What Everyone Should Know About Fat Cats

Do you have a fat cat in your life?

Well, it’s time to break out the tough love and work on that!

Big round cats are often considered cute and funny, but obesity in cats is no laughing matter. As cats age, they can become more susceptible to serious health issues (such as diabetes) as a result of metabolic problems caused by inappropriate nutrition and diets.

Below, I’ll outline the whys of feline obesity and feline diabetes, and also give you some tactics you can implement today to help your kitty get back to her girlish figure.

The Problem With Most Cat Food Diets

Is your cat an addict, just moments away from a bad decision?

Eating a diet high in carbohydrates is the most common reason why cats develop obesity and subsequent diabetes.

Dry food and semi-moist varieties have the most “carbs” and contribute to the problem. Cats get lazy on this kind of diet, thus they don’t hunt or exercise. This kind of food is very addicting because it contains the following:

• Highly processed grains (flour)
• Fat heated to high temperatures
• Sugar (and yes, they put various kinds of sugars in most cat foods!)
• Artificial Favoring

Once addicted, cat owners have a difficult time switching their cats over to other kinds of food.

Obese and overweight cats are MORE susceptible to liver disease, cancer, and arthritic conditions.

The Ideal Diet

Small, frequent meals will help your cat reduce weight and encourage more physical pursuits, like hunting.

A cat’s diet should be similar to what they would eat in a natural environment: mice, rats, birds, insects, lizards, plants, and soil.

A great diet for a domesticated feline is one that is similar to what they would eat ‘in the wild.’

Cats need to eat fresh meats (slightly cooked or raw), some vegetables, and no carbohydrates, unless the carbs are from fibrous plants.

You can use these carbs to treat constipation or to aid in losing weight: cooked broccoli stems, asparagus, green beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, and raw sprouts (alfalfa, mung bean, broccoli).

By feeding your diabetic or overweight cat small meals 3 -4 times a day, you will help to decrease the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood after the meal, and therefore, decrease stress on the over working and malfunctioning pancreas gland.

Proper Care of Your Diabetic Cat

Does your cat already have diabetes? A few minutes of regular exercise after meals along with a nutritious diet can help manage your cat’s condition.

Walk Your Cat!

Diabetic cats should be given their insulin injections within the hour, or should be exercised to burn up the blood glucose.  This could be simply putting your cat outside, and walking them around the property. I’ve often had clients purchase cat leashes and then spend some time gently encouraging their cats to explore the yard while safely supervised.

If you are not yet giving insulin, then I would encourage you to walk your cat 1 hour after meals. A little stroll around your house and property will help burn excess blood sugar and decrease the dependency on the pancreas gland and liver to help metabolize all the carbohydrates.

Other Helpful Tools

A blood test called a Total Health Screen with a Free T4, and a urinalysis would be ideal to get a baseline and to see if there is any indication of fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis). This may be repeated in 1 to 3 months depending upon symptoms.

Supplements may be recommended to assist in the treatment of the underlying predisposing condition that has led to diabetes or obesity.  These supplements include bitter melon (either as a food, or an extract that comes in a pill), chromium, B-vitamins, trace minerals, spirulina, fiber, Chinese herbs (digestive tonics), and Omega 3 fish or krill oil and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). You will need a holistically-oriented veterinarian to guide you with supplementation.

High Protein Meals Are The Way To Go

Feeding is the most important aspect of therapy.  What you feed, how often you feed, and the amount you feed will make a difference in the recovery and healing of your cat.

In general, meals should be high protein (high biologic value), high fiber (from vegetables), low carb, with a medium amount of fat.

Ratios based upon volume measurements (instead of weight) make it easier to formulate your kitty’s diet.  Optimal ratios for one day of feeding in general are:

• 70 % proteins (feed a variety)
• 20 % fiber (squash, carrots, pumpkin, sprouts, green beans)
• 10 % fats (from meat, eggs, dairy, fish)

For example:

A day’s worth of meals for the average cat  (8 -11 lb.) could look like this:

• At 7:00 AM, give 3 -4 tablespoons of cooked or raw liver
• At 12:00 PM, give  3-4 tablespoons of cottage cheese, kefir or regular fat yogurt (without sugar)
• At 5:00 PM, give 4 tablespoons of cooked meat (chicken, lamb, beef, or pork) mixed with 1 teaspoon of Mila (chia seed powder)
• At 10:00 PM, give  3-4 tablespoons of canned salmon, sardines or tuna

As your cat gets used to the routine, cooked vegetables such as squash, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, and peas can be mixed into the food: about 1 tablespoon per meal. Larger cats may need to eat proportionally more.

The Best Method For Reducing Weight

This kitty could definitely benefit from a higher fiber diet with fewer carbs.

Feeding raw food with fiber is the best method for reducing weight, although cooked meats and cooked fiber vegetables will also work well.

Expect your cat to lose approx. 1 lb  per month.

That is a safe amount.

If your cat loses too much weight too quickly, he/she might develop ketosis from fasting and this could lead to more problems.

Helpful Supplements For Weight Reduction

Supplements and herbs can assist the function of the pancreas gland and support better function of the digestive system. Some have to be administered with an oral syringe, while others can be mixed in with the food that your kitty is currently eating well.

For fiber (to relieve constipation and support weight loss):

• 1 teaspoon of oat bran or ½ tsp of Mila twice a day with a meal, or
• 1 tablespoon of canned pumpkin (without the spices), or
• ½ teaspoon of Mila (ground chia seeds) twice daily

For minerals(that support thyroid function and cell metabolism):

• Give 1/3 teaspoon daily of Norwegian, New Zealand,  North Atlantic, or Antarctic Kelp (should have a thyroid blood test before this is done)
• Alternate with 1/8 teaspoon of Spirulina powder or flakes once a day

“Diet Friendly” Foods For Your Cat’s Meals

Quick tip for finicky eaters: If you cut up meat into small tiny pieces, similar to the size of the dry cat food your kitty has been eating, it will be easier for them to accept something new.

Feed any of the foods listed below, alone or in combination:

• Steak meat (raw or cooked)
• Chicken (free range)
• Beef liver
• Chicken liver (raw  or cooked)
•  Ground round beef (grass fed if possible = more Omega 3)
• Cottage cheese or yogurt (1-2 tablespoons with a meal)
• Broccoli, asparagus, squash, cooked tomatoes mixed with foods
• Tuna (canned light meat in water, not more than 4 meals per week)
• Sardines in water or olive oil
• Ahi (raw or sautéed in butter)
• Mahi or ahi (2 -3 meals a week, approx. 2 oz)

Weight-Reducing Recipes