What should be considered in cat food for weight loss?
When shopping for the best cat food for weight loss, you’ll want to consider the following criteria:
AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement for adult care or all life stages: AAFCO is a nonprofit organization that provides nutritional guidelines for pet foods. The AAFCO statement states that a food meets the nutritional needs of cats according to their life stage. You can verify that a cat food is nutritionally complete and balanced for “adult care” or “all life stages” if it has an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement on its label.
Remember that cat food will only meet your cat’s nutritional needs when served in the correct portions. Giving your cat a smaller portion can lead to nutritional deficiencies, while overfeeding it can cause it to gain weight, especially if it doesn’t get much activity.
Growing kittens need more calories and nutrients than adult cats. Therefore, weight management foods are not a good choice for kittens, even if the food is labeled for “all life stages.” If you’re concerned about your kitten’s weight, consult a veterinarian before changing his diet or feeding him smaller portions. As your cat approaches its first birthday, your veterinarian can evaluate its weight and how many calories it should consume per day.
Guaranteed analysis and nutritional profiles: Guaranteed analysis on a pet food label shows the percentages of important nutrients including protein, fat, fiber and other essential vitamins and minerals. Foods for adult cats, including seniors, should contain a minimum of 26% protein and 9% fat. Our experts say it’s important to carefully review the guaranteed analysis of protein, fat and fiber percentages to make sure the recipe meets your cat’s needs. The best cat foods for weight loss generally contain low to moderate fat and high fiber.
Ingredients list: Ingredients on a pet food label appear in order of weight. As obligate carnivores, cats must eat diets consisting of animal-based proteins. Therefore, animal proteins in the form of whole meat, meat meal, or animal byproducts should be first on the ingredients list of any cat food. To add fiber to your cat’s diet and keep him feeling full between meals, choose recipes that contain whole complex carbohydrates, such as whole corn, whole brown rice, oats, and inulin. Sources of inulin you may notice on cat food labels include chicory root and, less commonly, Jerusalem artichoke.
Expert formulations: Expert formulation is even more important when it comes to weight loss diets because the best cat foods for weight loss are developed to provide more nutrients per serving with fewer calories. We only recommend foods from brands that employ a full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionist or a doctoral-level animal nutritionist. This helps make sure your cat’s food meets nutritional recommendations and contains the right ingredients for cats. It also complies with WSAVA guidelines and the guidance of our experts.
Production standards: We expect commercial cat food brands to be transparent about their quality control measures. This means providing information about the types of tests they do, how often they test, and the results of those tests. If this information does not appear on a pet food company’s website, brand representatives should provide this information upon request.
Calorie content: The calorie content of cat food is listed in kilocalories (kcal). Weight management foods generally have fewer calories per serving but are nutrient-dense to meet nutritional needs. However, the calorie needs of adult cats may vary depending on their age, ideal weight and general health condition. Our experts emphasize the importance of switching to a weight management diet instead of giving your cat less food. Your veterinarian can recommend the best cat food for weight loss and the right serving size for your cat. If a pet is only slightly overweight (10 to 15%), a successful approach to weight loss may include switching to a lower-calorie food, adjusting treats and snacks, and getting more exercise, Churchill says. Pets that weigh 15% more than their ideal weight are considered obese and may benefit from a prescription weight loss diet.
Veterinarians can use a scale and body condition scoring (BCS) system to assess your cat’s weight and body fat. Your veterinarian will consider your cat’s lifestyle, ideal weight, and overall health to recommend the ideal amount of daily calories your cat should eat. You can ask your veterinarian to teach you how to use the BCS system to control your cat’s body fat at home between wellness visits. Churchill says it’s important to monitor your cat’s weight frequently, as it allows veterinarians to fine-tune calorie intake and ensure weight loss remains safe and healthy. Cats should lose weight gradually, 1% to 2% of their body weight per week, he adds.