How can I get my senior cat to lose weight?

For many cats, the best way to lose weight is with a canned diet food fed several times per day, rather than leaving food down all of the time. One of the reasons canned diet foods work better is because finicky felines often prefer wet food to dry.

What do you do with an overweight cat?

Best Practices for Putting Your Cat on a Weight Loss Diet

1. Start By Consulting Your Veterinarian.
2. Determine the Amount of Weight Your Cat Needs to Lose.
3. Take Time Transitioning to Your Cat’s New Diet (2 to 3 Weeks)
4. Pair Exercise With Your Cat’s Weight Loss Diet.
5. Don’t Rush the Weight Loss Process.

How fast is too fast for a cat to lose weight?

When restricting calories veterinarians follow a very important rule for the desired rate of weight loss. For dogs this is 1-2\% of their total body weight per week. For cats this is 0.5-2\% of their body weight per week. So, for example, if you have a 100 lb Labrador Retriever, he can safely lose 1 to 2 lbs per week.

How do I feed my obese cat?

The fastest way to get and maintain an overweight cat is to feed both canned and dry food. Even if a cat has just filled up on dry food, most will readily pack in any canned food offered (or vice versa). It is tough to regulate the amount of each type of food, so the cat is getting the correct number of calories.

How much weight do senior cats lose?

Longitudinal data collected on 53 healthy cats over 11 years of age at the Waltham Centre indicates that for most cats, weight loss or weight maintenance rather than weight gain is a feature of old age. After 8 years of age, 50\% of cats in that report maintained weight and 30\% lost weight.

Is 17 pounds too heavy for a cat?

On average, a medium or small cat should weight between 7 and 13 pounds. A large cat should weigh between 13 and 24 pounds. Obesity can increase your cat’s risk for a variety of health problems and shorten his overall lifespan. It’s important you make sure your cat is at a healthy weight for his size.

How much should an obese cat eat?

Allowing any cat, especially an overweight cat, to go without food for much more than 36 hours can be dangerous and may result in an often fatal liver disorder called hepatic lipidosis. The average cat should eat 4-6 ounces of canned food per day split between 2-3 meals but this is just a general guideline.