I don't have a pet but I can tell you that this article is really useful for research reports and I will always be thanking this article when I get an A+ on my report. Also I highly recommend reading this article if you have to do anything on this subject. :-D
I had a pet that was over weight as well, I put it on a special diet and he lost weight, then I put myself on a special diet and lost some weight, myself. I've been taking longer walks with my dog and we're both healthier. Having a pet is really about wellness and getting out for walk and be social, thinking about nutrition, special relationships, and support other pet lovers. Just keep in mind, it's not for everyone. Don't have a pet unless you're really interested in pets and like pets. Respect people who may not like dogs, have allergies, and/or enjoy wildlife. My small dogs actually likes visiting a local duck pond. Later, I bought some toys for him at www.pawzroad.com. In fact, it is cheaper and better quality than the chewy that we are widely known.
2
I had a pet that was over weight as well, I put it on a special diet and he lost weight, then I put myself on a special diet and lost some weight, myself. I've been taking longer walks with my dog and we're both healthier. Having a pet is really about wellness and getting out for walk and be social, thinking about nutrition, special relationships, and support other pet lovers. Just keep in mind, it's not for everyone. Don't have a pet unless you're really interested in pets and like pets. Respect people who may not like dogs, have allergies, and/or enjoy wildlife. My small dogs actually likes visiting a local duck pond.
5
My late cat used to freeform eat dry food. His weight ballooned up and he got diabetes. To diagnose the diabetes, the vet gave him a fructosamine test (tests his blood glucose over 2 weeks). He got a 730--the highest you can get. I immediately went online, read up on it and switched it to wet food (luckily he ate it) that was low in carbs, high in protein (I used Wellness Core Turkey and Cats in the Kitchen Chicken FrickaZee). I begged the vet to give him another test in 3 weeks (before putting him on insulin). His fructosamine had gone down to a 395--close to non-diabetic cat. He had another one a month later, maintaining the same diet (low carb, high protein) and it was 320---completely normal. He never had to use insulin and lived to an old age. After that experience, I'd never feed a cat dry food again and only give them high quality, low carb food. And watch their calorie intake. Only treats are a few freeze-dried pieces of chicken (you can get them at a pet store). I definitely think it makes a huge difference.
4
My late cat, when thin, spent two weeks in the care of friends who are both overweight, and he came back noticeably larger.
I have no idea what the connection between these two things is.
My pugs were getting fatter and fatter, much to the Vet's disapproval, until I realized that the suggested food quantity on the dry food package [based on dog size] was way too much food. Now they are thin and spritely, but always hungry, just like their owners, but we don't try to eat out of the garbage. So far.
8
I have two cats and their weight fluctuates regularly although they eat the same amount of wet and dry food almost every day. The problem with many people is that they let their pets do what they want all day and don't keep a closer eye on the health of their companions. My cats chase each other around and are hyper so they get a good amount of exercise every day. Not every cat is the same though, and this article should hopefully open the eyes of many pet owners who don't pay close enough attention to the lives of their pets. They are our loved ones just like any sibling or relative and should be treated like that, as we promised as pet owners to take good care of any provide a home for our animals
1
I had many cats growing up and they were fed mostly dry food "free range" style. Many (not all) ended up being overweight when they got older.
I have two cats now which I feed three meals of wet food each day + a bit of dental dry food. At each meal they get about 2.75oz of wet food (Earthborn, Tiki -- used to be Fancy Feast but I am convinced that is good for no one.) The cats have beautiful shiny coats, and weigh about 15 pounds each (males). They are not fat, but skinny. Just big! I don't think I ever had cats growing up that were this large without being fat that just ate dry food.
So, maybe wet food is no healthier than dry food, but at least it forces you to give them separate meals and not free range feeding which is probably most important thing.
2
Barn cats seem to be the healthiest cats due to the activity
of chasing/hunting of rodents. In suburbia owners let them out at night at the risk of the hunters becoming becoming the hunted. Ticks and flies would be my main concerns.
2
One way to get cats to exercise is to have a pair of them. I've seen it work very well with two from the same litter but that may not be possible if adopting rescued cats from a shelter which is what should almost always be the case. They also keep each other company when the humans are all out of the house.
5
To be honest, one walk through WalMart, with cans of "sirloin steak flavor" and "cheeseburger flavor" dog- and cat food, and I don't know there is a solution. These are animals descended from wolves and tigers, whose first exposure to the venerable can opener was Aunt Nellie, and she won. "Processed foods" are as unhealthy for animals as they are for us.
5
Another reason to feed pets foods that don't contain grains like corn, wheat, and soy is allergy issues. One of my cats is allergic to all three and will scratch himself bloody if he eats them. So both get fed grain free food (Soulistics and Halo are two of their favorite brands), and their coats look terrific and they are very healthy for their ages (the older one is starting to have kidney problems, but he's about 18-20 years old so that's to be expected). If your pets have problems with itching, wheezing, or congestion, allergy testing can be well worth its cost. Dogs and cats did not evolve hunting the wild soybean.
1
Mention the associated additional wastes in animal food, more stool and urine, and additional pollution and demands that these contribute to an already troubled planet.
Someone should study whether obese pets are more common in households with obese owners. I'd bet yes.
Our most sincere and humble friends deserve a healthful life.
3
It's a cat-ch 22 to feed dry or wet cat food. But after spending around $2000 on my cat for being unable to urinate, I now give him only wet food as per my vet. Also while he is fatter as I don't let him out, he's still alive. I lost 2 cats to coyotes since they stayed outside during the day.
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I am the Picture of Dorian Grey for cats. I swear, they eat and I gain weight.
Every cat I've ever had has eaten like a pig and never gained an ounce -- and they have always gotten tested for hyperthyroidism every six months, so it's not that. Their blood work is healthy and they have all lived into their late teens. Some hardly even seem to poop. They all shed prodigiously, so maybe the food converts directly into fur?They eat like vacuum cleaners and stay skinny. I, on the other hand, get fatter every year...
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@Nikki
I thoroughly enjoyed your delightful comment. I truly feel your pain. I think a lot of feline custodians have a household of hoovers in their presence.
2
Why starve your overweight cat by feeding small amounts dry food (full of cheap, suspect ingredients and very little nutrition) when you can slim your cat down by feeding it reasonable amounts of what it craves — animal muscle, fat, skin, and bone? Cats get fat not from emotional overeating but from being fed the wrong food. If they overeat, it's often because their bodies crave nutrients that aren't in their food.
If you have a fat cat, it's YOUR fault, not the cat's. Don't punish it with starvation; switch to better food. Do it gradually if your cat objects. They can learn to eat healthily, like us. If you are feeding a fat cat dry food, you need to transition to better food. Dry food is the problem.
Cats are pure carnivores. Carbs, like grains, and veggies, are not nutritious for them as they are for us omnivores. To feed cats appropriately, we need to give them all-meat food, or the equivalent of the mice, bugs, and birds they'd hunt and eat outdoors.
All good cat diets are mostly water, to help to digest protein and not stress their kidneys. (Never add water to dry food; it's full of bacteria, etc..)
The ideal diet is "raw prey," with skin, bones, fat, and flesh. Like a raw chicken thigh. (Ew, I know.) Next is ground raw: meat, bones, and skin of a chicken, duck, etc. Then there's grain-free, veggie-free canned food. It's convenient, and you can find brands that are 95% animal, with no grains, potato, or other cheap fillers cats can't digest.
2
@LT. Your water is full of bacteria? Where in Boston do you live?
Or do you mean that dry food is full of bacteria?
Cats' prey, like live mice, or birds, or bugs, are also full of bacteria [and the same goes for raw supermarket chicken.] The cat's digestive system is designed for consumption of bacteria that would make humans sick.
I assume your cat licks its feet, as well as other parts that are not bacteria free.
2
I have a horse. There are similar issues with horses being overweight for some of the same reasons as dogs and cats - not being exercised enough, wrong type of grain or too much of it, too much grass or hay - with the same adverse health consequences, some of which can lead to catastrophic problems with their feet requiring them to be put down. My own horse is an “easy keeper” and when in a grass paddock always had his head down eating. He got very fat. First we tried a grazing muzzle which he didn’t mind but it left awful rubs on his face. Now he is in a dirt paddock and gets measured amounts of hay when in the paddock. In his stall he has a grazing net which holds the hay so as to slow down the pace of his eating - we did that after he would eat his hay very quickly and start banging his feet on the stall door for more. He does get some sweet treats for specific good behaviors (stretching exercises and after we ride) and makes a low grumbling noise for treats when I arrive at his stall. At feeding time he is the loudest making noises and gets his barn friends going. I do associate food with love and affection so this has been mostly about me not sneeking him extra hay or giving him too many treats as the barn staff gives out his food which does make it easier on me.
1
how do you forces a cat to get exercise? ours likes to sleep most of the day and sorry of terrifying her by chasing her, I'm not sure how to do this
2
@Susan . I've tried a leash which turns into taking him for drag. I've actually thought of using caught mice or chipmunks as but that's last thing I want in my kitchen or my Vita-mix. The search continues.
@Susan — A cat’s gonna do what a cat’s gonna do. But, I’ve found that toys with catnip make my cat extremely active. (He’s 12 — as far as I know.) He has a rat that has a pouch for catnip, plus a catnip filled sack (Big Ol Catnip Sack) and a small mouse. He jumps, flips, and paws at the latter two, mainly after eating. He also has two scratch boards that he uses constantly. Good for him; good for my furniture; entertaining for me. Win-win all around.
Otherwise, portion control.
1
I suggested to a friend that he try feeding his diabetic cat grain-free catfood (cats, historically, have not been grain farmers,) and the cat briefly went into insulin shock because its blood sugar had normalized and the insulin shot put him over.
3
More articles on what is healthful food for companion animals would be helpful. I was appalled to see one bag of dry dog food .with its first listed ingredient as corn meal. Maybe this "industry" and the food industry in general needs massive regulation. So-called choice leads to bad choices.
2
I decided to cook human food for the dog.He gets hamburger, barley,lots of carrots, green beans, and a bit of garlic,and also a bit of salt and pepper for flavor. I vary it occasionally. He has lost weight, is not fat, and has a very shiny coat and three times as much energy. He is also not hungry between meals.
I thought I was givng him good food with an expensive kibble. Wrong.
4
This is pet fat shaming. A cat or dog can be healthy at any weight. To point out that being fat has health risks and is not good for a pet is a sign of thin privilege cultural domination.
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I disagree. animals evolved to cope with periods of starvation but not excess food. my friend's cat who was very fat just died, our thinner cat is still going strong. both were 14.
3
@Susan
John was being sarcastic, Susan.
@Susan - John is poking fun at the (human) health at any weight movement.
Being a huge animal lover, cat owner, and aspiring vet., I feel that this article is a huge eye-opener for many pet owners. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that in the United States alone, more than 100 million dogs and cats have exceeded their average weight. The biggest problem our pets face is that many owners do not see the problem of their animal being overweight. Obesity and the inflammatory effects of excess fat can bring along major health problems, some so dangerous, it could result in death or bone structure damage. Many wet cat food uses corn or corn byproducts leading to many health issues(obesity). Products such as carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum make humans sick,
so why feed it to animals when they don't need it. Cornmeal is good for fattening up animals for slaughter. Why somebody got the idea to market it as cat food is beyond me. Cats thrive on very small portions of protein and fat(birds/mice). If you feed them protein and fat, they will naturally maintain a healthy weight, they will not be ravenous, their coat will be silky and shiny, and their litter box will smell infinitely better. It should simply all be banned. Personally, I feel that when getting an animal of any sort, do your research before and make sure your pets get the necessary amount of food and exercise. New York Times is opening the eyes of many pet owners and warning them of the dangers of overfeeding our pets unhealthy and unbalanced diets.
5
Hi aspiring vet - can you recommend a cat food that comes the closest to your minimalist prescription of fat and protein? If inclined please scroll down to my original post regarding an obese cat( his brother is normal weight). Thanks, Nalini
4
In this article, it describes the importance of maintaining a healthy weight for your pet. It explains how obesity in pets can result in diabetes, arthritis, liver and kidney diseases, cancers, high blood pressure and heart failure. As an owner of two dogs, I do like to indulge them with treats and bones. But, along with the treats, I also make sure they are being walked. This creates a healthy balance for them. In the article, it mentions how "The concept of food and love are tightly interconnected". This can can't create a problem for owners who view giving extra food and treats as a form of love because that "love" is really just hurting the animal. If a pet needs to lose weight for their health that doesn't mean they need to start a whole weight loss program or take fat blocking pills like the article suggests. All that needs to be changed is small things like cutting down on food portions/treats and getting walked more often.
1
Look on the bright side. Obese cats are either unwilling to hunt birds, or incapable of doing so successfully.
2
@Daedalus I can assure you that there is one fat cat in Oklahoma that is quiet capable of a successful bird hunt.
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Pet food companies want your money and so they way overestimate how much you actually need to feed your pet
We feed our 50lb catahoula hound mix about half of the recommended portion grain free mix. When we leave the house she either gets a carrot or a higher calorie treat (depending on how much she’s been walked) to stave her over until we get home from work. We used to feed her less when we had a yard for her since she’s lazy and will lay in the sun instead of running around but we uped it once we moved to an apartment and now she must go on walks
When she was being fed on the package recommended diet she was about 15 lb overweight. Now she’s 50 lb and deemed “ideal” by our vets.
4
A case of metabbylism-
http://members.efn.org/~hkrieger/vtabby.jpg
from the series, "Day in the Life of a Mobile Vet",
http://members.efn.org/~hkrieger/vet.htm
1
We feed our dog raw chicken backs because it resembles what her ancestors ate. It's raw because bones become dangerous and splinter-prone when they are cooked. The bones in the back are relatively weak and don't support any weight, making it easy for her to crunch. We started her on bones at around 5 months and watched her carefully for a couple of weeks. She's a careful eater, chews each mouthful instead of gulping, so we've never been worried.
It's been over 2 years of daily bones and she's a sleek, athletic dog. She's often the fastest dog at the dog park and is a big show-off.
We still give her some kibble for some diet diversity, but she usually leaves most of it alone. I guess it's just not as tasty as raw chicken.
2
Yes, I am a firm believer in feeding them RAW chicken (or other meat), as the bones are soft,not brittle (like when cooked).
Plus, raw meat is what these animals were designed to eat. They were never meant to all the refined carb products you find in typical animal chow (here's Purina's main ingredients: Poultry by-product meal, corn meal, corn gluten meal, ground whole wheat, brewers rice, soy flour.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/well/fat-pets-dog-cat-health.html?
The unusual article, "Our Fat Pets," explains that 60% of cats and 56% of dogs are obese and do not partake in a healthy diet, putting them in danger. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that in the United States alone, more than 100 million dogs and cats have exceeded their average weight. The biggest problem our pets face is that many owners do not see the problem of their animal being overweight. Obesity and the inflammatory effects of excess fat can bring along major health problems, some so dangerous, it could result in death or bone structure damage. New York Times is opening the eyes of many pet owners, warning them of the dangers of over feeding our pets unhealthy and unbalanced diets. I have three dogs of my own and I want them to live the best life possible, starting with a balanced diet. It is scientifically proven that our pets will be able to live longer, and happier lives when they are fed a healthy meal. This article was so important for me to read, and I hope many others find eye opening advice in it as well.
Our 12-year-old cat was displaying early signs of diabetes. We put her on a canned high-quality, high-protein no-grain turkey cat food, measured out the calories per the vet's suggestion (175/day), added some water to the mixture to help her feel fuller, and fed her three times/day on a regular schedule. Her diabetes onset was reversed and she just passed her last checkup with flying colors. We do not feed her anything outside of this, except once in a while she may get a one-piece dry treat. She isn't complaining and doesn't pester us for food (though she's happy when it arrives). To show her love, we pet her, comb her, play with her, and not overfeed her.
4
I suggest including some oral care dry food. we fed our cat only wet food like what you described, and after a number of years her gums began to bleed. the vet suggested cleaning her teeth for $1000. instead we get oral care dry food from the vet or science diet oral care. the fiber from the dry food helps clean the teeth by wrapping around the teeth. to do this, it should be chewy and not crunchy. older bags dry out and then we spritz water on the food to rehydrate it. her teeth are good now and she's no longer in pain.
Aussie has always been active (2 hours of walks a day) and still seems fine, but he's now 8 and he's put an extra 4 pounds on top of his ideal 28. We asked his vet for a suggestion. She said she substitutes green beans for a part of her dogs morning feeding. Aussie has dropped 3/4 of a pound in 2 months. He seems alert and happy as ever.
4
Lisa Pierson, DVM has written extensively on the issue of wet food v. dry food, and obesity. It is clear to her that a high-protein wet food diet is the way to go. She has a very comprehensive site: catinfo.org
For more advice, Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM, has written a good book about taking care of cats (including what to food them).
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@Monica Co-sign! Lisa Pierson's website was a life-saver for my cat and switching him to a low-carb high protein canned diet (and using her chart) literally reversed his diabetes. Love the Hodgkins book as well.
The rapid growth in early life is due to puppies being weaned to high calorie puppy chow rather than being raised on species specific foods, like raw meaty bone diets. My dogs get raw meaty bones once a day, a multivitamin and nothing else. They are thin and healthy.
1
One of the vet techs that work for the veterinarian where I take my cat said she gives her cats treats. I told her I didn't give my cat any treats but catnip. She asked why. I said I don't want my cat to get fat. My cat weighs a about 11 pounds and the vet said his weight is perfect. If you give your dog or cat treats, that might be one reason why they get fat. Cut back on the treats or no treats at all would be my advice.
1
Corn meal is good for fattening up animals for slaughter. Why somebody got the idea to market it as cat food is beyond me. Cats thrive on very small portions of protein and fat (think of what's in the body of a mouse or a bird). If you feed them protein and fat, they will naturally maintain a healthy weight, they will not be ravenous, their coat will be silky and shiny, and their litter box will smell infinitely better.
7
Can we next have an article on why declawing cats is barbaric savagery, please?
“Oh but my beloved accessory, I mean cat, rips up my expensive couch...”
8
AH! may a reckoning be coming? Fat dogs might be less likely to charge and jump as their owners always do zero to protect fellow hikers from unwanted advances. And, perhaps fat small dogs will develop less shrill yelping.
We can only hope for small blessings in a world where fat dogs and fat owners cannot venture far from Chic-fila, et al.
1
Overfeeding pets is abuse.
5
I wish the NY Times would report on more important issues, like the mass killing of animals in shelters (Newark AHS shelter's Roseann Trezza has gotten no coverage in this paper -maybe one report could have put an end to decades of violations), animal abuse, especially in agriculture (I think they had one report on that) and fashion. People have a right to know about the horrible suffering of the animals they eat and wear, and the deaths of pets abandoned to shelters. Pet obesity is just not the most important issue on the radar of people who want to help animals. Or maybe it is to the stupid overpaid yuppies in my town who still get their sickly designer dogs from breeders.
6
The pets that live with us -- and that we love -- ARE what's important.
3
My cats had a free feed dispenser for many years. As they got older and plumper, had to go to control scoops. They we not happy for a while but adjusted, better weight, less litter, less vomit.
1
It 's possible to communicate with dogs in relation to food.. When I give my dog a snack & he looks at me for more, I wag my open palms by my hips & say "All gone". He gets it & walks away. Animal behaviorists have shown that dogs remember visual cues longer than verbal ones. I have a visual cue for almost every verbal "command". Doesn't matter what word or phrase you use as long as it's sound is very distinct. The main thing is to pick words that will naturally arise in your mind so that you're consistent. That's the main thing:. consistency. We go on a brisk 20-min walk twice a day. Again when I say "Let's go" & tug on his leash he knows that smelling time is going to be brief. I then praise him. The whole exercise thing has to work for me, too! I'm retired & have the time, but was not exercising, until Chief showed up from the bush- an emaciated 3 month old.
We play ball while I have my morning coffee. We're both fit. The boy's got me going!
PS Another trick with dogs is to avert your gaze. Don't make eye contact with your dog unless you want to engage with them then, on their terms. The best way to discourage behaviors (begging) is to turn your body and head slightly away & avert your gaze. This is how older dogs teach young ones to leave them alone. Works like a charm!
Finally, we often teach dogs by rewarding behaviors we don't want- unconsciously. My dog doesn't bark to come in; so to get me to the door, he starts to dig a hole. Works!!!
5
The overuse of corn products and low grade animal products in dry food were killing my cat. As soon as I switched to beter quality wet food he improved. I will never feed a pet dry food again.
5
I took my Siamese cat for a walk on his harness and leash just this morning. I think I will do that every day now. He seems to like it.
6
First, the cat pictured in the article could be my cat’s twin - I actually had to double check to make sure it wasn’t him lol.
Second, it’s depressingly predictable how judgmental many of the comments are about anyone who has an obese pet. It is not necessarily the owner’s fault. To wit - I have two cats, they eat the same food, have the same access to the outdoors, but one is fat and the other lean. My chubster has always had a docile, lazy temperament - more interested in eating than hunting - and therein lies the difference between them.
No need to assume an attitude of superiority as an owner for what may just be luck, nor judge others when you don’t know the particulars of their circumstances.
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@TAL Maine Coons are also naturally big cats. And the cat in the photo doesn't look obese just 90% fluff.
3
This is easy.
Whoever I see a fat pet, I know the owner is insecure and personally undisciplined.
They are ready to deprive the pet of a healthy life in order to satisfy their personal desire for immediate gratification that comes when a pet demonstrates gratitude for food.
1
Take them off of products that contain corn.
The weight will gradually come off.
Corn and corn byproducts are not natural pet foods and have the same effect as feeding corn to cows.
12
And why are we putting stabilizers in pet food? Carageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum - this stuff makes humans sick, animals don't need it. It should all be banned.
1
I have 2 cats, both 16. They want to ear all day, we feed canned food. We basically feed when they ask, and neither is fat. Guess we’re lucky!
I do a dog sport ( dog agility) with my two miniature poodles.
In order to protect my dogs’ joints and prevent injury, I maintain my dogs’ weight at the low normal level. My vet just beams when she sees my boys come into her office!
I feed my dogs the best quality kibble I can afford. The key for me is to measure their food carefully and consistently. I supplement with a variety of leafy greens, berries and other dog appropriate fruits and vegetables.
We walk daily, train regularly and I do a variety of conditioning and strengthening excercises with them.
Involving your dog in a dog sport is a great way to enrich their lives, and yours, as well. It motivates me to take the best care of my dogs I can manage, and keeping their weight down is a major way I can keep them healthy and active!
12
What are the main ingredients in "best quality kibble"?
In other words, cats and dogs reflect the overeating and inactivity of their humans.
15
Often true, but also often not true; my cat is overweight yet I have to work daily at maintaining a weight above 101 pounds. My cat is on a diet and the progress is slow, but we are gradually moving closer to our target goal for his weight.
1
I am a veterinarian specializing in pain management, physiotherapy, and function restoration, all of which are negatively influenced by overweight and obesity. Having practiced comprehensive "cradle to grave" veterinary medicine for over 3 decades, including a heavy emphasis on clinical nutrition, it is critical to realize that (just like for humans) portion management of an appropriate nutrient profile is essential to achieving and maintaining optimal body composition. We simply do not see overweight or obese pets in our practice (once they have been patients of ours for any length of time) because I and my team work closely with our clients to educate about this important issue (including prevention for puppies), to prescribe appropriate strategies, and then to provide coaching support. We know from experience that removing the human from the "feeding equation" is a powerful step, so one tool we prescribe is a very sophisticated automated feeder (PortionPro Rx) that allows for the dog to receive up to 6 meals per day, independent of the human's schedule. Of course, we address the need for appropriate activity (tailored to the individual dog's needs). But first and foremost, appropriate portioning MUST be the foundation upon which success is built.
11
@Dr Robin (DVM, MS Bioethics, Diplomate ACVSMR:
Really? You’re pushing an auto feeder? An important of the bond between people and pets is the feeding process. They look to us for food and care. It is a PIVOTAL part of dog training! I am shocked (and disgusted, to be honest) that a veterinarian would push clients to use such a device.
Anyone who needs an auto feeder to feed their dog should NOT have a dog. Get an aquarium and some hardy fish instead.
5
@Passion for Peaches
Depending on the owner's work schedule, optimal feeding by the owner might not be possible. Probably better to let the auto feeder dispense smaller meals at appropriate intervals than to feed a huge meal in the morning and make the animal wait 12 hours for the next one. In that case the owner probably has a dog walker at some point during the day, but if you trust them to do the feeding, you're back to hoping they don't overfeed.
2
Avoid carbohydrates. Kibble can't be made without carbs usually in the form of grains and in grain-free type kibbles, legumes, which in addition carries their own ill-effects. Dogs don't need them and cats can not metabolize them. They directly contribute to obesity, diabetes, kidney and bladder issues, and many auto-immune diseases.
To determine the carbohydrate content of kibble, add up these percentages found under the Guaranteed Analysis listed on the label: Crude Protein, Crude Fat, Crude Fiber, and Moisture. If Moisture is not listed add 7% which is an average of most kibbles. To this add 7% for 'Ash' which is an average of residue remaining after processing.
Subtract this total from 100 for the percentage of carbohydrate content.
As an example, here is the result of a popular 'prescription diet' for Digestive/Weight/Glucose Management
Crude Protein: 15.0%
Crude Fat: 6.0%
Crude Fiber: 20.0%
Moisture: 7%
Ash: 7%
This Total is 55%
Subtracted from 100 leaves a carbohydrate content of 45%.
This particular food is promoted for diabetic dogs and for weight control.
45% of carbohydrates defies common sense when it is that which caused the problem in the first place. It is an excessive and harmful amount for any sub-type of carnivore.
Learn how to read the ingredients. Find something low in starch. Grain-free types simply replace one source of carbohydrate with another, usually legumes, which are equally harmful in addition to adding their own ill-effects.
4
Come on....if cats can't metabolize carbohydrates then the carbs couldn't possibly contribute to weight gain. They have to be uptaken to the blood stream and converted to fat in order to contribute to the problem. A long life of hunger is not exactly the life I wish my cats to live. keeping cats indoors, safe from disease and fights and parasites results in higher weight. They are happily content on a moderated diet.
5
I would make only one correction: it is not that "cats can not metabolize them"; rather, it's HOW they metabolize them.
Getting fat is one of the many consequences of eating refined carbs (here's the main ingredients for cat chow: Poultry by-product meal, corn meal, corn gluten meal, ground whole wheat, brewers rice, soy flour).
These animals were not mean to be cooped up for fourteen hours a day. Many dogs get a bathroom walk in the morning and in the evening, and that's it. From the time their owners leave for work until they come home from work, those dogs don't have anything to do.
Even walking doesn't cut it. Long walks are nice and are good exercise, but I've never seen happier dogs than the dogs who had the freedom to run and play. Dog parks may seem like they could do the trick but they are like prison yards for dogs, complete with the same kind of aggressive bullies. They don't cut it, either.
If you want dogs you should move out to the country or at the very least to suburbia where the yards can be bigger.
I'm sure the obese pets are just as depressed as the obese people.
10
I never saw very many obese dogs in the city--no yards, everyone has to walk their dogs. In the suburbs though . . .
1
Right - dogs should only live in the country or burbs. That's ridiculous. Not to mention throwing your dog out to "play" in the backyard gives him much less exercise than city dogs, who, in the absence of yards, HAVE to be walked (and thereby get more mental stimulation too.)
4
Avoid carbohydrates. Kibble can't be made without carbs usually in the form of grains and in grain-free type kibbles, legumes, which are equally harmful in addition to adding their own ill-effects. Learn how to read the ingredients. Find something high in protein and low in starch. Dogs don't need them and cats can not metabolize them. They directly contribute to obesity, diabetes, kidney and bladder issues, and many auto-immune diseases.
To determine the carbohydrate content of kibble, add up these percentages found under the Guaranteed Analysis listed on the label: Crude Protein, Crude Fat, Crude Fiber, and Moisture. If Moisture is not listed add 7% which is an average of most kibbles. To this add 7% for 'Ash' which is an average of residue remaining after processing.
Subtract this total from 100 for the percentage of carbohydrate content.
As an example, here is the result of a popular 'prescription diet' for Digestive/Weight/Glucose Management
Crude Protein: 15.0%
Crude Fat: 6.0%
Crude Fiber: 20.0%
Moisture: 7%
Ash: 7%
This Total is 55%
Subtracted from 100 leaves a carbohydrate content of 45%.
This particular food is promoted for diabetic dogs and for weight control.
45% of carbohydrates defies common sense when it is that which caused the problem in the first place. It is an excessive and harmful amount for any sub-type of carnivore.
April cat is going on a diet.
4
So American pets are like their American owners? Who could be surprised?
Exercise your animals and exercise yourself. And both can be done at the same time.
9
With this story seeming to focus on pets within the US, why should any of these finding be surprising? I'd wager to be that those pet owners who are overweight themselves, and the most likely to have overweight pets. Whereas those pet owners who care about what they ingest, and their own weight/fitness, similarly care about what their pets ingest.
Most 'pet food' is loaded with fillers and preservatives and is not 'real food', or anything that a wild dog/cat would normally find on the street or in nature.
In the US, our overweight pets are simply indicative of our overall tendency to eat processed foods created in 'labs'. I'm willing to bet that in countries with large populations of wild cats and dogs, very few of them are 'overweight'.
4
Animals on the streets are sick and starving. Not an ideal life, especially because people are often cruel and abusive to strays. Some countries, India, China, etc, simply massacre them. The Olympics kills strays in every place they invade, so does FIFA world cup. This is why I boycott both.
3
Why are you willing to wager that pet owners are fat like their pets? Based on what?
1
I am surprised by how little discussion here is devoted to exercise. My 11 year-old beagle and I put in an average 1.5 miles of walking a day. Admittedly, with age and the blessing (curse?) of a need to smell the entire neighborhood (by him, not me) each time we walk, the pace is not rapid. But it is regular.
When walking, we encounter a large number of people (almost always looking at their phones) who seem to think the only reason to take a dog out is for pooping and peeing. Once that is done, it's back to the house.
I realize people have time constraints, but do yourself (and your dog) a favor: walk the dog as often as you can. You'll both benefit.
And if you put the phone away, you just might discover that you and your dog have a stronger bond. I did.
55
@Rick. Thanks so much for mentioning people walking their dogs while using their phones. This may be slightly off topic however if additional walking and exercise is to be used as a deterrent to obesity in dogs then I just have to put in my 2 cents. I happen to be a cat owner but I live in NYC and see dozens of dogs being walked all day long. I even see people bringing their dogs to Central Park and even at central park these people will NOT get off their phones. I see these poor dogs sitting around bored and wishing for their owners attention. People, your dogs rely on you, going out is what they live for - they can't read a book or watch a movie or go on a date - walks with you is it for them. Can't you just leave the phone alone for the time it takes to walk your dog? And those of you who take the dog to Central Park for a nice run in the country- sorry you get no points for that if you're on the phone the whole time.
54
@KLJ dog walkers can contribute with the quality of exercise. Do they stroll along on the phone while walking the dog?
My heart goes out to those poor dogs
2
Really? A cat on a treadmill? Is that kind of like a mouse on a wheel?
6
@Elizabeth
I recommend an elliptical trainer and Jazzercise for overweight cats, but Pilates and Cross Fit for overweight dogs, although really butch cats often like to do weight training. It's important not to stereotype the high-intensity exercise that one's pet needs.
Some lap dogs do yoga, mostly Iyengar.
Pets, they are just like us ...
6
A majority, or significant percentage of Americans at any rate, are obese. So, too, are their pets!?! WHAT a SHOCK!
6
A cat on a treadmill? Weaving through poles? Wow. My scraggy old moggy Sox, ripped ears and minus a fang, has two moods: hungry or sleeping. He doesn’t run except to the food bowl and mostly plods along to relocate his sleeping spot (“Sun? Shade? Chair or bed?). Getting him on a treadmill would fail miserably (and probably painfully).
I’ve tried reducing his food - we have two others in our house, so a hungry alpha cat can just scarf down three bowls of food before you know it. Restricting bowls never works - we’ve tried it, it just falls away in the daily bustle and he’s cunning as a fox so will beg food off different people. But he’s okay, maybe a bit of padding but not obese. He’s old, a former rescue cat and deserves his final years being looked after - and yes, eating more than is intended.
16
Thanks! I adopted a chubby cat, she is full of energy, loves to run and play, runs to the door to greet me. I think her diet (bagged hard food) made her plump, I switched her to canned, let's see what happens. She is not a very greedy eater, either. Her "obesity" doesn't worry me. Her sister, who died of cancer, was skinny.
1
Just read through most of the comments. I think most people have good intentions toward their pets, and want to do the right thing. But glomming on to the latest “it” diet for your cat or dog is not always in the best interest of your animal. This is not a contest — it’s about keeping your pet healthy. Most cats and dogs do fine on a good-quality, mainstream, commercial diet. No need to go for the most expensive thing. In fact, there is a connection between the faddish grain-free feeds and heart disease in dogs:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/27/posh-grain-free-dog-food-may...
In my decades of raising dogs, I have had some get too fat. It sneaks up on you. One day you go to the vet and she says your dog is shaped like a tuffet and you need to restrict the kibble. But it’s really the snacking that puts in the pounds. The bite of this, the crust of that. The cookies handed out because the dog is sitting by the cookie jar looking adorable. Restricting the main meal is a good way to reduce weight because it is measurable. But you need to control the habits that made the animal fat in the first place.
Some dogs have no sense about when to stop eating. I once had a Cattle Dog break into the pantry, chew open a new bag of kibble, and eat two pounds of it (I weighed the remainder). He was so bloated that he looked like a seal. I sat with him and massaged him while he passed all the accumulated gas and deflated a bit. Smart dog, but no sense!
10
Points for “tuffet!”
11
I adopted my dog 9 years ago. He gets walked 3x a day. We go on 3 mile walks on the weekends. A grazer that has maintained his 45-48lb figure for 9 years, despite the human food he occasionally gets from me. Oh, and no emotional anxiety eating for him. He eats until full and walks away. Enjoys relaxing in the sun in the backyard and doesn't make a big deal out of anything. I can count how many times he has barked in 9 years.
He is 10 and gets mistaken for 6 y.o dog.
I am jealous of my dog.
15
When we insist dogs be on a leash, and cats indoors, we are working against evolution.
8
why am not i surprised ? American pet are statistically obese, as their owners, correlation ? What do the big data tell us about that ?
My cat is overweight too. She’s getting a quarter cup of Science Diet Light twice a day but is not losing weight. I did feed her wet food before but her assaulting meows were more than I could deal with in the morning and she still did not lose weight. She’s an indoor cat and is now kind of freaked if we bring her outside on a harness. Thoughts? I think I should be more diligent in trying to get her to exercise but will the neighborhood whisper when they see me trying to walk her? (Btw, why is walking a cat considered weird but walking a dog is not?)
3
@Michelle - my friend walks her cat every night. She says when it's dark they feel more secure.
@Michelle We did try a harness on one cat and it didn't work. How old is she? Would she run after those balls that hold kibble? There are toys that can make them more active that involve catnip or treats but it involves a lot of experimentation and some work by you. We are lucky in that we have been able to let our cat out in a controlled environment so at least he moves more at age 14. We'll see how it goes at the vet next month. The only way he's lost weight is when we boarded him and he was upset.
@Michelle
It sounds like wet food is the way to go as far as weight loss goes. I hear you're supposed to gradually introduce it. Ask the vet first, though.
I switched my 15 year old cat from science diet dry to a wet food brand called soulistic and the weight came off in about 5 months. It looks like real food, not the mushy stuff. You could try an automatic cat feeder with timer and ice pack for early morning feedings. Try play time in the evenings when they are more active. My cat likes feather toys, mousies, racoon tails, and I make her some ribbons on a stick. Some cats will tolerate the harness, but I wouldn't push it. Can you make her a "catio?"
Honestly, sounds terrible, but I was desperate and caught some mice in a mousetrap and fed them to her. Once she tasted blood again, she was a wild cat again.
1
This has to be an American phenomenon, which we will probably spread to the rest of the world like we have spread our human obesity epidemic. It's the result of our disordered culture which has taken on "consumerism" as it's identity and life's purpose. We don't even call ourselves citizens or people anymore. We're "consumers"!
We've bought the pitch of those who exploit us, making us sick for their own profit. We've abandoned other religions and causes and we've been brainwashed to consume ourselves and our planet to death.
The solution to our maladies, including our own obesity and our pets' obesity, is a conversion experience, rejecting the "religion" of consumerism and adopting a new purpose and way of being.
With the application of good psychotherapeutic technique, we can reverse our slide to self-destruction and solve these problems. I discovered how, with behavioral technique, after years of obesity and failed diets. I finally solved my weight problem, lost 140 pounds 35 years ago, have kept it off, and I have been teaching others since. Stop killing yourself and your pets. Find out how. It's not just a matter of diets and will power.
William Anderson, LMHC
Author of "The Anderson Method".
1
Like many who have commented here...my one if 2 cats is very obese at 26 lbs. could the author request the vet in Gainesville FL to share her feeding and exercise regimen ? I will buy a treadmill if I must and also switch his food as advised. He now gets smaller portions and begs incessantly for food. I give him extra attention by teaching him tricks and brushing him but he needs extreme intervention! Please help!
5
@Nalini. Cats will get hungry on a reduced calorie diet like humans. My excellent vet has me add mashed yams to a high quality wet food. Does the trick in controlling hunger.
3
@Nalini do a search for "cat exercise wheel" - I only found out about this through some ads that popped up during my browsing online. It seems to be well-constructed and perhaps even fun for the cat!
1
@Sharon - how does one determine what is a high quality wet food? Any vet-based recommendations?
Both humans and captive animals initially overeat and get fat due to anxiety, mostly in response to boredom or other situations that cause anxiety. Once the habit is established, it is the devil to break even if the environment changes, and especially in an atmosphere in which all are affected. The human habit for rationalizing reinforces the pathology--but make no mistake, it is a pathology. Eating until you are sick is a sickness. Making your kids fat, or making your pets fat, is a sickness, no matter how great a percentage of the population is affected. It is never all right.
I have had many cats over a lifetime, and none of them have been fat. They have always had access to their favored dry food and fresh water throughout the day, with a few treat bits in the morning, and 1/2 small can per cat per day, fed always 4-5 pm. If they beg for more, they get more. After that, hugs and kisses only. However, they also have a cat door with free access to the outdoors and woods full of mice and rabbits. The vet always comments on their muscularity.
4
@sandhillgarden
my cat is indoor only, and is offered playtime. The vet remarked on his muscle strength, moderate weight.
“Pets don’t open the fridge by themselves” - meet my cat and you will stand corrected.
30
I’m glad the article mentions the unhealthy weight of too many show dogs. Even so-called top dogs, in the final rounds of Crufts and Westminster, are often beyond plump. Some of the Labradors picked for Best of Breed are so fat that they are straining themselves just doing an out and back in the ring. And these are dogs meant to run, swim and retrieve in rough country! It makes me so sad. People who own Labradors and lab mixes see those “ideal” dogs and think the extra weight is normal. It’s not.
7
Whenever anyone saw my cat, Charley, for the first time, they always commented on how fat he was. He weighed 21-pounds. But then they took a closer look and realized that he wasn't fat at all - he was huge. He stood 9-inches off the floor and his head was twice the size of an ordinary cat. He wasn't fat at all - he was just a very large cat. So we can't just use the scales as means for judgement in all things.
5
“The concept of food and love are tightly interconnected, and we need to address it.”
This is the real crux of the entire matter --
"Food is Love" -
Think about it --
When you meet someone for the first time and want to get to know them better - what do you do --?
You invite them to share a meal with you ("Would you like to have dinner with me sometime ?") -- food being not only a basic survival need - is also a way of bonding --
To get an idea of the complexities of our relationship with food - have a look at the food section of the New York Times' food section --
Many pet owners equate food as an expression of love regarding their pets -- and if an owner is using food as way to medicate his or her own anxiety - they will often overfeed their pets as a result --
Yes - I know -- " But you don't understand - My cat (dog) is special - different - quirky - not like other cats --"
Our two cats know their feeding times - and one of them will start to nag me as early as an hour before its time -- even though they are both healthy and well-fed --
I used to get annoyed and shoo them away -- but I've learned to disengage from their game and now simply ignore them if they start begging for food before their feeding time --
Finally --
I recently read something regarding this topic which will - no doubt - cause some pet owners to shudder --
"You pet will love you just as much, even if you feed him less." --
And yes - it's true...
5
Where on earth did you get your statistics. Maybe pampered city cats are fat, but many of us live in rural areas where the working dogs and mousing cats are trim and powerful. It's the people here and in your fat-cat cities as well who are over-weight and under-strengthened. Some of them. Many people here are doing physical labor as well. And all of us are "deplorable."
7
@SFR Oh, come on now. Are you really going to try to me/us that you've never seen rural/farm obesity? Do you actually drive around on the back roads? Or maybe visit a state fair? And if you absolutely insisted on putting politics into this conversation, then, yes, many of your deplorables can barely waddle to the next trump rally. Just look at the videos.
23
@SFR, not true. I live in a rural area, where people have acreage and let their dogs run and hunt, or go hiking with their owners, or follow their owners owhen trail riding. There are fat dogs and cats here, too. Whether it’s because they are housebound, or kept as yard dogs, or they are old, or just not inclined to move much, or because they’re overfed — people here have fat pets. I’ve had fat pets. It happens everywhere that pets have access to more food than they need.
16
I get my dogs out for exercise everyday -- fetch, a hike, for about an hour. Good for them, good for me. The cat is on her own, but keeps her figure.
4
Cardiac issues are a common problem by middle age for the breed of small dog we have if they become overweight.
We are careful to give two measured meals —early in the morning, and mid afternoon. Then in all but severe winter weather we aim for at least a single mile long walk, but generally a mile and half in morning, and a mile when it cools in evening.
In severe winter weather, we do at least 3 15 minuets of playing fetch indoors with soft toys, and some chasing.
Our dog thinks the smallest size Greenies are treats—which we give as pooch goes into kennel while we have dinner. Likewise, our pooch thinks doggy toothpaste is a treat.
Pooch is 8 and still ideal weight.
2
One day my vet announced to me that my cat Chiquito was overweight. I began feeding him a prescription diet but his hunger was unabated. Then I began mixing a high protein food with his low cal food and there was progress. His every meal is carefully measured. He maintains a normal weight now.
One serious issue is that people love giving treats and table food to pets. I had a boyfriend who could not eat a meal without sharing it with our cats. I told him goodbye.
2
@Suzanne Wheat what is the "high protein food" and the "low cal food" that you use?
My advice is to donate your expensive dog food and start cooking for your pets.
When I started feeding my overweight standard poodle human food that I made in a crock pot ( Costco provided all my ingredients: protein ( beef, chicken, fish, etc) mixed veggies and a starch ( rice, quinoa, etc) I discovered that this simple diet was the most effective way to get him to lose the weight and cure his frequent ear infections!
I saved hundreds of dollars on vet bills and had a happy pet who loved his food.
My vet was completely shocked at how well it worked - the dog lost 20 pounds in the first 6 months on this diet- and begged me for the “ recipe”.
My dog lived to 16.
4
@Renee I had the same experience with my two Shiba Inu. Highly processed food is bad for people and pets. No surprise that obesity rates for humans and pets have grown in lock-step with the industrialization of our food supply.
3
@Renee
I worry that my dogs
will not get the canine
nutrition they need.
I mix chicken with
their kibble, am strict
about portions and
rarely give them my food.
I have 3 dogs, they are not
overweight but I am tempted
to home cook if the nutrition
is better. Vets only recommend
it if the dog is having some
health issue.
1
@Karen my experience is that almost all kibble is of very low nutritional value and is highly processed; even the grain free stuff. There are lots of recipes for simple, home prepared pet food and your dogs will LOVE it.
Have had cats in our household for nearly all of my five decades of life and have yet to have one of them develop into an unhealthy weight requiring extreme vet measures. And most all of those cats were adopted as - adult rescues.
So this recent uptick in fat pets seems to us a little suspect in the human parenting behavior and mass pet food marketing departments. To us, they both seem a tad bit out of control in a semi-neurotic sense of the food marketers exploiting unsavvy pet owners by blasting them with ever more confusing nutrition information and too often outright illegitimate advertising claims. Can't tell you how many times I've had to turn away the TV channel in disgust during some ridiculously moronic ad from some sort of fancy high dollar dog/cat food corporation that reeks of nothing but elitist greed and insinuates guilt if you don't buy the BS. People buy into this stuff. It's sad.
We keep our cats food out all day. Yes, that's right. Why? Because it keeps them from becoming anxious about where/when their next meal will be. One of them can only eat wet food due to prior abuse that led to poor dentition, lost teeth. The other two cats- respect her disability and leave her food alone. It's just a matter for us , of tuning in to our cats psychologically, behaviorally. And loving them, unconditionally.
8
I've been feeding homemade, carb-free food to my cats for 14 years, to five cats over that time. All of them were older adults (12 to 18 years old, so actually geriatrics) when I started the food or adopted them. Two overweight-but-not-obese cats both lost weight, ending up on the heavy side of healthy (per their vet) until they died at 18 from liver cancer and 21 from a probable stroke. The emaciated cat gained quickly, eventually maintaining on the skinny side of healthy despite severe hyperthyroidism until she died three years later at 18 from heart failure. My current cat, adopted at 12 and now 15, is a little thinner than I would like at his age but still has good fur and muscle tone.
My cats eat as much as they want, when they want. They love their food, eat until they're full, and seldom beg for people food (with the exception of the one who was nuts for cherries and dry Cheerios ☺).
6
We felt and we're told by our vet that our 13 year old female car was overweight. At 10lbs not terribly overweight but plump.
We always fed her 2 meals a day, dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening. Since we had always carefully measured the meal size we were aimeront whether she was able to find foods elsewhere.
Eventually we found the trick. Since there are 4 of us at home we built a check list to make sure she did not convince 2 of us to feed her the same meal. At the same time we checked her weight weekly on the kitchen scale. In 6 months she has lost 10% of her weight. It shows, she is more agile and in a better mood.
NEVER trust the "nobody fed me this morning I swear"
30
@Paul that was a funny typo to read as I was having my coffee, causing some spillage: "13 year old female caR"
healthy choices + active owner = fun vet visits. Owner self-motivation Is a pet’s best friend.
3
Look I don't have anything against pets, but does anybody else find it strange that over half of our dogs and cats are overweight while almost a billion people starve? Pets are treated better in this country than humans in other parts of the world.
Not only that, but Americans spend about 60 billion dollars a year on pets.
(http://fortune.com/2016/08/26/pet-industry/)
Imagine what could be done if that money was spent on education and hunger programs. Strange world indeed.
6
@Alex it would also be easy to deduce that those who treat animals well also treat humans well. Empathy is something deeply lacking in humans these days and any sign that they care, ie have healthy happy pets is a good thing. To assume the buck stops there is wrong. I make a modest income, have incredibly well loved and cared for pets and make monthly donations to radical non profits helping the world.
10
@Alex, how much do you spend on your nonessential pleasures? Evenings out, nice clothing, accruing collectibles, vacations, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, spa treatments, gym membership, gambling, a status car, motorcycle or bike, a flashy home? “Imagine what could be done if that money was spent on” other people who have less than you. People spend their money in ways that are none of your concern. Get down off that bully pulpit and give your own money to the needy.
6
@Alex
There has been a human/dog
bond for 15,000 years. It is
sad that people go hungry.
It breaks my heart when I
see homeless people going
through trash in LA where
there is so much conspicuous
consumption. Nevertheless,
humans can love and care for
their dogs, cats, horses or chickens
without feeling guilty.
2
My mini poodle suffered for years with undiagnosed digestive problems and bouts of diarrhea. She was lean but unhealthy. A couple of years ago, she was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease and has been taking a daily steroid, along with medication for an underactive thyroid. As a result, she is overweight but has normal blood test results. She does not eat a lot but cannot drop the weight due to the medication. The vet never mentions her weight as an issue, although I am dismayed by it.
1
@Sharon Salzberg
Our previous dog was diagnosed with Addison’s when she was 6. She was on a third stage drug trial after that, plus had steroids.
Our solution to the steroid making her famished: She has her own refrigerator crisper drawer. She thought celery was great when we started giving it to her to fill her tummy without weight gain. Added benefit: it helped clean her teeth.
She lived 11 months beyond the normal max age for her breed.
1
@Jeanny My dog does not have a huge appetite. She is 10.5 years old now and acts completely normal except for her extra 10 lbs. of weight. As I said, the vet never comments on it.
I have had cats for decades. I go to a holistic vet in Rhode Island- the best- Wolf Rock Animal Hospital. When one got a little porky she had me add some mashed yams to his food (always wet high quality cat food- not supermarket junk) to keep him feeling full. The lack of access to outdoors is making them fat too. It is controversial but a bit of supervised outdoor time is great for their spirit and health unless you live in high rise. I have seen people walk their cat with halters. Can be done.
4
Meanwhile, I frequently have people glaring at me, even asking if my dogs were rescued from abuse, because my dogs are very lean. They are sled dogs (pointer mixes). I'm hoping they will live long healthy lives. So many mushers I know have dogs regularly living to 15 years or more. Some feed their dogs various brands of dry food, some feed a raw diet (most feed a mixture), but all give their dogs a lot of exercise and keep their dogs lean. Now if only I could control my own weight as well as I can control my dogs' weight!
8
When we say this about people we are 'fat shaming' and fat is healthy... But or pets everyone agrees that being fat isnt healthly...
19
I’ve heard no one say that fat is healthy.
1
Starving isn't healthy, either. Most people and animals are skinny right before they die.
I've heard of "fat shaming," but meow we're cat shaming too?
11
My dogs are my running partners so we do about 25 miles a week, mostly on trails. Any distance runner will tell you that’s not much, but it’s enough for ok fitness. The dogs love it and I enjoy watching them leap through tall grass and run in the streams. A well exercised dog is a happy dog. Same for humans.
The problem is that we’re a fat nation, so we have fat pets. Most Americans are medically obese. That’s America. You can’t fix the pet problem without fixing the human problem.
27
@E
For some reason, it seems Americans are quicker to notice that their beloved pets and children are overweight and obese. They are more willing to make changes to help their loved ones. Maybe Americans need to start loving themselves.
Fixing the pet problem may very well be the way toward fixing the human problem.
1
Owners have complete control over their pets' weights. I recently owned 2 cats, 2 dogs: 1 of each was a "foodaholic," the second of each was a nibbler. The foodaholics would inhale their food, then run to the food bowl of the other cat or dog and start inhaling that, too! I didn't realize at first what was happening, since at that time I had only the 2 cats; 1 started gaining weight, the other losing it. Once I figured it out, I fed the cats separately, and sure enough, "Fatty" started losing weight, and "Skinny" regained his. The dogs were fed separately as soon as I realized that I had the same situation with them. I fed them measured amounts of food, and they didn't get any more. They were all at healthy weights, and lived long and fairly healthy lives. The dogs were rescue animals, and the female had mammary tumors; she outlived the vet's estimated life expectancy of 2 years by 3 more. The little male is still with us, 14-15 years old. Over feeding your pets is a great disservice to them.
22
How did you feed them separately? I have exactly the same problem with 2 cats, but short of keeping them in the 2 rooms of my apt with the door between them closed all day, I haven't figured out a method for keeping the heavy one away from the thin one's food. I've tried counter top feeding, different bowls for different cats, etc., etc. The thin cat has a very sensitive stomach and throws up if he eats too much too quickly, and needs to nibble throughout the day. The heavy one eats all day, given the opportunity.
8
Use microchip food bowls so they can’t eat each other’s food.
1
@NRichards
I have 3 dogs...
two meals a day
all together in
the kitchen. Each
has his or her place
to eat and I stay in
the room. They learn
very quickly not to
steal from the other
but the human presence
is important. If one leaves
food and the other covets
the leftovers, it is best
to put it away for later.
We are on our third family dog. Our previous 2 passed away over the past few years from old age. Neither of them was ever overweight and our new dog (now 1 yr old) isn’t either. And we never switched our older dogs to senior dog food bc they didn’t need it. Our first set dogs lived to be 11 and 13 respectively which was quite old for their breeds and never had major health problems or arthritis.
There is no magic here. All our dogs have always been fed a good quality (but not crazy expensive) dry dog food twice a day. We have a plastic 2 cup measure that I’ve marked at the appropriate point with a sharpie so my kids know how much to feed the dog. We don’t feed them from the table, ever. Nor do we feed them table scraps. For treats they get the occasional dog treat. But they can have all the ice cubes they want and we occasionally give them pieces of raw carrots or apples. That plus a decent amount of exercise has equaled healthy, trim dogs.
5
@LK yes, ice cubes! When the weather turns hot where we live, I give my dog an ice cube for a treat and tell him that it is a "cookie", he gobbles it up with great enthusiasm!
2
@LK
Carrots are high in sugar and build tartar on the pet’s teeth.
Switch to celery. We used ice cubes, too, with a dog who loved that. Needless to say, we couldn’t buy a refrigerator that had an ice cube dispenser in the door!
Our pooch also liked plain air popped popcorn.
Cats on a treadmill ? I can't even get my cat to walk over to me if she doesn't feel like it !
57
Everyone saying the culprit is "grains" or "carbohydrates" should keep in mind that commercial dog and cat foods have always contained grains. In fact they used to contain more grains. Until the last 20 years or so the only widely available pet foods were pretty low-quality, low in protein (compared to current pet foods) and had a lot of filler. But as the article points out, the rapid increase in pet obesity has been recent. While apparent nutritional quality of pet foods has increased, so has pet obesity. So there have to be other factors.
13
@TT This is not close to being true as evidenced by listed ingredients and guaranteed analysis listed on pet food labels. The advertising has certainly gotten more creative in fooling consumers into thinking the food is improved. Even though pet food labels may show pictures of a Porterhouse steak, a chicken, or fresh vegetables, it is far removed from what the actual ingredients are. Most commercial pet foods are still low quality and some contain even more carbohydrates than ever and with hybridization, grains are not even the same as they were just a decade ago. There are now some foods commercially available which have adequate protein content for a dog being facultative carnivore and cats which are obligate carnivores but are not as easily available as the mainstream major cereal companies' brands are. Another factor is less activity than ever for pets and humans.
@Caty: Agreed, there are still lots of terrible pet foods. But selection is much larger and many of the better ones are easier to obtain than they used to be (with many supermarkets having a large pet food section often including better foods, and with the abundance of online stores.) Not so long ago foods like Alpo and Purina were the only ones most pet owners even knew about, and the only ones available to most people. Only a few specialty pet food stores even sold "premium" foods.
Perhaps, prior versions of pet food used WHOLE grains, not the refined junky carbs used today. But, I could not find an ingredient list from over 20 years ago for pet food.
However, animals are eating refined carbs -- and lots of them -- which is not what they are designed to do. Here's the main ingredients for cat chow: Poultry by-product meal, corn meal (CARB), corn gluten meal (CARB), ground whole wheat (CARB), brewers rice (CARB), soy flour (CARB).
There are six main ingredients, meaning that the meat portion is comprises only about 17% of the food, resulting in 83% of pet food is carbs. That's unacceptable.
Its the same thing that is making us fat: carbohydrates.
Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma: The Silent Epidemic Killing America's Dogs and the New Science That Could Save Your Best Friend's Life
by Daniel Schulof
6
I have a large cat that weighs 17 pounds. The vet says I need to get him to loose 1 pound. I came up on an idea to get my cat to loose weight. The idea came to me when my vet said to wet food is mostly water and has less calories than dry food. The diet is working.
I buy one pound of good quality ground beef, make 1 ounce morsels and freeze them. Every, morning around mid morning, on time for his feeding, I make him steak Tatar in a separate dish. He loves it! I put 1 ounce of regular premium cat food in his bowl at the same time. He will eat the fresh beef and ignore the regular cat food.
He then goes and sleeps for several hours and will avoid regular cat food till night when he is really hungry.
I have been able to reduce his food consumption from 4 ounces per day to about 3 ounces. I realize that I am essentially spoiling my cat rotten. But, that is a small price to pay to get him to eat less.
10
@JuQuin Its nice that you spoil your cat and take care of him but you should never feed ground meat from the supermarket unless you are cooking it. It has bacterial load (salmonella) that can do serious damage. Many cats can handle it for a while but it very risky. I use a meat grinder for chicken thighs remove the skin and rinse and even that worries me but the cat do well on raw.
And your way of feeding is one reason Vets generally hate raw food since they end up seeing very sick cats from it.
4
We have three cats. One is a growing kitten (4 months old). He gets extra wet food rations.
We also have two adult cats. One is fat. One is not. The thin one likes to nibble throughout the day. (So does the fat one.) How can we give the thin one access to the food he needs to maintain his weight without also giving the podgy pussycat access to the food? Separating them all day is not practical.
8
We had the same problem. So we splurged and bought two SureFeed microchip pet feeders from a company called SureFlap. Each feeder has a cover that only opens when the cat with the right microchip approaches the feeder. Have had ours for two years and they still work like a charm. Pure genius.
13
@Tessa You should check out the PortionPro Rx. It automatically measures and dispenses timed, portion controlled meals, and also prevents food-stealing by other pets in the home. Surefeed does not measure and deliver meals.
1
@Tessa recommend you check out wayofcats.com . she has great advice and is an expert on multi-cat situations.
(Double post because I forgot to mention exercise, also a big part of our life together.)
I’m fat — have been most of my life — and love nothing more than going everywhere with my verging-on-skinny, 6-lb dog. He’s never been food-motivated and eats little of what he’s given (we free feed him). And since *I’m* not fat as a result of gluttony or laziness (news flash: most fat people aren’t), I feed him with care the same way I feed myself and my husband — a homemade diet, no processed foods, occasional treats. At age 8, he gets 60 to 90 minutes of exercise and fresh air a day, except in extreme heat, cold or rain. (It was a little more, around two hours a day, when he was younger.) Hence, his lifelong perfect weight, except the year he was diagnosed with mild liver disease and lost a pound, which it took me more than a year to put back on him. The people in these comments generalizing their fat-phobia and assuming fat people make fat pets should save their commenting for something they actually know about.
3
I have two dogs, one who eats normally and is the perfect weight. I dont know if and when the other, a rat terrier, would stop eating. Solution, green beans. I feed him a little kibble and lots of string beans. Weight came off. I do wonder why my two dogs are so different in their eating habits. I started taking my dogs weight seriously when he started hurting himself jumping. Pulling muscles and lots of pain.
6
@jo
I’m trying string beans, too. Do you feed raw/fresh or freeze dried? Thank you!
@berman frozen green beans. vet approved. less sugar than peas.
I’m fat — have been most of my life — and love nothing more than going everywhere with my verging-on-skinny, 6-lb dog. He’s never been food-motivated and eats little of what he’s given (we free feed him). And since *I’m* not fat as a result of gluttony or laziness (news flash: most fat people aren’t), I feed him with care the same way I feed myself and my husband — a homemade diet, no processed foods, occasional treats. Hence, his lifelong perfect weight, except the year he was diagnosed with mild liver disease and lost a pound, which it took me more than a year to put back on him. The people in these comments generalizing their fat-phobia and assuming fat people make fat pets should save their commenting for something they actually know about.
36
Just a minor correction - it's hypothyroidism that typically causes weight gain, not hyperthyroid, which accelerates metabolism.
I've had too many conversations with other pet owners who've said "I can't feed them less, the bag says to feed at least this amount." I think it's time for a change in labeling.
I've ended up with slightly overweight dogs in the past - I just cut back their food until they return to a healthier weight.
4
I'm thinking that if our pets could talk with us and tell us their issues, we'd treat them better. e.g. "I feel constipated".
Kudos to those pet owners who take the time to learn and are conscientious about pet diet and exercise.
9
My dog is of normal weight, but not on purpose. Her vet suggested small amounts of skinless white poultry put on her food as treats. She loves it.
3
The white cat pictured is not fat - he merely has big bones and a lot of fluffy fur. Also, the white carpet used in the background makes him look bigger than he really is.
111
Right, and the president is svelte too. In my book, any cat that’s comfortable on their back is pretty pudgy. For reference, take a look at a cat skeleton.
7
@Marat In 1784
The cat pictured is most likely a Norwegian Forest Cat. Mine looks just like her, except her nose is black. NFCs are right up there with Maine Coon Cats in size. They have heavy bones, well-muscled hindquarters, big paws. They are made to climb and hunt and withstand cold climates.their coats are double yet incredibly silky, withstanding matting. They have furnished ears, big ruff, full petticoat, lush pantaloons, thick tails. 15 pounds is not heavy for a Norwegian. They are among the only cats who can climb headfirst down trees, because of their big paws, strong claws, and great musculature. Disposition is mild, relaxed, curious, playful, great with kids, dogs. Try one. Mine loves rolling on her back, btw. Skeleton quite flexible.
2
@Marat In 1784
I apologize for not inserting a "sarcasm alert" at the beginning of my comment. I thought folks would have realized that, however, based on your comment, I was in error.
2
Possible Reasons for Epidemic Obesity of Dogs, Cats and Humans -
1. Sugar, most notably high fructose corn syrup, in practically every processed food product, esp "treats"
2. Overconsumption.
3. Lack of adequate exercise.
4. Ubiquitous use of Round-Up Herbicide in our environment. Cancer, diabetes and weight-gain have been linked to long term exposure of this poison. We're walking in it, sitting in it ...eating foods contaminated by it.
15
While obesity is harmful to a cat’s health, rapid weight loss in cats can result in a potentially fatal disease called hepatic lipodosis or fatty liver disease. You should decrease food and increase exercise very slowly over time. Please consult your veterinarian before embarking on a weight loss program for your obese cat.
77
This isn't entirely surprising as the majority of the people in this country are overweight. I can see that they would tend to overfeed their pets as well causing them to be overweight.
5
Fat people eat grains and sugars and are addicted to the same. They do the same to their children and pets. Listen to your doctor and the government and lose your quality of life.
15
Years ago a beloved cat of mine was quite overweight and declining in health because of diabetes. When I took him to a specialist at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan she recommended switching his diet to 100% canned food, which being high-protein, high-fat and low-carb is the closest thing to what cats would eat in the wild. Within a couple of months he had tapered off his insulin and dropped several pounds, and he lived many more years in good health.
Since then I have only fed my cats canned food, and it has worked similarly for all of them well. Dry food is much more convenient for owners, but in general I don't know that it serves our pets well.
63
So we feed him 1/4 cup of really good, grain free dry good twice a day.
2
Our vet advised against canned (wet) food because of the danger of tooth decay. Canned food is wetter and softer than what cats would eat in the wild, and sticks to their teeth, causing tooth decay faster. Dry food provides the essential crunch that scrapes food debris off their teeth, and it doesn't stick as much. I've read that elsewhere as well. So it's not as easy as "just use canned food", and it's not just a matter of convenience. My impression is that vets and pet care literature tend to prefer dry to wet food for this very reason.
1
I suggest feeding them less.
11
I have two Abyssinian cats -- littermates both female. One is at perfect weight, the other is 4 pounds over. They eat the same food, but one eats more of it for some reason (I suspect it has something to do with wanting to be the bigger, dominant cat).
It's not like the right-weight cat is deprived of food; she just knows when to stop. That's the rub for all of us, ain't it?
19
@Chris do you free feed your cats together? Does your overweight cat have access to the normal weight cats food? If food stealing is the cause of the weight gain in one cat, you should take a look at the PortionPro Rx. It automatically portion controls and delivers meals to an identified pet while preventing food theft by all other pets.
3
Dr. Stockman (whoever he is, and I'm glad he's not my vet) says: “One really is no better than the other,” referring to wet vs. dry food. Dry food is a feline's junk food. See the website of lisa pierson, dvm. Page after page of important information.
Cats do not need corn starch, spinach, sweet potato on and on. They need protein and fat and water.
I have recently switched my cat to freeze-dried. Small bars of freeze-dried turkey, chicken, salmon etc. (with bone & gristle) that are 93% natural products with taurine added. 3.5 bars is about 160 calories which is fine for a 10# cat plus she loves the food. It's costly but comes out about the same when I consider all the cans of food I have to throw away when she loves it/then hates it.
29
@Bandylion
what brand is the freeze-dried food you feed your cat?
as a cat rescuer w/special needs cats including one who has hyperthyroidism & is "starving" all the time & another that is, I hate to admit it, obese.
My ill cat needs to eat several meals throughout the day (AND NIGHT!!) & he howls if confined but I need to separate him b/c the other will eat his food.
It is an ongoing battle... the "fat" one used to jump in the air, turn circles play w/Cat Dancer. Now he bounds up a couple steps to go out his enclosure area in garden but not enough to get the weight off. He doesn't eat much or have a ravenous appetite either-
dry food is the WORST -my vet agrees. it's like candy for people....sticky sugar that ruins their teeth & makes them fat. they love it but it should NOT be given even as a treat (they become addicted - like humans)
this article & comments are really appreciated.
5
What about the food itself? So many dog/cat foods are filled with rice, wheat, and other refined carbohydrates. Dogs and cats are -- or at least should be -- carnivorous.
Okay, so they eat a little grass. But the point is that WE are feeding them the wrong foods, given that their nature is to eat fresh, raw meat.
Perhaps they are getting fat like we are getting fat because BOTH OF US are eating too many refined foods.
47
@Mark91345 Yes, you are correct. I suggest Richard Patton's book "Ruined by Excess..." It's an excellent read!
As a practicing veterinarian for over 40 years I must strongly disagree with the above comments.These are common misconceptions.
First of all raw diets are a health hazard for not only the pet but the entire family as well. A large number of commercial raw diets have been recently shown, not surprisingly, to harbor pathogenic bacteria, Salmonella, Campylobacter etc., when tested in recent studies. Although some pets will not get sick, many will, and can carry the bacteria in their gut and pass it on to family members. Theses are serious illnesses. There is no nutritional benefit from feeding food raw.
In addition, dogs are not pure carnivores. In addition to periodic grazing, when a pack of dogs kill a prey, if large, they will rip open the abdomen and consume the stomach and intestinal contents which are full of grasses and grains. If a dog or cat kill a small animal such as a mouse or squirrel, they will usually consume the entire animal including the contents of the gut which again Is filled with the vegetable matter these herbivores consume. Grains and grasses are normal parts of their diets and trying to avoid them is not necessary.
In addition, dogs in the wild have relatively short life spans compared to our pampered pets. Their diets are not necessarily ideal and the thought that they should be duplicated is not logical. Should a rescued alley cat be fed garbage because that’s what it eats in the wild?
2
I'm fine with dogs and cats eating grains and grasses from stomach contents; however, those grains are WHOLE, not the refined carbs you find in common dog or cat chow (e.g. poultry by-product meal, corn meal (CARB), corn gluten meal (CARB), ground whole wheat (CARB), brewers rice (CARB), soy flour (CARB).
These chows have six main ingredients, meaning that the meat portion is comprises only about 17% of the food, resulting in 83% of pet food is refined carbs. That's unacceptable.
Lastly, dogs and cats are predators. That's just who they are. Nature intended them to hunt and eat other animals: fresh, raw meat. I can't address the issue of bacteria, salmonella, but some animals bury their meat, and come back to eat it later.
1
That’s why I began cooking for mine. I make 10 days worth. They are fed 3x a day with no preservatives in it I freeze it. Both are perfect weights for breed/age and all food allergies are gone! No more licking feet or tear stains! But they love it too much so I do small portions and they get a small handful of Rice Krispies before bed and blue berries and frozen green beans for snacks! Their blood work last time was amazing and the vet said keep doing what you’re doing!
10
I have indoor/outdoor cats. I've always been very regimented in portioning out there food. I find two tablespoons of kibble in the morning and two at night keeps them at a healthy weight.
2
Am I the only one out here who thinks this article is ridiculous? Is pet obesity the latest shame on the Upper West Side? Should we open cross-fit gyms for dogs? And the coasts scratch their heads and wonder why Trump won.
10
@Nana2roaw - I don't think it ridiculous at all. Pet owners should be aware of, and care for all aspects of their pet's health ... Politics?? I just keep my cat as far away from "that" as possible.
31
Really, you think the article is ridiculous. My hope is that people who read it may not have realized that their dog or cat is (a) overweight, and (b) if they don't do something, the pet is going to age more quickly and die younger. Anyone can tell the Beagle in the photo is overweight, but many pet owners think their pet is fine, but in reality the pet is overweight.
31
@Nana2roaw — Just like with people, obesity in pets can lead to other expensive and painful health issues, especially if the pet is predispositioned to other problems.
Case in point: Dachshunds. Due to their physiology, they are prone to debilitating back/spine issues. Some end up needing surgery and rehab, and there is no guarantee they will fully recover afterward. Keepig them at a healthy weight will do much to mitigate this genetic problem, and keep them happy, well, and active.
If people aren’t willing to take care of a pet to this relatively small degree of at least watching their weight, then maybe pet ownership isn’t for them.
Nothing at all political about this. It’s called being a responsible human.
26
Exercise is the other half of the issue for us and our pets. We keep our cats indoors to reduce parasite loads and protect them from the foxes and coyotes in our area. We have 2 cats in order for them to chase each other around, and boy do they ever! We have 2 high cat trees (cheap price from Costco) which encourages daily jumping. And we have a basket of toys, a crinkle tunnel, and a Ripple Rug--rotating basis because they are like toddlers who get bored with their toys. They stay pretty busy! We also only use Limited Ingredient-grain free Blue Buffalo. Both cats are at ideal weight, as are we LOL
5
@Healthy Nurse
THANK YOU!!! you are doing everything RIGHT!!
My cats are indoor only cats (as should every cat be)
but they have 2 large outdoor enclosures (hardware cloth & secure at all sides & tops) on the deck & garden area.
They get exercise going up steps & thru the catdoor.
One of mine was a stray/feral outside 5 years & after I moved brought her inside. she acclimated quickly & does not miss free-roaming outside-she is content to lie in the sun on the enclosed deck - she like the others loves to play & chase her mice toys. I feel good knowing she's safe- at 14 she's losing weight as a part of naturally aging but pretty healthy & active.
4
Too many people, I think, equate excessive feeding with love. Truly the example of killing with kindness.
Just like with humans, there are so many consequences of animal obesity, and I see it as animal cruelty.
9
Welp.... as with human obesity, I think most of the discussion comes down to greed and convenience.
Convenience over quality for the consumer has lead to poor feeding choices. Moreover, it’s once again corporate greed that’s the real culprit, though. Many dog owners THINK that they’re feeding appropriate foods but are being bamboozled by the manufacturers AND their vets.
“Prescription” diets and veterinary diets are some of the poorest foods that you can give your dog. Vets seem to care more for the huge kickbacks they get from Hills and Science Diet than the animal’s health. Most of the recommendations from manufactures grossly overestimate what you should be feeding your dog, too. Find a calorie calculator (for their GOAL weight and activity level/breed) and you’ll be shocked what they really need.
5
Exactly! I have often wondered WHY we feed our pets food that is largely rice, wheat, and other refined carbohydrates, when they are, by nature, carnivores.
If we fed our pets raw, fresh meat, I bet they would drop their excess weight.
11
“Pets don’t open the fridge by themselves,”
Apparently Dr. Deborah Linder has never been acquainted with our cat, Fred.
Fred graced our lives 18 months ago. He was literally starving to death - a mere 6 pounds coupled with a badly infected front paw and a horrible upper respiratory infection. If he hadn't trusted us after finding our opened basement door, our vet said he would not have survived. He had been someone's kitten who discarded him once he reached kitty puberty.
After a bumpy 6 weeks of adjustment and trust issues, he finally settled in to the point where he is the biggest lap cat, purr cat, lovable and affectionate cat we have ever had. But he does have issues with food - always in search of it because of not having enough for the months he was fending for himself in the various neighborhood alleys.
We are extremely cognizant of his current weight and realize that his condition could result in diabetes. It's a battle of emotional wills between his fear of being hungry with no food in sight and us keeping his meal times only in the AM and PM. I am hopeful that eventually he will make the lasting connection between us and food and no longer fear hunger or abandonment issues.
But he still attempts to open the fridge with the paw that had been badly infected. Those claws are as sharp as ever. We may need to "Fred Proof" the fridge for his own good.
86
Hi Marge,
One of our cats loves to sneak food from the counter and cupboards (she is quite a good jumper and skilled with her paws when she's incentivized with food, but heaven help you if you try to get her to move otherwise!). She has a particular fondness for crunchy food. One time, I heard a thud in the kitchen, went in, she made a sound like "uh oh," and jumped down from the counter with a biscotti in her mouth! The food was in a container that was not sealed tightly enough. They will get into things and places people would never imagine! ;)
30
@NM
OMG - a biscotti eating feline. I think that's one for the record book.
We had a yellow tabby cat named Ed. He simply loved boiled potatoes and would wait on the counter until they cooled completely before attempting to devour them. We usually left him one for a midnight snack - he never had a weight issue.
Thanks for your delightful comment NM. It was a wonderful read on a Thursday afternoon.
6
@Marge Keller
I love reading rescue stories! I'm so happy Fred found your family. We adopted our cat, Jane, from our local ASPCA. She was very skinny, having lived a life of food deprivation on the streets for several years. She's a very vocal cat and my husband and I were afraid that we were underfeeding her because of how anguished her "meows" sounded after her bowl was empty. The vet told us that she'd been food insecure for so long that it would take her a while to adjust to her new life and that we should give her attention when she cried instead of more food. Jane's a very loving girl and, eventually, she began to trust that we would feed her every day. It took a long time, though, until she started leaving some food in her bowl.
6
I would be interested in knowing how the Mrs. Wilson got her cat to do "treadmill work"!
92
Let alone run a pole course!
2
That was my first thought. Anyone who can get a cat-a hungry one, yet! - to work out on a treadmill and run around stationary poles deserves some sort of scientific prize!
8
@Anon ymous
I just wrote a comment about that - yes, hard to believe. I YouTubed it, and there are cats on treadmills, but they are playing - not working out ! Show us the video !
1
Saw this story pop up on drudge. It wouldn't have been a bad story, if I hadn't read a better version in the Houston Chronicle a few weeks ago. I suggest people check that one out. #houstonstrong
1
Scruffy the Cat is a little obese, but not too bad. Attempts to cut back have ended poorly, as he communicates his desire to nibble by nibbling ME. I have pretended to be sleeping and seen him sneak up on me. After he bites me, he runs to the food bowl. Thankfully, he does not know how to meow, because his attempts to communicate would be even more annoying. Now, he knows exactly what he’s doing, and the bites are never calculated to draw blood. Indeed, he’s often pulled the cuff of my pants toward the bowl. He’s 9. Assuming his extra weight kills him in 4-5 years, so what. It’s a small price to pay for our harmonious relationship, a lot longer than he’d live were he feral, and there will most certainly be a collection of unwanted cats looking for a home the day after I bury him in the yard. I like him. But he’s a cat. Let’s keep these things in perspective.
37
Maybe it's because he's hungry, despite being fat.
3
Of course he’s hungry. And bored. He’d like to go out and kill small rabbits and song birds, but because I am cruel and care about the millions of birds taken down each year by killers like him, and because I don’t want the extra vet bills that will result when he starts getting chewed by word chucks, and I don’t want ticks crawling into my bed, I don’t let him. I guess that makes me a bad man...
There's probably a genetic correlation, too. My current cat is a short-haired, female calico. She's the first short-haired cat for me, and coincidentally (?) the thinnest cat ... very wired / hyper, talkative and active. Long ago my aunt had a big, fat, bushy-furred, yellow male cat. So relaxed and calm, she was able to vacuum him daily with a Dust Buster. He loved it.
12
Great article! My kitty, Felix, weighed 9.9# for years, until we had a relative in our home experience a final illness and death. Felix bloomed to 12.9# and had lots of extra rolls around his chin. We put him on a diet of special food recommended by the vet and he now is back to 9.9#.
When my mom passed away, Felix crawled up onto her body and was guarding her. This is the kitty that she always shooed away; he wasn't ever allowed into her room. He was, at the end, protecting her and, I think, he was stressed, which caused the weight gain. Anyway, he's fine now. Animals are wonderful. His behavior at the moment of my mom's passing made me love him even more. (I've also lost 17#!) Stress is an awful thing.
49
@Nova
LOVE that he loved your mom! Cats are highly sensitive and finely tuned in sentient Beings. unlike most humans
11
The dietary requirements of cats and dogs are different enough that there is danger in generalizing about them together. Cats are obligate carnivores and require very little to no carbohydrates (or fiber). Carbs are difficult to avoid in any commercial food and can cause numerous health issues in cats including obesity, although wet food is vastly better for cat health than dry food due to water content.
It's unfortunate to hear expert veterinarians reference information from pet food companies, but it's the common source of pet nutrition information for most vets (including mine). Pet food companies are for-profit companies in a highly competitive business and, as it relates to cat food, the simple fact is carbs (fillers) are cheaper than protein (meat).
Your cat may seem "fine" on a commercial food diet for years, perhaps even maintaining an ideal weight, but when they are diagnosed with disease (kidney & liver issues, urinary tract infections, IBD, etc.), a cat owner must face several hard-to-avoid facts: 1) these afflictions are likely diet-related, and 2) they did not happen overnight.
There are veterinarians that provide sound advice about cat nutrition if you seek them out as well as sites that are free of commercial influence (catinfo.org and catnutrition.org come to mind). These are not fringe opinions (catinfo.org was created by a vet), just realistic discussions of cat nutrition without commercial influence. Read them and decide for yourself.
22
Counterintuitively, there is very little real evifence that carbs are bad for cats. My source: The skeptical vet, http://www.skeptvet.com/, who references a lot of other sources. I mean, actual scientific ones, based on real data.
3
@SV Yes, totally agree. Catinfo.org has been a fantastic resource for me. A lot of the problem in cats' diets is that people assume kibble should be the mainstay when the reality, it's carb-loaded junk food that can and should be eliminated entirely. Feeding exclusively canned food also keeps cats better hydrated and helps prevent urinary tract problems. I wish I'd known that when I first got our cat.
10
Nonsense. We have a lot of fat cats (literally). Here's the first few ingredients of cat chow: Poultry by-product meal, corn meal (CARB), corn gluten meal (CARB), ground whole wheat (CARB), brewers rice (CARB), soy flour (CARB).
Wanna think again???
1
Two practices have worked for my dogs: a schedule and fresh produce.
1. We've paired the feedings of all of our dogs to our senior dog's twice daily epilepsy medication schedule. They're all fed at precisely 8.30a and 8.30p. They know to start prancing when they hear the alarm on my phone start to chime. (Yes, our eldest gets excited about having pills shoved down his gullet. Pavlov would be so impressed.)
2. I regularly give them raw carrots, apples, and strawberries, cooked yams, and other doggie-safe fruit and veg. These are filling, loaded with fiber, low-cal, and nutritious. They all have a favorite fruit and I don't feel even a little guilty about convincing them that a carrot stick is preferable to a Pupperoni stick.
7
@H.L. Yes, I could hardly believe it when I first saw a dog craving and doing tricks to get carrots. Agree that it is far preferable to manufactured food products--same goes for humans!
2
The perfect diet for a cat is one mouse every other day. The problem with pets is the same as humans, excessive carbohydrates. A dog is a canine carnivore. Feed them meat.
If you love your pet, get them off kibble and sugar.
20
Dogs are omnivores. Thank goodness you are not a vet.
17
Clearly there’s a link between obesity in people and our pets. Fighting weight gain in both requires discipline and for our pets sometimes tough love.
3
Structure is important here too, just like with people. Do you free feed your pet and throw in random snacks throughout the day? People who snack and eat constantly are more likely to end up with weight issues, because it's harder to keep track of how much you've eaten, and because your body has been trained to constantly expect and crave food. It's the same with pets. A pet who doesn't have a feeding schedule will expect and beg for food all the time. And will guilt-trip you into giving them "just one more treat". That's how my grandma's cats were when I was growing up. Constantly begging, constantly hungry, never satisfied. I vowed to do things differently one day when I got my own cat. That's what I did. From the start, I put her on a 3-feedings-per-day regimen, for the total amount recommended by her vet. She always gets fed at the same times of day, and the same amounts. It's incredible how precise her internal clock is. 5-10 minutes before the feeding time she'll start meowing and begging, but that's it. She eats her portion and until the next feeding time, she's chill. Plays, cuddles, sleeps, whatever. No begging, no guilt, no exploitation (of owner by pet), no drama and no stress for anybody involved. She's 10 years old now and is doing very well both in weight and in health.
The same approach has worked great with my kids, too, for that matter. 3 scheduled meals at the same time of day. No snacks. Similarly, no drama, guilt or weight/health problems there either.
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The structured meals are generally recommended, but please keep in mind that some animals can't eat very much in one sitting and need to have food distributed throughout the day. One of my cats vomits whenever she gets a big serving. Our vet advised us just to measure out her food for each day and so long as she does not exceed the total, it's fine to have it spread out into small portions she can digest.
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@NM This is still consistent with what I'm saying. I'm talking about having a schedule, not about having any specific number of meals (3 is what our vet recommended, it's not a magic number). The point is to have a schedule and to set expectations, so your pet doesn't beg and get fed at random throughout the whole day. It also sets a rhythm for their body, so it learns to expect food at set times and the cycles of acid production and hunger sync up to the schedule, thus helping the animal (or human) avoid feeling randomly hungry all the time.
If there's a schedule and set expectations, it doesn't really matter how many feedings you break the total amount into. Could be 10 smaller ones throughout the day just as well. As long as the pet knows when to expect them.
@DH We have four cats, two who became chubby as kittens and so switched early to adult food, and two who likely could be free fed. But they are on a fairly rigid schedule, along with the dogs, of twice-a-day feedings at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Each cat gets 1/2 cup of her food each time. Now, Phoebe would much prefer to eat a few bites at a time and come back repeatedly for several more. Charlotte would like that as well, but prefers someone else's (anyone else's) food. Jane has her asthma meds mixed in with baby food, so no one else is allowed access to hers. And Twinkie would be fine eating everything all day; she's the only one a bit overweight but the vet says she's OK. My husband polices their meal times and keeps each at her own bowl, removing them after about 15 minutes. Phoebe, the biggest cat, always leaves some.
At our house, the routine is what keeps each cat eating enough, and not too much, of her own diet.
Dogs, no problem. They scarf everything and head outside.
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The pet food bag has the recommended portions for your pet. It you follow that you can be assured your pet is not starving though they may feel like it. The discipline is with the owner: Feed in the morning and feed at night -- no snacks. My x fed my dachshund a hot dog everyday and I had to stop it. Just by following the above regiment the dog lost 20% of her weight in 6 months and really loved life again. You can buy a self-portioning feeder at the pet store or online if you are too busy to take a few minutes to do the right thing.
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When my cat seems to be craving a treat, it is so hard not to give in. I don't want her to feel hungry. Any guidance for that situation?
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@midwesterner — My cat tries to play me like that too. His regimen is a heaping teaspoon of wet food morning and night, with one-quarter cup of dry food available at all times, and water. If he wants a snack, he has his dry stuff. He does get a treat once a week or so. But most of the time when he’s bugging me, I ignore him and he gives up and waits for supper. Rarely does he go to his bowl to eat.
His weight has been steady and healthy since I got him a year ago; so no, I don’t feel guilty for not caving in.
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@midwesterner First, I use treats only to get our cats to do tricks like "high five" etc--buy the book by the circus cat trainer--it's incredible what you can get them to do.
Second, I only buy the dehydrated meat/fish treats--no grains and use them only for training or if I need them to let me clip nails.
Third, as with humans, there is nothing wrong with feeling hungry. That is a GOOD thing so long as intake is nutritious.
Both people and animals are overeating if they never feel hungry.
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@midwesterner In my experience, after a few weeks of no treats, cats just forget them. I switched my cats from free feeding to twice a day to twice a day controlled portions to once a day. BIG drama every time, but after a few weeks they're fine with it and stop begging.
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The article is spot-on. It's all about portion control, which can be very challenging for busy pet parents to do effectively, especially when there are multiple pets in the home.
Pet owners should talk with their veterinarian about this--they are in the best position to recommend a plan. They have new tools to make it easier, including automated portion-control feeding devices (www.portionprorx.com) as well as new diets.
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@Eric Good points. We use a special cat feeder (by special, I mean you can get it on Amazon LOL: Trixie Tunnel Self Feeder for Cats) that requires them to "hunt" for their kibble. This is much more in keeping with their natural behavior and really prevents overeating for our cats. It has a centralized cone you fill, then lots of little spouts at the bottom which they have to stick their paws in to find and pull out the pieces. It takes work so they really stop eating when they have had enough.
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