by what to look for in cat foods for weight loss
When shopping for the best cat food for weight loss, you’ll want to consider the following criteria:
AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy for adult maintenance or all stages of life: The AAFCO is a non-profit organization that provides nutritional guidelines for pet food. The AAFCO statement indicates that food meets the nutritional needs of cats based on their life stage. You can confirm that a cat food is completely nutritious and balanced for “adult maintenance” or “all life stages” if it has an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement on the label.
Keep in mind that cat food will only meet your cat’s nutritional needs when served in the right portions. Giving your cat a smaller portion can lead to a nutritional deficiency, while overfeeding can lead to weight gain, especially if they don’t get much activity.
Growing kittens need more calories and nutrients than adult cats. Therefore, weight management foods do not make a good choice for kittens, even if the food is labeled for “all stages of life.” If you are concerned about your kitten’s weight, consult a vet before changing their diet or eating smaller portions. As your cat approaches its first birthday, your vet can estimate its weight and how many calories it should eat daily.
Guaranteed analysis and nutrient profiles: The guaranteed analysis on the pet food label shows the percentages of important nutrients, including protein, fat, fiber, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Food for adult cats, including seniors, must have a minimum of 26% protein and 9% fat. Our experts say that it is important to carefully examine the guaranteed analysis of protein, fat and fiber percentages to ensure that the recipe meets your cat’s needs. The best cat foods for weight loss are generally low to moderate in fat and high in fiber.
List of ingredients: The ingredients on a pet food label appear in order of weight. As obligate carnivores, cats must eat diets composed of animal-based proteins. Therefore, animal proteins in the form of whole meat, meat meal, or animal by-products should appear first on the ingredient list of any cat food. To add fiber to your cat’s diet and keep them feeling full between meals, choose recipes with complete complex carbohydrates such as whole corn, whole brown rice, oats and inulin. Sources of inulin that you may notice on cat food labels include chicory root and, less commonly, artichoke.
Expert formulations: Expert formulation is even more important when it comes to weight loss diets since the best cat foods for weight loss are developed to provide more nutrients per serving, with fewer calories. We only recommend food from brands that employ a full-time veterinary nutritionist or PhD-level animal nutritionist. This helps ensure that your cat’s food meets the nutritional recommendations and includes the right ingredients for your cat. It also aligns with the WSAVA guidelines and the guidance of our experts.
Manufacturing 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 perform, 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 the information upon request.
Calorie content: The calorie content of cat food is listed in kilocalories (kcals). Weight management foods generally have fewer calories per serving but are nutrient dense to meet nutritional needs. However, the calorie needs of adult cats can vary depending on their age, ideal weight, and overall health. Our experts stress the importance of switching to a weight management diet instead of feeding your cat less food. Your vet can recommend the best cat foods for weight loss and the right portion size for your cat. When a pet is only slightly overweight – 10% to 15% – a successful approach to weight loss may be a change to a lower calorie food and an adjustment of treats and snacks, along with increased exercise, says Churchill . Pets more than 15% heavier than their ideal weight are considered obese and may benefit from a prescription weight loss diet.
Vets can use a scale and the body condition scoring system (BCS) to estimate your cat’s weight and body fat. Your vet will consider your cat’s lifestyle, ideal weight, and overall health to recommend the ideal number of daily calories your cat should eat. You can ask your vet to teach you how to use the BCS system to check your cat’s body fat at home between wellness visits. Churchill says it’s important to regularly monitor your cat’s weight since it allows vets to fine-tune caloric intake and ensure weight loss remains safe and healthy. She says that cats should lose weight gradually, at a rate of between 1% and 2% of their body weight per week.
