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Be careful, because that's one thing that helped Mickey get so chubby. I went to grain-free, lowest carb dry (Evo turkey) and months later started checking calorie counts and found it was WAY higher in calories than other foods.
Good to know, thanks. I'll check that out. Right now they're eating Blue Buffalo Wilderness.
Be careful, because that's one thing that helped Mickey get so chubby. I went to grain-free, lowest carb dry (Evo turkey) and months later started checking calorie counts and found it was WAY higher in calories than other foods. So that backfired. I do still use Evo for the dry portion of their diet, but I'm measuring it out now instead of free feeding. Still hard though trying to figure in the other cat.
Yes, very true. If you simply can't get the cat to eat anything other than dry, at the very least you can get better quality ones (it's still not great for them, but better). You do have to be aware of the calorie density though. Even if you used, say, EVO weight control (which they do make) it's still a pretty calorie-dense food and you have to measure out carefully the daily intake.
I did this with my cat for years then she actually got hyperthyroid and lost a lot of weight. Not ideal, but the vet did say last time this is now a pretty good weight for her. (So I'm actually trying to make sure she doesn't lose any more, such a weird change from what I had done for several years. Meantime it was the hyperthyroid that got me started learning even more about the food and trying to have her eat wet food, etc.) It's been about a year and a half since the initial thyroid diagnosis.
FWIW, all the years eating stuff like Innova Weight Control then EVO Weight Control and such, that never resulted in much weight loss for Amber that I can remember, even with measured portions. But then, she weighed maybe 15 pounds at her heaviest not 25 which is a big difference. And she may have been down to around 14 or similar before it dropped fast when the hyperthyroid came on strong. The bigger the cat, the easier it should be to have him shed some weight at least. And anything is better than doing nothing.
Yes, very true. If you simply can't get the cat to eat anything other than dry, at the very least you can get better quality ones (it's still not great for them, but better). You do have to be aware of the calorie density though. Even if you used, say, EVO weight control (which they do make) it's still a pretty calorie-dense food and you have to measure out carefully the daily intake.
I did this with my cat for years then she actually got hyperthyroid and lost a lot of weight. Not ideal, but the vet did say last time this is now a pretty good weight for her. (So I'm actually trying to make sure she doesn't lose any more, such a weird change from what I had done for several years. Meantime it was the hyperthyroid that got me started learning even more about the food and trying to have her eat wet food, etc.) It's been about a year and a half since the initial thyroid diagnosis.
FWIW, all the years eating stuff like Innova Weight Control then EVO Weight Control and such, that never resulted in much weight loss for Amber that I can remember, even with measured portions. But then, she weighed maybe 15 pounds at her heaviest not 25 which is a big difference. And she may have been down to around 14 or similar before it dropped fast when the hyperthyroid came on strong. The bigger the cat, the easier it should be to have him shed some weight at least. And anything is better than doing nothing.
I've thought of switching to the Evo weight control. But one thing I actually like about Evo's high calorie count is, I'm measuring out a smaller amount of dry than I would be with something else, which hopefully gets them to eat more wet. Not sure if I'm right about that or not, though.
I've thought of switching to the Evo weight control. But one thing I actually like about Evo's high calorie count is, I'm measuring out a smaller amount of dry than I would be with something else, which hopefully gets them to eat more wet. Not sure if I'm right about that or not, though.
It may not always be clear. I mean, some cats me be interested in eating volume so in fact a less dense food would be better as they would be able to eat more volume of it. But it's true that if that is the case, it also may drive them to eat other food if that's the only thing available once they finish the small portion of kibble available to them.
I've never had to deal with the whole one cat taking the other's food though. That's a tough one. We did have two cats in the house for a while, but Amber wanted nothing to do with the other cat's food. Indeed there was an incident where I ran out of her food, tried to use the other food, and she wouldn't touch it. She even cried at me like "Hey, you really don't expect me to eat THAT cat's food do you?" She had to go a day without anything else before I could get out and get her food (it was too late at night when I realized I had forgotten, pet stores were closed).
If only cats WERE as easy as dogs with stuff like this. I've never had an overweight dog, you have a lot more control. That's part of the cats' charm though, even when you want to bang your head against the wall.
If only cats WERE as easy as dogs with stuff like this. I've never had an overweight dog, you have a lot more control. That's part of the cats' charm though, even when you want to bang your head against the wall.
You will have to educate me. What's different? Not being sarcastic. Have only had one cat and basically followed the same rule, but I am not a cat expert.
If only cats WERE as easy as dogs with stuff like this. I've never had an overweight dog, you have a lot more control. That's part of the cats' charm though, even when you want to bang your head against the wall.
We had an overweight dog many years ago, beagle mix. It was so long ago I don't really know, I'm sure there was too much free feeding. And we didn't have him long, and the next owner let him get even bigger. Poor thing looked kinda like a pig as I last remember him....
You will have to educate me. What's different? Not being sarcastic. Have only had one cat and basically followed the same rule, but I am not a cat expert.
Dog is typically not at all finicky about what kind of food you feed it. I think that was the point anyway.
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She had to go a day without anything else before I could get out and get her food (it was too late at night when I realized I had forgotten, pet stores were closed).
