I've decided to start a week by week chronicle about one of my families cat's, Max a male tabby who, over the last 11 years has been free fed, along with his sister but in the last 4-5 years has slowly been putting on quite a bit of weight, to the point now that I would say his is fairly obese.
While I'm still living at home for the next year or so, I'm hoping to help him safely, and slowly loose weight by eliminating free feeding and switching to a seperate and controlled feeding regimine. I'm hoping by doing a week by week update I will keep myself motivated until it becomes a habit.
He recieved a full blood panel about two years ago to check if his thryoid was perhaps to blame but everything came back normal. At the time the vet wanted us to switch to a perscription vet food, but the ingredients looked trashy and the price was insane. I know raw would be a good choice but it's not practical for my family, so instead we switched them a few years ago to a grain free dry and wet food.
Please feel free to post any similar experinces, or advice.
Thanks,
Kayla
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Week 1: Starting Weight: 21.4lbs
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Recommended Daily Food Intake: According to the Label
"Now!" Grain-Free Senior & Weight Managment Cat Formula
Approximately 115gram in a standard 1 cup/8oz measuring cup (according to label)
15.5lbs is the highest the measuring scale goes to
A 15.5lb cat would be eating 100 grams of food per day (1 cup of food a day)
The scale says to add 10 grams of food for each additional 1lb over 15.5lbs
21.4lbs- 15.5lbs= 5.9 round 6lbs
6lbs x 10grams of food
60 grams of food
Max's daily food intake would be 160grams to keep him at the same weight
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Recommended Daily Food Intake: According to the Label
"Duck & Green Pea Formula"- Natural Balance
1 small can for every 8lbs of body weight
21.4lbs divided by 8lbs = 2.6
Max's daily food intake would be approximately 2 small cans and just over a half of a third can to keep him at the same weight
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Max's current weight: 21.4lbs (160grams of food per day)
Weight I'm feeding for: 19lbs (140 grams of food per day)
I'm very new to this, is feeding him at a weight of 2lbs under his current weight too drastic?
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Max's Daily Food Intake/ Feeding Schedule
6:30am- 1/4 cup of "Now" dry formula
7am-4:30pm- Everyone leaves for work, in the past my mom left down an un measured amount of food for both cats. In order to accurately control Max's food intake I've been keeping him in my room where he likes to sleep at night, and put a litter box, his cat grass and toys for him during the day as it's the only realstic solution I can find to help accomplish his controlled feeding schedule
7am-4:30pm- 1/2 cup of "Natural Balance" formula
4:30pm-1/4 cup of "Now"
7pm- 1/4 cup of "Natural Balance formula
9:30pm- 1/4 cup of "Now" dry formula
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Total Daily Food Intake Tally
3/4 of a cup of dry food (75grams=12.5lbs)
3/4 of a can of wet food (6lbs= 3/4th of a can)
12.5lbs + 6lbs= 18.5lbs
I think I will add a little extra to the dry food amount to be feeding the appropriate amount for a 19lb cat as 18.5lbs seems like too little.
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I'll have weekly weigh in's as we go and more updates, all feedback welcome.
While I'm still living at home for the next year or so, I'm hoping to help him safely, and slowly loose weight by eliminating free feeding and switching to a seperate and controlled feeding regimine. I'm hoping by doing a week by week update I will keep myself motivated until it becomes a habit.
He recieved a full blood panel about two years ago to check if his thryoid was perhaps to blame but everything came back normal. At the time the vet wanted us to switch to a perscription vet food, but the ingredients looked trashy and the price was insane. I know raw would be a good choice but it's not practical for my family, so instead we switched them a few years ago to a grain free dry and wet food.
Please feel free to post any similar experinces, or advice.
Thanks,
Kayla
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 1: Starting Weight: 21.4lbs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended Daily Food Intake: According to the Label
"Now!" Grain-Free Senior & Weight Managment Cat Formula
Approximately 115gram in a standard 1 cup/8oz measuring cup (according to label)
15.5lbs is the highest the measuring scale goes to
A 15.5lb cat would be eating 100 grams of food per day (1 cup of food a day)
The scale says to add 10 grams of food for each additional 1lb over 15.5lbs
21.4lbs- 15.5lbs= 5.9 round 6lbs
6lbs x 10grams of food
60 grams of food
Max's daily food intake would be 160grams to keep him at the same weight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended Daily Food Intake: According to the Label
"Duck & Green Pea Formula"- Natural Balance
1 small can for every 8lbs of body weight
21.4lbs divided by 8lbs = 2.6
Max's daily food intake would be approximately 2 small cans and just over a half of a third can to keep him at the same weight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Max's current weight: 21.4lbs (160grams of food per day)
Weight I'm feeding for: 19lbs (140 grams of food per day)
I'm very new to this, is feeding him at a weight of 2lbs under his current weight too drastic?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Max's Daily Food Intake/ Feeding Schedule
6:30am- 1/4 cup of "Now" dry formula
7am-4:30pm- Everyone leaves for work, in the past my mom left down an un measured amount of food for both cats. In order to accurately control Max's food intake I've been keeping him in my room where he likes to sleep at night, and put a litter box, his cat grass and toys for him during the day as it's the only realstic solution I can find to help accomplish his controlled feeding schedule
7am-4:30pm- 1/2 cup of "Natural Balance" formula
4:30pm-1/4 cup of "Now"
7pm- 1/4 cup of "Natural Balance formula
9:30pm- 1/4 cup of "Now" dry formula
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Daily Food Intake Tally
3/4 of a cup of dry food (75grams=12.5lbs)
3/4 of a can of wet food (6lbs= 3/4th of a can)
12.5lbs + 6lbs= 18.5lbs
I think I will add a little extra to the dry food amount to be feeding the appropriate amount for a 19lb cat as 18.5lbs seems like too little.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll have weekly weigh in's as we go and more updates, all feedback welcome.