't scratch unless he playing or scratching furniture but doesn't scratch us at all. So I dunno why they would say that about him.

Does diet change there behaviour I wonder? Has there been any studies on it ? Does dry food make them more annoyed?
I have been grooming him and he has improved with that too and let's me groom him a bit longer as well. Could be also just getting used to me doing his fur. rbheart.gif
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Hi there!

That's GREAT to hear that he's doing so well!

When you take him to the vet and they weigh him, they will most definitely let you know if he is losing weight too quickly; if you are going with the recommended diet, you can't really go wrong.

Diet can certainly change their behaviour, just like it can humans.

Hard food is a kitty McDonalds.  The more McDonalds a human eats, they are more tired and sluggish, because they are not getting all the nutrients of a proper balanced diet, and maybe a little too much of additives and preservatives. 

So your kitty, just like a human, will perk up when they are continually fed a balanced diet.  Furthermore, your kitty may be played with more than his previous owner.  The more energy that is expelled, the more energy he will have (just like us and exercise).  All this exercise is sending those lovely endorphins to his brain making him happy, happy, happy.

Thanks, I know all about how food can make you feel sluggish.
I have IBS and gluten and lactose intolerance, and even when I avoid them things for the most part as I can take it in small amounts but if I eat too much even gf, lac free I can still feel sluggish cos of sugar or something else that is a fodmap. I have been on a low fod map diet and know my limits, but cats can't tell us these things that might upset there tummies.
I have been keeping a diary of what he eats and drinks and his wees and poos to keep an eye on him as am still introducing different wet food combos.

Need some advice on these foods, I have been feeding my cat mainly these ones, but I wanting some advice of which ones I should give more of if any and which ones less of?
I want to get and try wellness and holistic brand, but haven't yet, as to get them I have to travel 40 mins. These are my local choices in the supermarket. Two of these brands ones in tins I only started and has only had one of each of them but had mainly the other ones. I need some help. Which ones would be your staple ones or the better healthy choice all round. I know fancy feast aren't great but I thought these ones where better ones. Any advice would be great.