Will Your Cat Hate You If You Put Him on a Diet?

Feline obesity is no laughing matter. In 2012, it was estimated that nearly 60 percent of cats in the United States were either overweight or downright obese. Cats that carry too many pounds are at risk for a variety of diseases, including diabetes, arthritis, skin disorders, heart problems and ultimately, a shortened lifespan. All this is very concerning, but what do humans worry about the most when it comes to overweight kitties? Whether their cats will hate them if they put them on a diet.

According to a recent study, you humans need not be concerned about that! At the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, researchers had 48 humans put their cats on diets for eight weeks. The result? The cats didn’t vocalize before mealtimes any longer than usual, although they were more intense about it. But after mealtime, they were actually more affectionate! There was lots of purring and curling up in laps once the cats had finished their dinners.

Oh, and at the end of the eight weeks, the cats had also lost weight. I would say that’s a double win.

The truth is that we cats don’t see food the same way humans do. For many humans there is an emotional element to food — it symbolizes family and affection. Humans often reach for the snacks or comfort food when they are depressed or upset. Cats don’t have emotions about food. We eat because we’re hungry, and because it’s part of our routine. Petting and spending time together? That means affection to a cat. Food? Not so much. Food for us is more a means to an end.

Cats that overeat usually do so because:

It’s offered to us. Most kitties don’t get the idea of portion control.
We’re bored. Boredom isn’t an emotion. It’s doing something because there’s nothing else to do.
Perceived scarcity — we don’t think there is enough food to go around. (Whether that is actually true or not is another thing altogether.) If we believe we won’t be able to sustain ourselves, our survival instinct kicks in and we chow down.

If your cat is overweight, you can feel safe working with your vet on a diet program for him — and you won’t have to worry about your cat loving you any less. In fact, normal weight cats avoid a variety of health problems, and they are happier overall. And what human wouldn’t want that for their kitty?

If your cat is not overweight, keep her that way by:

Portion controlled, species appropriate meals. Cats are meant to eat a protein-rich diet. Get the highest quality you can afford, and at each meal, feed only what your cat will eat in 10 or 15 minutes, then take it away. Treats shouldn’t be given like an extra meal — just a few pieces will do!
If you have more than one cat, make sure they eat their own food and not each other’s, even if you have to separate them.
Keep your cat active with lots of playtime! Staying active will keep your cat both healthy and young at heart.

My human follows all this, and none of us has ever had a weight problem. If any of us seems to be gaining or losing a few ounces, she adjusts how much she feeds us, and if we were to ever lose or gain more than a few ounces, she’d have a vet check us out.

So if you ever need to put your cat on a diet, your cat will still like you just fine! Just make sure to do it under a veterinarian’s supervision because rapid weight loss can be dangerous for kitties. Slow and steady weight loss is best — and add in some play for extra bonding and calorie burning.

There! Don’t you humans feel better now?
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