Low Calorie Cat Food

[appychik]

I’ve been thinking for some time that I need to revamp my cats’ cat food program. For years, my cats were on Hills Feline W/D because one of them had a nasty UTI when she was younger. It was a good food and it wasn’t too bad on the budget. Then, the price kept creeping up and the bags were getting smaller. :no: So I switch to Science Diet Light. From what I had researched, it was comparable to the W/D, just available OTC and cheaper. Plus, adding a third cat to the mix made things that much more expensive.

Well, “fat cat” went from a svelte 9.5lbs (and I worked my butt off to get her that, as she was a “fattie” to begin with) to her previous weight of nearly 13lbs. I’d like to get my skinner cat back. She’s just healthier when she’s at the lower weight.

Comparing the W/D to the Light, there was a difference of 38 kcal/cup with the Light being higher in calories. She is still getting slightly less food with the Light, but I feel really bad when she’s only getting just under 1/2c of food daily (divided into two meals). I know I shouldn’t feel bad, but I do.

So in comparing other foods, I came across these that are low in calories. Any recommendations? Ones to steer clear from? Ideas to get a scaredy cat to lose weight (and no she doesn’t play… she’s nearly always hiding or sleeping, or both).

Science Diet Light - 316 kcal/cup (currently on)
Science Diet Indoor - 281 kcal/cup
Science Diet Hairball Control Light - 283 kcal/cup

Hills W/D - 278 kcal/cup (previously on)

Eukanuba Indoor - 299 kcal/cup

9Lives Plus Care - 292 kcal/cup
9Lives Daily Essentials - 296 kcal/cup

Royal Canin Indoor Light 40 - 261 kcal/cup
Royal Canin Indoor Mature 27 - 283 kcal/cup

All three cats are otherwise healthy. The two oldest are '04 models, the younger one just celebrated her 1st birthday. The “fattie” is one of the older cats, the other two have no weight issues.

I’m looking for a feed/diet recommendation that won’t break the bank and is a DRY food. I do supplement on occasion with canned food, but for many reasons, dry food is easier to feed in my situation. FWIW, so many of the “good” foods out there are HIGH in caloric content - so I don’t even know where to begin. The “fat cat” has been getting roughly 158 kcal daily since she’s been on the Science Diet Light.

[Simkie]

You might have better luck with a grain free dry, regardless of the calorie content. Cats are not designed to eat grains, and feeding them grains often leads to weight issues and diabetes. Focusing just on the calorie content doesn’t give you the full picture, especially with cats, since they are obligate carnivores.

(Gotta say, though, ALL of my kitty weight issues resolved themselves when I switched to wet only. I fed a ultra premium dry for a long time, thinking it was “good enough”…it wasn’t. I wish I’d switched to all wet a LONG time ago.)

[appychik]

So if I were to switch to a grain-free diet, where would I even begin - least with regards to feeding amounts? Use the recommended guidelines as a starting point? Start with what I’m feeding now and adjust? Which brands are good, but not too over-priced - cause I’d prefer to feed all three the same diet.

I forgot to add to the original post, but the two older girls tend to get hairballs, though infrequently.

[Guin]

I use Wellness Healthy Weight for cats. It keeps my hefty feline within a reasonable range instead of blowing up like Garfield.

The corgi is on the Wellness Core Reduced Fat and that works very well for her also.

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=cat&pid=20

[wendy]

If you feed the same amount of calories per day of a low carb/high protein ration vs. a typical high carb, high fiber, low protein “lite” ratio your cat or dog will lose dramatically more body fat on the high-protein diet. In fact, many dogs/cats fed typical “lite” foods get fatter on them even when highly calorie-restricted.
-feeling “bad” about the small volume of food fed to an animal on a dry kibble diet is counter-productive; doesn’t matter how much dry kibble you feed it will, in volume, never even come close to the volume of food the animal would fill its belly with while on a natural water-laden diet.

[Ridinwyoming]

I had great success with my two boys feeding them Blue Buffalo Indoor - for weight control and hairballs.

[RedMare01]

I also feed grain-free. I don’t measure exactly, but all three of mine get ~1/4 cup of dry each per day to stay in good weight. They also get ~2oz wet per cat. Highly recommend.

Some are picky (and coming off what they’ve been eating, yours probably will be for awhile), but look into Wellness, EVO, Taste of the Wild, Blue Buffalo, or if you can find it, Earthborn Holistic (small independent company, harder to find, but my kitties loff it).

[Pancakes]

[QUOTE=Simkie;5890880]
You might have better luck with a grain free dry, regardless of the calorie content. Cats are not designed to eat grains, and feeding them grains often leads to weight issues and diabetes. Focusing just on the calorie content doesn’t give you the full picture, especially with cats, since they are obligate carnivores.

(Gotta say, though, ALL of my kitty weight issues resolved themselves when I switched to wet only. I fed a ultra premium dry for a long time, thinking it was “good enough”…it wasn’t. I wish I’d switched to all wet a LONG time ago.)[/QUOTE]

Interesting conclusions you’ve made about grain-free food and weight. I’ve switched my cat to a grain-free diet the past 2 months and he’s starting to gain noticeably more weight on it. I’m not refilling his bowl nearly as much with the other food either. I think that calories in, calories out DOES play a HUGE role in weight management. The grain-free stuff is at minimum 400 kcal/cup (and things like Wellness core is over 500!!) while other “light” and “reduced calorie” foods are less than 360, and often under 300. That may not seem like a lot, but it’s enough.

Calories DO make a difference, especially in cats that are like ferns, meaning they seem to live on air…

OP, I’d try adding canned food to the regimen. It’s lower in calories per unit volume and it helps a cat feel fuller. More moisture is also better for their urinary tract!

[lewin]

Blue buffalo makes a grain-free weight control. 365 kCal/cup.

http://www.bluebuffalo.com/cat-food/wilderness-weight-control

I have 1 chunky and 1 normal weight cat. They get 1/4 cup dry and half a can wet each per day. Slightly less for the chunky kitty; more for my normal kitty. This has slowly taken the weight off the chunky one and kept my borderline kitty right on. Currently they are on Lotus low-calorie as I switch brands every 3 months or so. It is higher calorie but is pulling the weight off as neither cat seems to like it much.

[milenia3]

I feed my cats California Natural cat food. It’s not about low calorie food, it’s about how much food they eat. Never free feed, cats need scheduled feedings just like dogs. Make sure if you’re feeding dry to get some canned food in there at least a few times a week. Canned food is better for hydration and urinary function in cats.