Don’t Know How to Feel About Vet’s Diet Plan

[riles99]

My cat went to his vet today for his yearly shots and to get him placed on a diet because he is overweight. After his appointment about this diet plan I am now more confused and wondering if I should get a second opinion. My cat is currently weighing in at 20 pounds, and I know that sounds like a lot and I agree that he needs to lose some weight but he is also very large for a cat and is 23 inches in length and a little over a foot tall on all fours. The vet told me that most cats only eat 1/8th of food a day and need 180-200 calories. She suggested I only feed him 200 calories a day from here on out and he needs to get down to 12 lbs. Now, I am the first to admit that my cat needs to lose weight and will do whatever it takes to get him healthy again, and maybe I’m just uneducated, but I thought this was a little extreme. When humans want to lose weight they don’t eat the same calories as a person of the weight they want to be. They cut their calories based on the weight they are currently and modify them as they lose weight. I feel like my cats size (length and height), without his weight in mind, should also be a factor in his diet plan and I feel like she was just going off what an average sized cat should be. My husband took him in because I had to work or I would’ve asked all these questions directly to the vet. Does this seem about right for a cat losing weight or should I get a second opinion? If my suspicions are completely wrong please feel free to tell me, I just want to make sure I’m not starving my cat. He is a male, neutered, and seven years old if that helps. Thanks in advance

 

[maggie101]

Do you have a pictures of your cat on all 4s standing upright

 

[riles99]

Do you have a pictures of your cat on all 4s standing upright

 

[goingpostal]

Not a great angle to judge but you can see that bulgy belly so he's pretty overweight for sure. Dropping calories will help but switching to high protein low carb wet food would help faster and usually makes cats feel more full, kibble is very carb heavy and hard to lose weight on as cats are obligate carnivores and don't really need any carbs in their diet. Also work to eat type toys for kibble so it takes time and effort for them to get a meal in as opposed to scarfing it all down immediately. I've never dieted a cat so can't give you advice on the calorie amount but I'm sure someone else will chime in.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Try using this chart (see below) as a basis to determine your cat's current size/shape. While the weight on the scale is part of it, the shape/size matters as well. Tbh, most vets do use physical exam and appearance in addition to the weight on the scale.

Please note that this chart - as is the case with most of them - never bother to reflect the belly pouch that hangs down immediately in front of the back legs - it is called a primordial pouch and most cats of all sizes have it. That is not, however, the same thing as a bulging belly from the sides.

If you do determine that he needs to lose weight - you need to slowly cut back on his calories over time. This allows his body - and his mind - to gradually adapt to lesser calories. So, the first thing to do is find out how many calories he is currently eating as a starting point, before you reduce the amount. And the best reduction is no more than 5-10% each time you adjust his intake. So, if he were to be eating 400 calories a day now, you would not want to reduce it by any more than 20-40 calories at first. Weekly weigh ins would be helpful, so you know what he is losing and how fast.

A basic rough guideline is that most cats need 20-25 calories per pound of body weight. If your cat is 20 pounds, theoretically he would need anywhere between 400 & 500 calories a day to maintain that. And, when having a cat lose weight, ideally you want to have him lose no more than 1 pound a month - that is on the highest end. If you use the 20-25 calorie rule, a cat that should weigh 15 pounds (not going to say 12 pounds is appropriate for your guy), then you want to gradually get down to 300 - 375. This is all just a guide for you to use, until you learn over time how your cat's metabolism functions.

 

[LTS3]

My cat is currently weighing in at 20 pounds, and I know that sounds like a lot and I agree that he needs to lose some weight but he is also very large for a cat and is 23 inches in length and a little over a foot tall on all fours. The vet told me that most cats only eat 1/8th of food a day and need 180-200 calories. She suggested I only feed him 200 calories a day from here on out and he needs to get down to 12 lbs. Now, I am the first to admit that my cat needs to lose weight and will do whatever it takes to get him healthy again, and maybe I’m just uneducated, but I thought this was a little extreme.

That is too drastic of a calorie reduction and may result in fatty liver disease. Calorie reduction in cats must be done very slowly. Weight loss in cats takes time, not in a few days.

The general suggested amount of calories to feed is roughly 20 to 25 calories per pound of body weight daily. First, figure out how many calories your cat is currently eating. Pet food labels have this listed as kcal. A 20 lb cat is probably getting around 400 calories daily.

Next, take at look at what you are currently feeding. Dry foods are too calorie dense per cup, some as much as 600 calories. The 1/8 cup of dry food daily your vet suggested is ridiculous. No cat would be satisfied with a only 1/8 cup of food daily. You'll have a very hangry cat exhibiting bad behavior (peeing outside the litter box, constant screaming, digging through your trash can and getting onto the counters and your dinner table to get any food, etc).

What to feed then? Canned foods are best since they are much lower in calories. The 3 oz cans aren't going to be cost effective right now because you'll need to feed like 8 of those daily for your cat's current 20 lb weight. The 5.5 oz cans are better and you might need just two whole cans plus maybe a little more from another can or a whole 3 oz cans.You can offer a small amount of dry if your cat needs crunchies but be sure to include the calorie amount of the dry food into the overall daily calorie intake. Few cats can lose weight on dry food alone, even those weight loss formula ones. Prescription weight loss foods aren't needed either.

Feed your cat however many calories he is getting currently. Then very very gradually over weeks to months, reduce the calories no more than 10% at a time until the cat reaches the desired weight. Have patience as it will take time for some cats to show any sign in weight loss even if calories are reduced. Weigh the cat weekly to see if there is any weight loss or not.

Some other tips on weight loss:

Feline Obesity: An Epidemic of Fat Cats

A veterinarian discusses using canned cat food and not dry food as a prevention and treatment of obesity in cats, and what is a healthy diets for cats.

catinfo.org

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thecatsite.com

It's perfectly fine to ignore the vet's suggestion on food amount and type of food to feed If you otherwise like the vet, you don't need to take your cat to another one for second opinion on weight.

 

[silent meowlook]

Are you feeding canned food only? If you are feeding dry, that’s the problem. Very important to know that you never want to drastically reduce food or have a cat just stop eating. It can cause hepatic lipidosis (a life threatening liver disease) Most vets are not well versed in nutrition.

 

[Telstar]

What race is he? For a breed such as Maine Coon or Siberian that weight is normal AND they naturally look as #7 in the chart posted above.