My 8 year old cat is overweight and it has caused her medical problems what should I do?

Question

I have a 8 year old female snowshoe/tabby mix. She has recently been peeing in my house, I found blood in her pee and litter box. I took her to the vet and they told me since she is so fat (18) lbs that her fat is causing her butt and "you know what" to be squished so she is straining to go, and it has caused her a UTI. I got her shaved "down there" and she got a shot of antibiotics. She has to loose weight or this will continue (she can't clean her self because she is too big) She has been fat her whole life, she is a picky eater, She does not over eat at all!! I'm afraid that even feeding her a lower calorie diet she won't loose weight My question is...should I put her down so she is not struggling, or continue medical treatment? And what type of treatment will help?????

Answer 1

The diet I'm going to suggest will take care of everything.  Not only will she lose weight safely, her health with blossom by eating species appropriate foods, and her urinary systems will be in better shape as well.  Although urinary health isn't mentioned in this particular blog entry, the key to urinary health for most cats is eating wet food.

And whether or not your vet's analysis is correct, it seems likely that your kitty does indeed need to lose weight.

Why do cats get fat? It can be a combination of issues, or just one. First the obvious - overfeeding. This may happen either because you're giving in to the begging or because you're free-feeding (keeping food available all day) and your cat is not self-regulated. The second reason is feeding inappropriate, low-quality food (most dry foods). The third would be medical reasons I'm not qualified to discuss, but they're rare. Most cats are fat simply because they're fed the wrong food and are fed too much.

Is it bad for cats to be overweight? Of course! It's very bad. It often leads to diabetes, not to mention that fat cats probably don't feel very cat-like. Who would when dragging around extra pounds?

Why is dry food bad? With very few exceptions, dry food is not appropriate food for cats. It's chock full of carbs/sugar, doesn't provide enough meat-based protein, and is often loaded with grains such as wheat or corn (which provide those carbs/sugars). Wheat, corn and soy are known allergens and in many cats will cause digestive upsets. Not to mention most also contain "meal" and "byproducts." Cats are obligate carnivores who need to eat a diet high in protein (from meat) and fat and very low in carbs. The mouse is the perfect cat food - meat, organs and bones, with perhaps a tiny bit of grains that may exist in the mouse's stomach. In addition, dry food leaves cats dehydrated. They do not instinctively drink enough water because they're designed to get it IN their food. This results in concentrated urine which can lead to all sorts of problems. And it DOES NOT CLEAN THE TEETH! Really - think about - does dry food clean OUR teeth? If it did wouldn't dentists prescribe cookies instead of brushing?

What should cats eat? Cats should eat a species appropriate diet which very much resembles Atkins (Catkins). A raw diet is the very best, so long as it's properly supplemented to meet a cat's nutritional needs. There are many raw feeding forums available through Yahoo Groups that one can join to learn more. The next best choice is a good quality canned food (or even a commercially prepared raw diet such as Nature's Variety). These foods will have meat listed as the first ingredient, will not contain corn, wheat or soy, may include organ meats, and will not list "meal" or "byproducts." See the What to feed link for suggestions. Additionally, the brand By Nature Organics is a very good food, and at 150 calories per 6oz can, is a very good choice for weight loss.

What about supplements for weight loss? The addition of L-Carnitine to a cat's diet may assist with weight loss. 250-500 mg per day can be added to assist with weight loss. It is probably best to start with a lower dosage until you see how your cat reacts.

How much should my cat lose?  If possible, have your vet set a target weight for you.  But if your cat is obviously obese you don't need to do that before getting started.  In fact, if you're feeding dry food currently it's also a good idea to make the switch as soon as possible, even if only a few pounds need to be lost.  You can also consult this chart to get an idea of how overweight kitty might be:  http://www.placervillevet.com/feline%20b...  

How soon will I see results? Cats need to lose weight slowly, at the rate of no more than 1 pound per month, and often less. This is because rapid weight loss may cause hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) which can be fatal.

Why is this info different from what my vet told me?  Many vets haven't been properly trained in feline nutrition.  They may attend basic small animal classes, but the only cat-specific training they receive is sponsored by Hills.  Not surprisingly, they are taught to reach for a bag of Hills __/d when a cat presents with a particular problem (k for kidney, d for diabetes, etc.).  I am not a nutritionist but I've gathered this information from people who DO know what they're talking about.  (See links below).

So what should I do?  The solution is to switch the fat cat (and any others in the household as well) to a good quality grainless canned food (or research raw feeding). Because these foods are species appropriate, the cat will lose weight at a safe, slow pace (no more than 1 pound per month). Switching foods needs to occur slowly, and if you're trying to get a kibble junkie to eat canned food, that will happen naturally.

How much should my cat eat?

This varies. Average cats may eat between 20-30 calories per pound per day. But note that that is IDEAL pounds. Using 25 calories per day for example, an 8 pound cat could eat 200 calories per day. By the same token, a cat who weighs 20 pounds but should weigh 10 could eat 250 calories per day. You multiply the ideal weight by the calories to arrive at that figure. When working toward weight loss, it's perhaps best to start at the lower end of the scale (20).

How do I find out how many calories are in cat food? See the link "Values in canned food." If it's not listed there, you'd need to contact the manufacturer.....I believe that link provides some help there as well.

How will I know it's working?  Because this takes time you probably won't "see" any results for quite a while.  You may not even be able to feel them.  If dragging kitty off to a clinic to be weighed once a month is not an option, then you might want to consider buying a baby scale.  The best scale will also list ounces in addition to pounds, so you can really see what's happening.  But if that's not an option, just jump on the human scale yourself and note your weight.  Add cat and repeat.  Then do the math.

That's all there is to it!  Not only will fat cats lose weight, but it and any others in the home will reap many benefits of eating a speciies appropriate diet.

See the links below for detailed information on this topic.

UPDATE: Sophie lost 2 pounds in a year following this plan.  She was already at a healthy weight but the new diet fine tuned her.  Poppy lost 5 pounds the first year which wasn't bad.  The following year when I switched her from canned to raw she gained back a few pounds but that was due to a number of different factors - all of them user error on my part!  But she's almost back down to where she was, and THEN it's only 4 pounds to go!

Answer 2

Don't put her down! Give her a chance. There is a lot you can do to help her be more active!

Put her on low calorie food, definitely!  

Play with her! Overweight people need to exercise every day to lose weight. So do cats! Buy several different kinds of toys and try to get her engaged in playing once a day. Rotate out the toys so that she doesn't get bored with them. Catnip is also great for getting sedentary cats excited to play.

Get her a scratching post and put (low-calorie or catnip) treats on top of it so she is encouraged to scratch and to jump, which will burn calories.

Love her and play with her as much as you can. Enjoy her while she's still around!

Answer 3

Edit: You are giving your cat 3/4 cup 3 times a day?!!! That figures out to 2 1/4 cups per day. That is WAY too much for a cat. That is enough for a medium sized dog. You don't need to change the food, you need to give less. You have to reduce the food GRADUALLY though. See my feeding comments below:

Because of the age and weight of your cat, you will not be able to have her lose weight quickly. Cats can get what is called Hepatic Lipidosis, or 'Fatty Liver Disease'. It is a very SERIOUS illness. What happens when obese cats drop weight suddenly is the fat in the blood deposits into the liver, and causes it to lose function, in part or totally. It can kill your cat.

An 8 year old cat is considered geriatric in veterinary medicine. Because your cat is older, weight loss must be gradual. You need to get the cat on a scheduled feeding time.

I feed my cat dry food all day, and canned once daily with her laxative. I give my cat a small bowlful  (1/8 cup) of dry food first thing when I get up. If she finishes that, I will give her more about noonish. I then feed her again at around 5 pm. The 5 pm feeding is the canned food mixed with warm water and laxative. I will then give her a small amount of dry right before I go to bed.

I suggest you get your cat on a schedule like this, but one that will fit with your schedule. Give her the amount of food you think she will eat at once. If there is any left over, throw it out and don't feed her any more until the next scheduled time. You will begin to estimate better as time goes on how much to give. You only want to give enough food that she will eat in one sitting. She will complain loudly for probably several weeks. But stay the course. By getting her on a schedule, you are teaching her to know when she is really hungry. And it will still give her enough food so that she doesn't lose weight too rapidly.

You may want to try to find a toy that she will play with. One that you control, like a feather toy or something that she will chase. She won't be very active at her weight, but if you can get her to play for just a couple of minutes a day, you can increase her activity gradually. As she starts losing weight, she will become more active as she feels better.

I am also going to suggest something else to you. I have no scientific proof to back this up, but I believe that the water cats drink can be directly related to UTI's and kidney and bladder stones. I believe that if the cat is drinking tap water that is very hard, (mineral buildup around the faucets, rust stains, and calcium), it stands to reason that those same minerals will create buildup in the kidneys and bladder, resulting in crystal and stone formation. Again, I have NO proof. But my cat has only ever gotten bottled water to drink. If I won't drink the tap water, neither will my cat. She has only ever had one UTI in her life, when she was 2. So, you may want to change her water source also. It can't hurt.

Answer 4

Just because your cat is overweight is not a reason to have her put down.  Change of diet and exercise will help a lot.  If she will leash walk, take her for walks and if not get toys that make her paw at them and chase them but you have to be involved.  I think I would get another vet opinion as just 1 dose of antibiotics is not usually enough for UTI.

Answer 5

Hi Jenfer,

Sounds like you need to seek a second opinion from another Vet, why not ask around to see if any locals can recommend their Vet to you.

My lovely boy may have a different shape to your girl but at a very healthy 11 years old he weighs in today at 21 lbs and has no trouble at all grooming himself (although his smaller twin sister often helps).

Like your girl my boy has been big since birth - I first saw him at about 4 weeks when he was twice the size of his litter mates and could already tell his s*x..   Some of your girl's weight could be from her parents..

We have had dogs with a glandular problem who had to, on occasion, be cleared out - it is possible for owners to learn to do this.  I don't know if this is the problem with your cat and your possibly ignorant and "fattist" Vet is blaming the cat's weight.

I take it that your baby has access to grass which is essential for cats to stay healthy?

Good Luck, I do hope that your cat is soon much better and that you can enjoy many more years together.    

Answer 6

I agree! You need a 2nd opinion... yes the cat should loose weight, but being overweight & a UTI (I can't spell it out either) do *not* add up!

Mega-dose cranberry tablets (female section of drugstore) might help, something in cranberries keeps the bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder. Make sure she is getting plenty of fresh/clean water - perhaps even bottled.

High fiber can also help w/ weight loss, my cats love pumpkin pie filling (no spices) - think it is candy. Loaded w/ fiber & vitamins it is good for constipation, diareah, hairballs & help w/ dieting as extra food so the cat doesn't feel like it is starving.

DO get the cat checked by another vet, she might have kidney stones or a more serious infection. She will tell you when it is time to go, as long as she has quality of life - it is not time.

Answer 7

Have her run around the house chasing her favorite toy?