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Ok, this coming from a person who has their share of cats…….WHY DO SOME CATS GET SOOOO FAT???

Granted, one of my cats, who was previously a patient that we adopted, was so fat he was diabetic. At his heaviest he was pushing 19 pounds, but on his body frame, he looked like a round tomato. AND he is an orange tabby, so he was the perfect example of Garfield in real life. He is 13 years old, and his name is “Moe”. The kids call him “MoMo”. He was on PZI insulin twice daily and eating only a prescription diabetic diet. His body REFUSED to lose more than a few ounces eating 1/2 can twice a day. With no results and his health in jeopardy, we moved him down to 1/3 can twice a day. He was always anticipating his next meal, but at least he was not slipping into a diabetic coma. Over the course of a year, he cut his weight in half and weighed 9 healthy pounds. This made a great difference for the old man cat and his arthritis. He is no longer diabetic, no longer needing insulin or a prescription diet. He can even have food in a food bowl and not feel compelled to eat it.

Two other cats we have, “Calvin” and “Oso” were obviously obese, even for their body frame, I could make no excuse for them. They were both on a low fat prescription diet that produced NO RESULTS. How can a cat gain weight on a diet food?? “Oso” was so chunky that he could not turn around to groom his back, so he was constantly getting mats in his fur. Every exam and/or blood test confirmed that they had no physical or metabolic dysfunction that was causing the weight gain. We placed them on the same prescription diabetic diet, and within a year, each had lost at least 5 pounds. Not perfect, but much better! They were still BIG cats, but now they had a “waddle” on their bellies of loose skin that swayed to and fro as they walked.

Then we noticed “Oso” was becoming much more aggressive to the rest of our cats. He was blaming them for his diet restrictions! We have acquired a lot of cats over the years that were the castaways. We have everything from: a cat with one eye, to born feral, broken legs, or chronic URI, etc. We could not have “Oso” picking on “Uno” (our one eyed cat) every 5 minutes! We had to compromise for the safety and environment of the rest. We placed a free feed bowl of diet food out for the cats to munch on if needed. Some of the cats got a little plumper, maybe by a half a pound or so, others no weight gain at all. Then there were the few that LOST weight being free fed. Focusing on “Oso” we could see that he was protecting his territory…..THE FOOD BOWL! Within 6 weeks, “Oso” was a GIANT again!

Why do some cats refuse to lose weight? Cats are true carnivores, they sleep, they hunt, they eat. “Oso” just slept and ate, there was no activity in between. Anyone, including a person, is going to gain weight if the calories they consume or more then the calories they burn each day. Cats, on average sleep anywhere from 16-20 hours a day. Their bodies are designed to conserve energy in between hunting. “Oso” my fat, domesticated cat, was sleeping all day waiting for his next meal to be placed in his round lap. He needed exercise before his meal. The only thing that I have found that consistently all of my cats are interested in is the laser pointer. Granted, they all don’t like it at the same time of day, some enjoy chasing the cat that is chasing the light. So now he has a fitness routine, just like everyone else.
Cats also have another genetic make up working against them, they do not have a carbohydrate enzyme in their mouth like people. That enzyme in humans starts breaking down the carbohydrates the moment we start chewing. In a cat those carbohydrates don’t get broken down until it is in the intestines. A cat that is perfectly healthy, but obese, usually does better if you decrease the carbohydrates, and increase the protein levels. Almost like the Atkins diet for cats.
If you have a fat cat, don’t be ashamed, we have all probably been there. The difference is to not forget that extra weight can lead to diabetes, arthritis, non allergy related skin conditions, and hepatic lipidosis. It may be a long road, but your cat is sure to benefit. Your veterinarian can tell you what the optimal weight is for your specific cat, not every cat has the same goal weight. Also, if it seems like your cat just keeps getting fatter and you are just feeding the same amount, lab work can be done to make sure that your cat does not have an underlying health condition.
If you still don’t think you have a fat cat, I leave you with this tid bit, 54% of all domestic cats are overweight.

So, as with people this time of year, it might be a good time to start to concentrate on your pets weight gain. I know it is easy to get carried away on treats for your dog, who doesn’t want to give a good dog a treat? I even give “cookies” to my patients when I walk in the exam room.

Here are some easy substitutes you can give as a treat instead of a “cookie”. Also, if your dog is on a diet and looks at the empty food dish depressingly, these are healthy natural ways to help your dog feel full while keeping a low calorie content.

All nutritional information is referring to the “raw” state of the food:

APPLES: 1 SMALL SIZE is 55 calories and 3 grams of fiber
Apples contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium. They are crunchy and sweet, and a good substitute for dogs with food allergies. My Golden Retrievers and Bull Dog all suffer from food allergies, and they will do anything for an apple. Just make sure you are not giving it to them whole. Slice it just like you would for a little kid.

BROCCOLI: 1/2 CUP is 20 calories and 4 grams of fiber
Broccoli contains Vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Some dogs will turn their nose up to this, others prefer it to be frozen.

CARROTS: 1/4 CUP is 10 calories and ~1.7 grams of fiber
Carrots are probably the most common vegetable that dogs enjoy. They are crunchy like a bone. Carrots contain Vitamin C, Vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, B vitamins, and potassium.

CELERY: 1/4 CUP is 5 calories and 2 grams of fiber
Celery contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium. Our dogs dogs like the stalk as a whole, but enjoy them cut up and added to their dry kibble.

CRANBERRIES: 1/4 CUP is 12 calories and 2 grams of fiber
Cranberries contain Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and manganese. They also contain phytochemicals that support the urinary tract and prevent bacterial infections. Cranberries are a little tart, so I usually give them with a sweeter fruit to offset.

GREEN BEANS: 1/2 CUP is 10 calories and 2 grams of fiber
Green Beans are full of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, copper, iron and manganese. Some dogs don’t prefer it to be served raw, so feel free to steam them. Just remember not to boil, as you lose most of the nutritional value in the process.

PEAS: 1/2 CUP is 60 calories and 9 grams of fiber
Green Peas contain Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and B vitamins. They are bite size, sweet, and an amazing source of fiber. Our dogs prefer them frozen, they practically melt in their mouth.

Also, I found interesting that dogs enjoy the jarred baby food of fruits and veggies. Our 10 month old twins think they are “big people” now and do not want anything to do with the baby food. They want whatever we are having. They will gladly munch on steamed, diced broccoli instead of jarred baby food. So We have a cupboard full of unused jars. Don’t want to waste them, so we add them to the dogs dry kibble and mix it up, and they think they are eating a delectable treat. Dogs are funny, especially ours. We always try to keep them entertained.

Just remember to stay away from onions, grapes, raisins, or high quantities of garlic.