Fat Cat

About author / Victoria Wesseler

Healthy eating advocate; master gardener; local food expert. Even veggie haters love her recipes.

Each year in January, I sit down and set goals for myself. I write them down in a small notebook and read them a few times a week during the year. It helps keep me focused on what I need to be doing personally and professionally. One of my goals for 2007 is to continue to improve the eating habits of our family. And that includes those of our pets.

We have a dog and two cats who love food as much as we do. All three of them have carefully honed the wide eyed “just give me a tiny bite” stare when we are eating their favorites. Rufus, our 5 year old German shorthaired pointer, will salivate buckets at the mere site of a pizza; Barnie, our 6 year old, grey and white cat will howl for anything creamy and sweet; and Dover, our 16 year old, yellow and white cat has been known to jump on the kitchen table and run away at breakneck speed with slices of turkey in her mouth! Please, no notes or comments about how I have encouraged this behavior. I take full responsibility for their occasional bad eating habits.

Most pet owners will admit to giving their pets “people food.” We want our pets to be happy so we sneak them bits and bites off our plates. But too much deviation from a standard recommended diet can be damaging for our pets, often leading to health problems and a shorter life span.

And it’s not just Americans who are fighting the battle of the bulge. Some animal health care practitioners estimate that 20-60% of all indoor cats are overweight due to poor diet and lack of exercise.

According to Dr. James Richards, D.V.M., Director, Feline Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, spokesperson for the American Association of Feline Practitioners, and author of “The ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats,” while there is not a single best diet for cats, their daily intake should be nutritionally complete and balanced for the life stage of the cat. One diet does not fit all. He notes that as cats age or develop health concerns, the diet may need to be further modified to meet the cat’s changed nutritional needs and that this should be done under the supervision of a veterinary professional.

Some cat owners claim that the best cat food for their pets is not cat food at all, preferring to prepare their pets’ meals using fresh vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, and meats. But, Dr. Richards advises cat owners that home prepared diets are not necessarily healthier than commercially developed food products, and they may be considerably worse. He notes commercially prepared foods that indicate on the product label that feeding trials have shown them to be nutritionally balanced and complete will provide your pet with the best combination of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and vitamins. While it’s acceptable to give most cats occasional small bits of table scraps and home cooked cat food, he cautions that you should only do this after a discussion with your vet. He advises against feeding any cat milk-based products including cream. Many cats become lactose intolerant as they age and these food products can result in gastrointestinal distress for the animal.

Is a vegetarian or vegan diet a healthy eating strategy for your cat? Dr. Richards says that cats are obligate carnivores and many of the nutrients they require are found only in animal tissue. These include taurine, arachidonic acid, and the proper form of vitamin A. Vegetarian and vegan diets lack these essential nutrients so it must be very carefully designed and supplemented in cooperation with a veterinarian who specializes in feline nutrition in order to meet a cat’s complete nutritional needs. If you purchase commercial vegetarian or vegan cat foods, be sure that they meet the requirements of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (http://www.aafco.org).

Regulating your cat’s weight requires consistent daily effort. If you think your cat needs to trim down a bit, here’s what you can do:

• Talk to your vet before you begin to modify your cat’s diet. Work with him or her to develop a plan that outlines the type and amount of food you will have to give your cat to begin a weight loss program, if one is recommended.

• Eliminate table scraps. Yes, the cat will beg and howl but eventually, if you don’t give in, he/she will stop that behavior.

• Replace food with other forms of affection such as snuggling or a favorite toy.

• Keep fresh water available at all times.

• Ask your vet for advice about what types of exercise are appropriate for your cat. Something as simple as chasing a ball across the room for a few minutes a few times a day can be good exercise. But the specific exercise program for each cat will vary based on the animal’s age and health status, so advice from your vet is essential before beginning any pet’s exercise program.

• Aim for a gradual weight loss based on your vet’s advice. Use a baby scale to weight your cat once a week to monitor progress or schedule regular “weigh-ins” at your veterinarian’s office.

• Once the cat has reached his/her optimal weight, revise the eating plan with your vet so that the new weight can be maintained.

While it does require a bit of forethought, planning, and effort, keeping our feline friends fit and trim is one way to assure that they will have a happy and healthy life.

NEXT WEEK: Feeding Fido