Dry food is usually cheaper than canned (wet) food, and stays fresh longer. You need to put out more water for dry food diets. Canned cat food contains more water—about 70-80 percent of the food is water. But it tends to be more palatable for a cat so makes it more likely the cat will overeat. You can mix in bits of dry and canned food if your cat seems to like both as long as it’s getting enough to eat per meal.
Fats and carbohydrates combined shouldn’t make up more than 50% of your cat’s diet. [5] X Research source
Fiber also helps to break down hairballs. [6] X Research source
Crash dieting is bad for a cat and can result in a disorder can occur called hepatic lipidosis. Instead you should work with your veterinarian to select a feeding regimen to help your cat manage their eating habits and nutrition to lose the weight gradually. Get an initial weight of the cat and over three to four weeks add increasing portions of the selected feline weight-loss diet food to the cat’s dish. Mix the new diet food in with the old food so the cat gets used to the change. Notice how much the cat eats daily. The cat should be weighed after four week intervals. If there is no change or an increase in weight then the portion of overall food needs to be decreased. If there is too much weight loss (more than half a pound in just four weeks), or the cat has stopped eating for 2 or more days, then there could be a more serious illness at work and you need to consult your veterinarian.
Treats should make up no more than 10 percent of your cat’s daily calories. Avoid giving treats too close to the cat’s feeding time so they eat their regular cat food and don’t miss out on their essential nutrients.
This will take a bit more effort to measure the amount of food you are putting into the cat’s food dish for each feeding especially if you leave it in the dish all day Look at the pet food’s suggested daily amount and divide it into two servings to be given 8 to 12 hours apart. Another rule of thumb would be if you have a 7 pound cat then they need to have 1/25th the meal size of a human or 0. 6 to 1 ounce of food per meal. This also could be thought of as 24-35 calories per pound the cat weighs per day. The portions may vary a bit with your cat’s individual needs. Consult with your veterinarian if you are unsure.
Try to keep the same food dish as it is a safety signal to the cat. Offer new food alongside the old food so the cat can try it. If it won’t eat it then you can try something else. If it likes the new food then you can gradually increase the new food until it replaces the old.
For adult (aged 1 year to 11 years) or senior cats (aged 11 or older) meals should be set out twice or once per day. If you are feeding twice per day then set the meals out 8 to 12 hours apart. Use the portion control steps from earlier.
Keeping consistent with feeding times will help calm the cat and acclimate it to changes with food. If you feed in the late morning and late evening then don’t change. Try not to start feeding the cat at times you know will be hectic for you and risks you forgetting to put food out.
If you are feeding the cat once or twice a day you need to leave the meal out long enough to give it a chance to eat. To avoid the cat over indulging pick the meal up after a reasonable time limit—30 minutes to 1 hour.
Avoid giving treats near meal time and space them out to two or three times per week so they remain fun and novel for the cat. Even if the cat is overweight you should not cut out treats completely, but consult your veterinarian for how you can keep them in the cat’s diet at a reduced amount.
Is your cat over grooming itself? Is your cat chasing and/or fighting other household pets? Is your cat extremely inactive/lazy? Does your cat seemed disheartened or disinterested in the things going on around it?[18] X Research source
This could be a sign of a nutritional imbalance or more complicated illness. Look for signs of change in appetite and drinking habits as well. If the cat has not eaten in 48 hours then seek veterinarian attention as soon as possible.
The veterinarian can help you adjust the portions for your cat’s weight and other conditions such as diabetes or infection. Work with the veterinarian to treat your cat’s other conditions in conjunction with weight control.
