Five Foods that Help Prevent Fat Cats

Cat Nutrition that can Help Avoid Feline Obesity

Apr 27, 2009 Delores Baugher

Domesticated cats are packing on the pounds, which often leads to life threatening health problems. Here's how to help you furry friend avoid those complications.

Did you know over 40 percent of cats in the U.S. are obese? Obese cats are more prone to serious medical problems. Here are some ways to help keep your cat from being part of the feline obesity epidemic.

Why are Felines Getting Fat?

In nature, food acquirement has always been done by hunting, which meant physical exercise was mandatory. Now we provide food for our domestic felines. Not only do they no longer have to work to get their food, we fill them up with processed foods full of carbohydrates and allow them to eat whenever they want. Then we go off to work and leave them home to spend their time catnapping.

Cats are carnivores, or meat eaters. Their digestive system is not equipped to handle large amounts of carbohydrates. Unlike people, dogs and most other mammals, felines create very little of the enzyme Amylase that breaks down carbohydrates. Nature simply didn’t design cats to eat many carbs.

Unfortunately, many manufactured cat foods, particularly the less expensive brands, are loaded with carbohydrates that turn into stored fat. When a cat eats a meal high in carbohydrates, its insulin levels raise for an unusually long time. The result is often diabetes.

What Should We Do?

Cats need food with plenty of protein and fat and low amounts of carbohydrates so they can better digest the food. It is a myth that high protein diets cause kidney damage to normal, healthy cats.

Free feeding cats is also discouraged. When you leave food available for them at all times, the door is opened to overeating. Get your cat on a schedule and measure the amount of food you deliver. Oftentimes, cats do not need as much food as the manufacturer recommends.

Five Good Foods for Fat Cats

Research shows that a healthy diet for felines should contain 35-50 percent protein, 40 percent fat and only a small amount of carbohydrates, if any at all. Here are five foods that fit the guidelines and will provide your cat a healthy diet.

Wellness Core Fish and Fowl Cat and Kitten Food

This food is 50 percent protein and grain free. It is very close to the diet a cat would eat in the wild.

Evo Cat and Kitten Food

There is 50.5 percent protein in this food. It has many of the benefits of a raw food diet.

Wellness Complete Health Salmon Cat Food

Although this food does contain a little grain, it still has 36 percent protein and is a good, balanced diet. It is also a good choice for cats with food allergies.

Innova Cat and Kitten Food

With more than 36 percent protein, this food contains ingredients from all five food groups and provides a well-rounded diet.

Pinnacle Feline Peak Protein

There is at least 42 percent protein in this food and it contains cranberries for urinary tract health.

Remember, to keep your cat fit and trim requires not only the proper diet but it also needs plenty of water and exercise. Consider getting a second cat so your cat will have someone to play and exercise with or buy some interactive toys for your cat. Taking good care of your cat’s health is the best way to add quality and longevity to its life.

The copyright of the article Five Foods that Help Prevent Fat Cats in Cats is owned by Delores Baugher. Permission to republish Five Foods that Help Prevent Fat Cats in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Many fat cats face health problems.

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