View Full Version : What to feed cats?
We have a couple of adorable cats, litter-mate brothers, which we've had since they were about 1 year old. They're now just over 8 years old. They're both big boned. One is 17 lbs and fairly skinny based on the size of his bone structure. The other has a similar build but weighs 21 lbs (down from just over 24 a little over a year ago). The vet had recommended a diet for him the last time we were there to avoid the obvious problems like diabetes that overweight cats suffer. Basically this has meant gradually cutting back their food, and trying to get Chris (the big boy) to do a bit more exercise/play. They're both lifelong indoor cats, neutered by the rescue group before we ever met them.
While I'm pleased with Chris's success, he has been at a plateau for the last 4 months or so. I know that I should cut their food a bit more to try and push his weight down the next bit. The problem is that he constantly complains that he's hungry. And when I say complains I mean COMPLAINS!!! Every time I walk toward the kitchen he jumps up, follows me and yells at me as I pass his bowl. I've no idea if that's just because he will always want to have a bowl of food to graze on, or if he really is that hungry. As hard as it is I don't give in to his pleadings so I tend to think that it really is a matter of him being hungry.
Reading Iris's thread about spay/neutering and the side comments regarding pet food and its various effects got me thinking that maybe we could make changes to their diet that might help. Currently we feed them a combination of dry iahms diet food (3/4 cup per day) and wet friskies (1 can per day). This is the total food for both of them. They seem to like these foods and at this point have no health issues other than Chris's weight. Is there a diet that night be better for them? My main concerns are to feed them reasonably healthy food and get Chris to at least be able to maintain his current weight, if not reduce a bit more, while making Chris not feel as hungry as he currently always seems to be. I tried switching to less dry/more wet food since I've read that wet food is more filling with less calories, but after about a week of that Chris got diarhea. It seemed to be linked to the diet change since it cleared up within 2 days after I switched back to the old diet.
He didn't get overweight because he was only eating when he was hungry.
He's working you.
He doesn't know that if he is overweight he could get diabetes and other life-shortening diseases.
You have to stay strong. Eventually, you will break him--provided you NEVER give in. The longer you go between cavings--the worse it is for you. You just taught him that that's how long he has to beg to get more food--and he'll continue to beg until you cave again. You simply can't cave--ever. Because you love him.
Cutting back on a high-carb diet amounts to starvation--in people and animals--IMO. No wonder Chris is complaining. I know cats who have thrived on good-quality canned food and a little kibble on the side, but I'm increasingly skeptical about feeding animals (or people) a lot of grains. I would research meat-based diets with some raw components, if I were feeding Chris. Really, it's more about the quality of the food than the quantity. You will probably have to ease him into new foods; his gut needs to adapt.
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You have to stay strong. Eventually, you will break him--provided you NEVER give in. The longer you go between cavings--the worse it is for you. You just taught him that that's how long he has to beg to get more food--and he'll continue to beg until you cave again. You simply can't cave--ever. Because you love him.
Break him? Good God. This must be what my mother used to call "mean love."
I can anthropomorphize animals with the best of them, but this cat's hunger is physiological. You can bet if he were living in the wild he would eat on demand and he would be a healthy weight--unless he was a lousy hunter--because he would be eating his natural diet.
I don't give in to him. As easy as it might be. And as happy as it would make him for the moment. No, we live a daily life of screaming cat/mean daddy. Ideally there's a better diet for him that leaves him healthier/thinner/less hungry. That's what I'm looking for. If the best I can do is help him maintain his current weight I'll do that since our current situation isn't too bad. He only yells at me by the food bowl (or wherever I am if it's close to feeding time). But i'm guessing there's a better option out there. I think Jane's probably on the right track since, after all, cats are carnivores. Not grainavores.
When I was a vegetarian, I was hungry all day long. It was physiology. I don't have that problem now that I'm eating in a way that works for my body (which tends toward hyperinsulinemia, apparently).
Stress is just as damaging--maybe more so--than a couple of extra pounds. I'm confident you'll find a way to feed your little buddy that works best for his particular constitution--which is clearly different from his brother's.
I'd be willing to bet that diabetes is unheard of among wild cats--or humans eating ancestral diets.
And I always like to cite the Mormon crickets who eat anything and everything in sight (including each other) in order to fulfill their protein requirements. It's in the genes.
At our house it is a real trial. Try having an elderly sick cat who needs to eat good food and never miss a meal and a couple of boys who should not get any extra food. Then add a kitten who needs good quality kitten food for development.
We gave up the diet because the sick cat was way more important at the time and stress at eating time was out. He was 19.5 when he died.
We did research carbs in cat food and found great info on which brands and types are best. Did you know that anything with "pieces" in it has way more carbs? Pate or classic is best.
We feed our cats grain-free dry cat food. There are many brands available. We began doing this when one cat had a high blood sugar test, which turned out to be unrelated and due to her cortisone shot for asthma. But after a few months on the grain-free foods, her asthma was gone. We've used it ever since.
Also, if you are giving each cat 3/4 c dry food and 1 can wet food each day, that may be why there is no more weight loss - I think that either of those probably contains close to 1 day's recommended calories for the average size adult cat.
I suggest trying the grain-free foods which will probably be more satisfying for the cats - since cats are, after all, carnivores. Also, some of the Iams dry foods contain high amounts of indigestible fiber which are not going to help meet the cats' nutritional needs.
Some brands of grain-free foods are Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Natural Balance Alpha, Evo, Before Grain (BG)... we have a local pet food store that carries many of these brands. I know some are available at Petco - including Blue Wildernes, which gives our cats amazing coats.
I agree with bunnys. Ditch the carb food. We feed a dry grain free diet to both our cat and dog. Our cat has severe health issues and we discovered he was allergic to gluten and eggs. We switched him to cans but some problems like chronic vomitting continued. Switched him to grain free blue buffalo brand food and no more problems. We are transitioning our dog to the Grain free Blue Buffalo for dogs now and she is just loving it, but is adjusting to being "hungry" as she was used to the high carb diet as well. (though had no weight problem).
Definitely buy a higher priced, better quality grain free food. Wet is much better than dry (to avoid potential urinary problems later on). I once read somewhere that if you want your cat to lose weight, feed canned food.
The diet foods are loaded with cheap fillers to make the cat feel full, but provides less nutrition. With better food, you feed less because more of the ingredients are used by the cat.
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