What foods help cats lose weight

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Cat Dieting: How to Help Your Cat Lose Weight

Prior to starting your cats weight loss journey, talk to your veterinarian about how to do this safely. Cat dieting is not as simple as restricting food, and rapid weight loss can be very dangerous. Any cat weight loss plan should be a collaboration between you and your vet.

Here are a few ways that you can help your cat lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

How to Help Your Cat Lose Weight Safely

First, speak with your veterinarian before putting your cat on a diet. They will help you establish a cat dieting plan that supports gradual, healthy weight loss without restricting food intake too drastically.

Severe cat food restriction and rapid weight loss can actually make your pet very sick, causing a serious disease in cats called hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease.

Calculating Your Cats Body Condition Score

The ideal weight for a cat is determined by their body condition score. This is an objective measurement of your cats body composition based on the visibility of their ribs, presence of a waist, and how easily their vertebrae can be felt.

Once a body condition score has been assigned, your veterinarian can help you establish your pets target weight and daily calorie intake goal using the following formula for resting energy requirement (RER):

70 x (body weight in kg)^0.75=RER

How Much Weight Should a Cat Lose Each Week?

Cats should not lose more than 1-2% of their total body weight per week.

By reducing their calorie intake to 80% of their RER, you should see a weekly weight loss rate of 1-2% (this may vary slightly depending on the individual cat).

Your veterinarian can help you figure out all of these calculations for calorie intake and weight loss, plus portion sizes. Weigh your pet weekly to ensure that your cat is on track with your vets plan. If your cats weight loss is greater than 2% per week, increase their calorie consumption by 10% with the help of your vet. If the weight loss is less than 1% per week, reduce their calorie consumption by 5-10%.

If at any point your cat stops eating, please have them examined by your veterinarian.

3 Methods for Helping Your Cat Lose Weight

Here are a few tips for supporting your cats weight loss goals in a safe and controlled way.

Cat Weight Loss Food

Your vet can help you determine the right food, portions, and feeding schedule for your cat.

Most cat weight loss diets will be a combination of either:

High fiber/low fatA higher fiber content can support satiety and increase bulk, allowing your cat to consume more and feel fuller.

High protein/low carbohydrateThis diet can delay stomach emptying, which also leaves your pet feeling fuller.

The higher water content in wet food can help with weight loss by increasing the volume of food without increasing the calorie count.

Exercise

Calorie restriction is important for weight loss, but increasing your cats activity level also plays a role.

You can support your cats weight loss through exercise by:

Automatic Feeders and Treat Balls

Using an automatic feeder can help get your pet get accustomed to scheduled meals. This can help with weight loss and long-term weight management.

Using treat balls or food puzzle toys to dispense your cats meal can also help slow down your cats eating while providing stimulation and exercise.

Featured Image: iStock.com/pat138241

Helping Your Cat Lose Weight: Food & Exercise Tips

If your cat's veterinarian has told you that your kitty is heavier than they should be, you're not alone. Approximately 60 percent of cats in the U.S. were classified as overweight in 2018, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. And it's not just a problem for American cats: International Cat Care says that 39 to 52 percent of U.K. cats are overweight.

But, how do you help a cat lose weight? The key is a combination of proper nutrition and exercise. Follow these steps during your journey to helping your cat lose weight.

Is My Cat Overweight?

If you're not sure whether your cat is overweight, there's a simple way to evaluate their size at home no scale needed! The Cornell Feline Health Center recommends using the Body Condition Score, a three-step system:

Rib check: Run both hands, palms down, across both sides of your cat's rib cage.
Profile check: Look at your kitty from the side.
Overhead check: Stand above them and look down.

If you can't feel your cat's ribs or see their waistline, then your cat is probably overweight.

To confirm ifwhether your cat is overweight and to discover their ideal weight, bring them to the vet for an overall wellness check and to rule out any underlying reasons for the weight gain.

How to Help a Cat Lose Weight

Once you know that your cat is overweight, it's up to you, together with your kitty's vet, to create a nutrition and exercise plan for your pet. A good mantra to guide your cat's weight loss plan is "Eat well, play more."

Choosing the Right Food for Weight Loss

Nutrition plays an important role in weight loss, but before changing up your cat's meal plan and especially before cutting down the amount of food you feed them you should consult a vet to avoid creating potential health issues. "Crash diets aren't healthy for anyone, but for cats especially a crash diet can trigger a sometimes-fatal liver disease," says the American Animal Hospital Association . While this is a worst-case scenario, any change to your cat's meal plan will affect their health, so be sure to work closely with your vet if you want to adjust their food.

While you can find light or weight management foods at your petstore, it is always important to check in with your veterinarian to see if these foods are appropriate for your cat. If your cat has a lot of weight to lose, your vet may recommend a therapeutic food that is specially formulated to help get your cat to a healthy weight. These foods tend to have high fiber and have less calories per cup than other foods. They are also formulated to provide enough protein, vitamins and minerals to ensure that your cat can lose weight safely even though they are eating less calories each day.

Finally, if you're into spoiling your cat with treats or table scraps, the best way to improve their health is to reduce or omit feeding them these unnecessary calories. While you might think that your cat will hate you, they will be just as content with getting extra cuddles and playtime with you.

How Exercise & Fitness Can Help

Cats are typically sedentary creatures, but during the hours your kitty is awake, get them moving! Nutritious food is just one part of weight loss. Think of yourself as your cat's personal trainer. Toss around a small toy that they can chase, or build a DIY cat scratching post. Even a wadded-up piece of paper will entertain your little hunter. Mix up activities to keep them interested.

Want to combine exercise with your cat's feeding time? Consider getting a puzzle feeding box. These special dishes require your cat to work to get their food out, helping them burn those extra calories.

Preventing Your Cat From Packing on Pounds

According toThe Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, , an average 10-pound cat should consume between 180-200calories per day. While this is a generalization of the average cat, it is important to speak with your vet for a personalized recommendation. . On average, a healthy rate of weight loss is one-half to 2 percent of body weight per week, but your vet will be best at setting specific goals.

Establishing a regular feeding schedule is also key to help your cat keep off the weight. Some cats are happy with one or two meals a day, while others prefer smaller, more frequent meals. Observe their eating habits to determine the best meal practices for your cat to help get them to their optimal weight. Your kitty may not be happy with these changes at first, but they'll appreciate it in the long run. After all, staying at a healthy weight allows them to move and play more, and enjoy an overall better quality of life.

Best Wet Cat Food for Weight Loss

Quick answer: Losing weight is about eating fewer calories than burned.

Wet food is four times less calorically dense than dry food, and is portion controlled.

Its the best option for weight loss.

5 Best Wet Cat Food for Weight Loss

I sorted popular cat foods for calorie content. All are the best rated from my testing.

Tiki Cat After Dark is best.

2. Sheba Perfect Portions

More below in this guide to the best cat food for weight loss.

I have a background in nutrition and research and test most of the products recommended.

This article isnt a replacement for medical advice.

Seemore about us here.

What to Look For in Cat Foods for Weight Loss?

Quick answers:

Basics of Weight Loss for Cats:
- Aim for a balance of calories in versus calories out.
- Target body condition score of 5 for healthy weight.
- Average cat requires ~300 kcal/day.
- High-risk groups: middle-aged, male, neutered, indoor, free-fed, mixed breed, and those on an all-dry food diet.
Consequences of Obesity:
- Increased risk of diabetes.
- Decreased mobility and grooming ability.
- Early mortality.
Buying Tips for Weight Loss Cat Food:
- Ensure AAFCO nutritional adequacy for balanced micronutrients.
- Choose life stage appropriate food: all life stages, growth, maintenance, or supplemental feeding.
- Opt for lower calorie cat food and compare kcal/kg for different types.
- Prefer wet cat food for lower calorie density and portion control.
- Select high protein cat food (at least 40% on dry matter basis) to maintain muscle and metabolic rate.
- Choose low carb options to support weight loss and diabetic health, aiming for fewer than 25% carbs on a dry matter basis.
Key Considerations:
- Micronutrients are essential for energy, coat, skin, and digestion health.
- Check cat food labels for AAFCO compliance and nutritional adequacy.
- Wet cat food is generally better for weight loss due to lower calorie density and portion control.
- High protein diets are preferred for maintaining muscle mass and metabolic rate.
- Low carb diets are beneficial, especially for overweight cats prone to diabetes.

Long answers:

Weight loss is about calories in vs calories out.

To help your cat lose weight, decrease calories.

Simple?

In theory yes.

The goal is to get your cat to a body condition score of 5. Heres a body condition score chart to check where theyre at.

The average cat needs ~300 kcal per day to maintain a healthy weight.

Cats at most risk of weight gain include:

Middle aged cats (8-10 years)
Males
Neutered cats
Indoor bound cats
Free-fed cats
An all dry cat food diet
Mixed breed cats

More than half ofUS pets are overweight or obese.

Addressing your cats weight is important to prevent the following:

Heres our buying tips:

AAFCO Nutrition Guidelines

Decreasing calories helps cats lose weight, but they still need enough micronutrients.

These help keep your cats energy levels, coat, skin and digestion in top shape.

Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals. There are 25 micronutrients needed for health.

A deficiency of micronutrients leads to disease and poor health.

How do you know if your cat food has enough of these nutrients?

Check the label.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines how many micronutrients cats need for good health.

The label shows if the cat food meets these nutrient guidelines.

Look for the following statement:

[insert food] is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profile for [insert lifestage]:

Cat food is either suited to sole feeding and supplemental feeding.

Supplemental cat foods do not contain all the nutrients your cat needs. These are only good for occasional feeding.

Sole feeding cat foods are a complete meal that you can feed your cat exclusively.

However, you also want to make sure the cat food is life stage appropriate. Cats need more or less nutrients at different stages of life.

Here are the following categories of cat food:

All life stages: Sole feeding option for all life stages
Growth: Sole feeding option for kittens and lactating cats
Maintenance: Sole feeding option for adults (1-7 years)
Supplemental feeding: Only for treats or toppers. Not a complete meal.

As an example, if you have a three year old cat, you can go with maintenance cat food.

For a kitten aged eight months, youd want to use cat food for growth or all life stages.

Check the nutritional adequacy on the label.

Choose Lower Calorie Cat Food

If youre trying to reduce the calories in your cats diet for weight loss, choose lower calorie food.

Logical right?

To find out the calorie content, check the side or back of the cat food label.

It will come in either serving size (either per cup or per tin for dry and wet foods respectively) and/or kcal/kg basis.

The best way to compare different cat foods is by looking at the kcal/kg. This way you can compare dry, wet, pouched and canned foods easily.

Lower calories = better for weight loss.

Wet Cat Food is Best

Using the calorie comparison, its easy to see that wet cat food is your best option for weight loss.

Wet cat food has four times less calories per weight.

This is one of the reasons for high rates of obesity in cats only fed dry cat food, especially when free fed.

Free-feeding is unique to dry cat food and a key reason for weight gain.

The combination of being able to freely pour dry cat food at will and the huge calorie density are what make dry cat food less optimal for weight loss.

Wet cat food with its portion control design and lower calorie content is much more appropriate.

Choose High Protein Cat Food

Choosing any old low calorie cat food wont do.

Youll want to make sure youre choosing high protein options.

Why?

A high protein diet helps maintain muscle and keep the metabolic rate high.

High protein diets also decrease insulin requirements in diabetic cats. Overweight cats have a higher risk of diabetes.

Cats also prefer a high protein diet. A low protein diet can result in food rejection in fussy eaters.

I suggest aiming for at least 40% protein on a dry matter basis.

This covers the needs of cats of all life stages and provides extra for fussy cats.

Use an online calculator.

Use the guaranteed analysis on the back of the label and pop that into the calculator.

Choose Low Carb Cat Food

Why would a low carb diet be helpful for weight loss?

When lowering calories, you have to cut calories from either or all macronutrients:

Both fat and carbohydrate provide energy (calories) in the diet. Fat is more calorically dense than carbohydrates (9kcal/g compared to 4kcal/g).

So why not cut out the fat instead?

When given a choice, cats prefer a moderate-fat diet (25%) over a low-fat diet (10% energy). Animal fats like tallow are the tastiest fat sources for cats.

Interestingly, theres some evidence (from the late 1990s) that economy dry food is associated with leanness in cats. Budget dry food is usually higher in carbs (not always).

Why would high carb diets help?

Cats can reject high carb foods due to the carbohydrate ceiling effect. This might protect a cats body, which is sensitive to high carb intakes.

The problem is this creates shortfalls of protein, a nutrient critical to a cats health.

So its an interesting idea in theory, but in practice maybe not ideal.

A low carb diet also improves the health of diabetic cats. Since many overweight cats have or may get diabetes, its a good idea to keep carbs low.

Keep in mind that cats have no dietary requirement for carbohydrates, so theres no issue with it being removed.

Some sources have suggested high carb diets are superior for weight loss and recommend dry cat food with four times more caloric density.

Does that make sense?

No.

Experts suggest aiming for fewer than 25% carbs dry matter, or even less in diabetic cats (15%). Fortunately, most wet cat food is low carb anyway so its not hard to meet this.

FAQ

Quick answers:

Best Cat Food for Weight Los?
- Wet cat food is best.
- Wet food is less calorie dense compared to dry cat food.
- Canned cat food is linked to a lower risk of obesity.
- Human-grade raw diets are protective but controversial.
How Can Overweight Cats Lose Weight?
- Focus on reducing calorie intake and increasing calorie expenditure.
- Offer lower calorie cat food.
- Consider factors that complicate weight loss: neutering, age, lack of exercise, calorically dense diets, and free feeding.
Neutering and Weight Loss?
- Neutering lowers metabolism and increases food intake; manage with lower calorie food.
Environmental Enrichment for Weight Loss?
- Use cat trees, perches, scratching boards, and toys to increase activity.
Wet Food for Weight Loss?
- Recommended due to lower calorie density and portion control.
Indoor Cats and Weight Loss?
- Monitor calorie intake closely due to reduced exercise opportunities.
- Use online calculators to determine feeding amounts.
Dry vs Wet Food for Overweight Cats?
- Wet food is recommended for better calorie control.
- Avoid free-feeding dry food to prevent overeating.
Identifying Overweight Cats?
- Use a body and muscle condition chart.
- Signs include inability to feel ribs, bloating, and fat accumulation.
Age-Related Weight Gain?
- Middle-aged cats are at higher risk due to lower metabolic rates.
Feeding Overweight Cats?
- Use online calculators and the Cat Plus Person (CPP) method for precise feeding amounts.
Best Low Fat Wet Cat Food?
- Tiki Cat After Dark, with low fat and high protein content, is recommended for overweight cats.