Maintaining Your Cat at a Healthy Weight
health, nutritionProper nutrition plays an important part in maintaining a healthy weight for your cat. As obligate carnivores, our feline friends naturally need a diet that’s high in protein, moderate in fat, and low in carbohydrates, like Smalls’ fresh food. Though dry food is convenient, it’s considerably higher in carbs compared to wet and freeze-dried food.
Since a cat’s weight is influenced by additional variables such as activity level, age, spay/neuter status, and medical conditions, it’s best to talk with your veterinarian to determine what food is best for your pet. Medical conditions, like kidney disease in older cats, can also influence how much protein a cat can have.
How can I tell if my cat’s weight is ideal?
The best way is by having your veterinarian do an exam to determine your cat’s Body Condition Score (BCS). There are two standardized BCS charts. One is scaled from one to nine and the other is one to five. Which chart a veterinarian uses is personal preference.
A score of one on both charts means a cat is severely underweight/emaciated (20% or more underweight) and the highest score of nine (or five) indicates severe obesity (30% or more overweight). Your veterinarian arrives at a score by assessing how the cat’s body looks and feels when viewed from the top and side while they’re standing. On the one-to-five scale, a score of 3 is ideal, and on the one-to-nine scale, a score of 5 is ideal. At this weight, a cat’s ribs can be felt with only light pressure and they have a waist when viewed from above while standing.
At an exam, your cat’s weight will also be recorded in their chart. Until the age of 7 years, healthy adult cats should be weighed at least once a year and cats over 7 should be weighed at least twice a year. Pets with medical issues, including being overweight or obese, will be weighed more frequently and your veterinarian will let you know how often. A cat who is 10 to 20% over their ideal body weight (which can vary significantly by breed), is considered overweight, and a cat who is more than 20% above their ideal is considered obese.
What should i feed my cat? Wet food, freeze-dried, or dry?
Food should be appropriate for a pet’s life stage (kitten, adult, senior, though some food, like Smalls, is appropriate for all life stages and will be labeled as such), health status (e.g. medical conditions, pregnant, lactating), and weight. Your veterinarian is your best resource in deciding on a food.
Wet foods are high in moisture, which is great for keeping cats hydrated. The downside of wet food is it can contribute to plaque and tartar buildup more than dry food (though dry food is not a replacement for dental care), so you’ll have to do more dental upkeep.
Dry foods are considerably lower in moisture (about 6 to 10%), and for traditional kibble, carbs are needed to produce a food in kibble form. This can cause some cats to gain weight.
How much to feed your cat
How much you should feed your cat is affected by numerous factors including a cat’s life stage. Is your cat still growing and in need of more calories? Or are they in their mature years and sedentary? Maybe they’re pregnant or nursing kittens. How much food to feed also depends on the food, as each one has a different caloric density.
Once you’ve found an appropriate food for your cat, read the label’s feeding guidelines. If there’s a range on how much to feed, consult with your veterinarian to find out what’s best for your pet. If your pet has medical conditions, is pregnant/nursing, or is on medication (some of which can cause weight gain), talk with your veterinarian.
Tips to maintain a healthy weight
- Timed feeders
Using an automatic timed feeder helps you portion out meals and dispense them at the right time. This prevents accidental overfeeding and overgrazing.
- Exercise and enrichment
Cats need exercise and mental stimulation which can be provided through toys (especially interactive ones that engage their hunting drive, like a wand/fishing pole or battery-operated mice), and a cat tree they can climb up and down. Indoor cats can become bored and sedentary, which can contribute to weight gain.
Despite how leisurely our cats’ lives seem, the stress of not having enough enrichment can cause behavioral issues like destructive scratching, overeating, fighting, and overgrooming, and physical issues, like obesity. The American Association of Feline Practitioners and International Society of Feline Medicine have guidelines on meeting your cat’s environmental needs. You can read a brief summary here and a more detailed article here.
- Weigh-ins and exams
Stick to your veterinarian’s recommended schedule for exams. Your cat will be weighed at each visit but if you suspect your cat is gaining (or losing) weight, schedule an appointment right away. It’s easier to deal with an extra two pounds than an extra five or 10. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention compares pet weight to people and states “a Domestic Shorthair cat that weighs 15 pounds is equal to a 218-pound 5’ 4” female or 254-pound 5’ 9” male.”
If your cat is overweight, a crash-diet is dangerous because their physiology is different from dogs or people. A sudden decrease in calories can cause a severe liver condition called hepatic lipidosis. This is when fat is mobilized and deposits in the liver, which can require hospitalized medical care. Your veterinarian will give you a plan for safe, gradual weight loss, which could span the course of six months or even a year.
- Older cats
Age often affects weight because as cats get older, they can become less active due to arthritis, which is subtle and often goes undiagnosed until it's more advanced. Arthritic cats are more reluctant to jump onto and off of surfaces, take smaller jumps than they previously did, and they sleep more. They may also have trouble getting their hind legs into the litter box, causing them to find more convenient and comfortable options, such as on the floor. You can read more about arthritis in cats here.