Dear Dr. Marc,

My cat Ham keeps gaining weight, and I don’t know what to do. He doesn’t seem to eat that much yet he put on 2 pounds last year. What can I do to help him?

Brittany V.

Hi, Brittany,

I’m sure many people can relate. By some estimates, over 90 percent of indoor housecats are overweight. Here are some tips:

• Measure the amount of food. If the food bag says to feed one-half cup daily, make sure you use a measuring cup and not a one-liter Big Gulp from Seven Eleven. 
• Weigh your cat weekly. The easiest way is to weigh yourself, then weigh yourself while holding your cat. If your cat is still gaining weight while getting what is recommended, decrease the amount by 10-20 percent until you start to see weight loss. 
• If your cat starts to drive you crazy because you are not feeding him enough, pick a food with lower calories. Indoor or weight-loss foods have lower calories.
• If possible, feed small, frequent meals. Wild cats eat by foraging for small prey animals. Their stomachs are designed to eat this way. If you split the daily food intake into multiple small meals, your cat will feel fuller longer. 
• One of the most effective ways to help cats lose weight is to add wet food. It seems counterintuitive but cats feel full based on the weight of food in their stomachs. Because wet food is heavier, they feel fuller and eat less. Be sure to cut back on dry food if you are adding in wet. 
• Just like people, exercise is critical for weight loss. Cat toys can tap into a cat’s predatory instincts and encourage them to run and jump when they would otherwise be lying around. 

I hope these tips help Ham shed a few pounds in 2019.

Have questions for Dr. Marc? Send us an email at info@isthmusvetcare.com.