Hello, I have 2 F6 marbled Savannah cats, now 13 months old. One of them now weighs 6.8kg and needs to lose weight as he has no waist. Opinions vary as to what his ideal weight should be, he is a big cat. He was always the bigger of the 2 (from the same litter) and is constantly hungry. I have had cats for years and never had one that was overweight. The Savannahs are currently kept indoors but have a large house to run about in and lots of toys, trees and stimulation, as we are at home with them. Outside is being made safe and I know that going out will help his weight problem. All the cats are fed on Royal Canin dry food which I have always given to my cats and is recommended by the vet. The overweight cat has been put on RC Satiety but it's not enough for him and he is permanently hungry, trying to steal food all the time. Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can get him slimmer but keep him full?! Many thanks in advance.
3crazycats
Switch to wet food, and also some very chewy snacks that will keep him busy for not many calories. Raw chicken wing for example. If he likes treat balls you could let him have a little dry that way, as it takes more effort than sticking his nose in the bowl and inhaling. You could also use a puzzle bowl to slow down eating.
@3crazycats - Royal Canin dry food is not a good diet, it is high in carbohydrates and that is why your cat is overweight. Vets who recommend this food often do so because they sell the stuff! (excuse my cynicism, lol)
Even the RC Satiety is too high in carbs to be healthy for a cat.
I agree with OS, switch your cat to a wet food diet, no dry food at all.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so they need a diet high in meat protein. A feral cat eating natural prey would have an average daily energy intake of less than 2% carbohydrate, 52% crude protein, and 46% crude fat. Commercial feline dry food diets have up to 60% of their energy provided from carbohydrates!
Compared with dogs and humans, cats have a reduced capacity to metabolise high glucose intake, resulting in higher blood glucose concentrations after eating carbohydrates.
While cats do have some metabolic flexibility in processing carbohydrates provided their minimum protein requirements are met, glucose metabolism in cats is unique, resulting in a comparative carbohydrate intolerance.,
There is a pinned thread one of our members has kindly posted for us, giving the carb content of all the good quality grain free foods sold at Zooplus. Choose grain free wet foods that are no more than 7% carbs.
https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads...o.uk/threads/zooplus-cat-food-list-just-the-good-stuff-work-in-progress.440844/
Lisa Pierson, veterinarian and feline nutrition expert has very useful advice on healthy diet and on implementing a safe weight loss programme using wet foods.
https://catinfo.org/feline-obesity-an-epidemic-of-fat-cats/
https://catinfo.org/feline-obesity-an-epidemic-of-fat-cats/#Implementing_a_Safe_Weight-Loss_Program
As you will read Dr Pierson stresses the importance of slow and gradual weight loss, particularly when the cat is overweight. This is to avoid the risk of Liver Lipidosis, a nasty disease that can be life threatening.
Weight loss should be no more than about 50 grams (a couple of ounces) each week. Weigh your cat every week on digital scales and keep a record. This will tell you if you are feeding too little or too much. Do not feed the cat according to the eventual target weight - feed for the weight the cat is now, but with the aim of reducing the weight by 50 grams a week.
Even the RC Satiety is too high in carbs to be healthy for a cat.
I agree with OS, switch your cat to a wet food diet, no dry food at all.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so they need a diet high in meat protein. A feral cat eating natural prey would have an average daily energy intake of less than 2% carbohydrate, 52% crude protein, and 46% crude fat. Commercial feline dry food diets have up to 60% of their energy provided from carbohydrates!
Compared with dogs and humans, cats have a reduced capacity to metabolise high glucose intake, resulting in higher blood glucose concentrations after eating carbohydrates.
While cats do have some metabolic flexibility in processing carbohydrates provided their minimum protein requirements are met, glucose metabolism in cats is unique, resulting in a comparative carbohydrate intolerance.,
There is a pinned thread one of our members has kindly posted for us, giving the carb content of all the good quality grain free foods sold at Zooplus. Choose grain free wet foods that are no more than 7% carbs.
https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads...o.uk/threads/zooplus-cat-food-list-just-the-good-stuff-work-in-progress.440844/
Lisa Pierson, veterinarian and feline nutrition expert has very useful advice on healthy diet and on implementing a safe weight loss programme using wet foods.
https://catinfo.org/feline-obesity-an-epidemic-of-fat-cats/
https://catinfo.org/feline-obesity-an-epidemic-of-fat-cats/#Implementing_a_Safe_Weight-Loss_Program
As you will read Dr Pierson stresses the importance of slow and gradual weight loss, particularly when the cat is overweight. This is to avoid the risk of Liver Lipidosis, a nasty disease that can be life threatening.
Weight loss should be no more than about 50 grams (a couple of ounces) each week. Weigh your cat every week on digital scales and keep a record. This will tell you if you are feeding too little or too much. Do not feed the cat according to the eventual target weight - feed for the weight the cat is now, but with the aim of reducing the weight by 50 grams a week.
.
@3crazycats - if you are having difficulty with their acceptance of wet foods, please post back. If they refuse it - or drastically reduce the number of calories they've been accustomed to, they can develop a liver condition that's often perilous - and, overweight cats are most at risk for this.
Hopefully they'll take to it easily - otherwise, there are strategies you could employ......just don't get into a wet-food-or-nothing mode.
.
@3crazycats - if you are having difficulty with their acceptance of wet foods, please post back. If they refuse it - or drastically reduce the number of calories they've been accustomed to, they can develop a liver condition that's often perilous - and, overweight cats are most at risk for this.
Hopefully they'll take to it easily - otherwise, there are strategies you could employ......just don't get into a wet-food-or-nothing mode.
.
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