New Year's Resolution: Lose Weight

We are already one month into our New Year and most of us are still committed to, or are revising, our list of resolutions. Why not take a moment or two and see if your cat needs to be part of those resolutions too?

If a poll were taken, losing weight would probably be number one on anyone's new year resolution list, especially after all the indulgences available during the holiday season. And even if your kitty did not indulge with you, he or she may also be in danger of being overweight.

You invest a lot in your cat's health, from vaccinations and neutering to regular veterinary wellness visits. Yet one of the best ways to maintain your cat's good health is by simply providing the right type and amount of food. Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is a vital part of keeping him or her fit. Being overweight or obese is detrimental to the health of your cat. Neutering and keeping cats indoors has led to increased life span and better health. However, they have also led to decreased metabolism and activity levels. Add overfeeding of calories and carbohydrates, and we have a large percentage of overweight cats.

The best way to evaluate your cat's size is by a body condition score rather than actual weight. A body condition score is a scale from one to nine with five being the ideal condition. We check this score each time we see your cat, but here's a quick guide for doing this at home:

Healthy Cat

• The ribs are easy to feel
• There is a waist behind the ribs
• There should be minimal fat hanging from the belly

Overweight Cat

• The ribs are difficult to feel
• There is a rounding of the abdomen
• There is a growing abdominal fat pad

Just as with humans, obesity can be a definite health risk for your cat. Being overweight can put your cat at risk for many diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, etc.

Helping your cat get back to a healthy weight is not just a matter of cutting back food, although that may be part of what your veterinarian recommends. Because cats are at risk of liver disease and other complications if they stop eating, or aren't getting enough nutrition and calories, a diet is something that should be set in place and regularly monitored by your veterinarian. A few months ago, our Case of the Week profiled one of our patients - Nahmi - whose weight loss journey is still progressing well.

How we start a kitty's weight loss journey

1. We conduct a complete physical exam and body score assessment to determine your cat's ideal weight
2. We look for any medical problems that need to be addressed
3. We calculate the daily calorie needs for your cat
4. We may suggest a particular cat food or prescription diet
5. We determine the exact amount of food that should be offered daily

To help your cat get off to a good start this year, Scottsdale Cat Clinic is holding a weight loss contest. We last held one in 2008 and the winner is still maintaining his slender form. For more information about weight loss for your cat, or our Weight Loss Contest, please contact Scottsdale Cat Clinic by phone at 480.970.1175 or by email at info@scottsdalecatclinic.com

If there is any way we can help get your cat off to a great start for 2011, please let us know.

Case of the Week: Nahmi

Nahmi is a ten-year-old domestic short hair cat that first visited the clinic in April of this year. She had a history of occasional constipation problems and yeast infections in the past. Although she was not having any symptoms at that time, we wanted to tackle her underlying problem that can cause these issues: Nahmi was obese.

Every cat that comes into the clinic is given a body condition score, ranging from one to nine. By looking at the cat and feeling over its body during the exam, we determine where that cat fits on the body score range. Five corresponds to the ideal condition and weight for that particular cat. One would be given to an emaciated cat and nine is given to a cat that is obese.

Nahmi's body score on her first exam was a nine. She needed to lose a large amount of weight.

To help a cat lose weight, we determine what her ideal weight would be, figure out the calories needed for a cat that weight, then calculate eighty percent of that number. Based on an estimate of Nahmi's ideal weight, I recommended that her owner limit her food to 180 calories per day. When then started Nahmi on a prescription diet, Royal Canin's Calorie Control High Protein canned food.

In order for the cat's weight loss to be successful, the owner needs to stick to the calculated daily calorie count we've given. This can be difficult if a cat is used to eating all she wants whenever she wants. But by slowly decreasing the calorie count over the first week, we can help ease your cat into the new diet. We will also prescribe a prescription diet food, such as the one Nahmi now eats. These formulas contain much fewer calories than over the counter food, allowing a larger, more satisfying portion size. This also ensures the cat is receiving enough protein, vitamins and minerals. Simply severely limiting the amount of a maintenance food may not provide enough protein and other needed nutrients. This may lead to loss of muscle rather than loss of fat. Canned food rather than dry also helps because it contains more protein and more water to help the cat feel more satiated with the limited number of calories.

Nahmi has done very well on her diet, losing one and a half pounds over four months. This is almost ten percent of her starting weight and her body score has improved to an eight. By bringing her in for regular monthly progress exams, her owner ensured that Nahmi is losing weight, but not too quickly. This is important because too quick a weight loss can lead to other health problems.

Nahmi still has two to three pounds left to lose but she is well on her way. Her owner says she already is more energetic and playful. We will continue to monitor her monthly until she is close to her ideal weight.

Obesity is dangerous to a cat's health. Just as in humans, it can predispose a cat to many medical problems including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. A dedicated owner working in combination with her veterinary team can ensure proper weight loss and lead to a healthier, happier life for her cat.

Dr. Judy Karnia
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To see the chart we use to measure a cat's body condition, visit the Purina website.