While overweight or obese cats and dogs face many health risks--including diabetes, arthritis, skin problems, high blood pressure, orthopedic issues, cancer, and other diseases--the good news is diet and nutrition can help get your pet’s shape and health back on track.
Are you worried your cat or dog is overweight or obese? Has your vet told you your pet needs to shed some pounds? Your pal is not alone: An estimated 93 million--or 54 percent of--cats and dogs in the United States are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.
How to Tell If Your Cat or Dog Is Overweight
Are you able to feel your animal’s backbone and ribs without applying noticeable pressure? When you slide your fingers, pressing lightly, in the direction your pet’s coat grows in, can you feel your loved one’s ribs easily?
Observing your pet from overhead, do you notice a narrowing between the bottom of the rib cage and the hips, akin to a waist? Take a sideways look. Do you notice your dog’s middle rises up from the bottom of the ribs to inside the thighs? If you answered “no” to any of these, your pet may be overweight or obese.
Causes of Obesity in Cats and Dogs
The main cause of obesity in canines and felines is a combination of consuming more food than is necessary and exercising less than is necessary. Neutering, gender, genetics, lifestyle, and aging are also risk factors.
- For dogs, obesity has been linked to the number of meals and snacks fed, the pet’s presence when humans are eating their food, receiving human food during mealtimes, and not surprisingly, the makeup of the dog food.
- With cats, obesity has been associated with being able to graze on their food freely without any limitations, inconsistent feeding routines, and owners who overfeed them when they aren’t hungry.
Nutrition to Help Cats and Dogs Lose Weight
The best way to work off the weight? Consult your vet for a diet and exercise plan to get your pal get in shape.
Here are some handy guidelines for buying food for overweight pets--look for these percentages of protein, fat, and fiber in the food:
For Dogs
|
|
Protein
|
Fat
|
Fiber
|
|
Dry Food
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24% or more
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Less than 12%
|
6% or more
|
|
Wet Food
|
6% or more
|
Less than 3%
|
2% or more
|
For Cats
|
|
Protein
|
Fat
|
Fiber
|
|
Dry Food
|
30% or more
|
Less than 14%
|
6% or more
|
|
Wet Food
|
7% or more
|
Less than 4%
|
2% or more
|
- Upping the fiber content as shown above may help, as it has been shown to help your pet feel full.
- Supplementing your pet’s meals with L-carnitine (an amino acid that sustains lean mass and lowers body fat) may be recommended. You can give your pet 5-10 mg of L-carnitine per kg of their body weight daily.
Practices to Help Your Pet Lose Weight
While your vet can recommend specific pet food and offer feeding guidelines, these are some general rules you can follow to establish healthy routines for your cat or dog:
- When selecting commercially prepared food, look for the labels “complete and balanced nutrition” and “meets the nutritional requirements established by the American Association of Feed Control Officials.”
- Practice portion control by offering the right serving size, with the help of a vet or certified veterinary nutritionist or by using the instructions typically included on store-bought food as a guide. Leave only that amount out, without letting your pet eat as they please from a larger portion!
- Don’t eat your meals in front of your animal.
- Reduce or eliminate treats.
- Offer praise and attention that don’t revolve around meals and treats.
- Build ample opportunities for exercising into your loved one’s day. Since exercising burns calories, lowers appetite, and boosts metabolism, it helps pets shed pounds and prevents weight from creeping back on.
- For cats, you may need to limit their ability to hunt outdoors—which may be contributing to their excess of food intake.
As with humans, the process of weight loss should be gradual. Once the desired weight is achieved, regularly weighing your pet is advised to maintain a healthy size.
This information is for informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for the professional advice of, or diagnosis or treatment by, your veterinarian. It has however been reviewed for accuracy by Dr. Joe, a board certified veterinary nutritionist and graduate of Cornell University's program for Veterinary Medicine.
More on Healthy Weight for Pets
Proper Dog Weight by Breed: A Reference Chart
Try the Tool: Enter Your Dog's Weight to See Results
Keeping Your Cat a Healthy Weight