Do your pets need to lose weight too?

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Replies

  • KokowithaK
    KokowithaK Posts: 88 Member
    Losing/maintaining weight for animals is similar to the way we do it ourselves: Counting calories.
    Here's a great site that provides the amount of calories your dog would need to eat in order to maintain weight. It also has a great rating of the different dog food out there based on the nutritional content.

    http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feeding-tips/dog-food-calculator/

    I don't put too much stock in what Pet MD says but this was an interesting article: http://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/evr_ct_obesity_in_cats_and_what_to_do_about_an_overweight_cat

    "Seriously, far too many pet owners truly believe that food intake has nothing at all to do with their pet’s weight and no amount of counseling will convince them otherwise."
  • Tessyloowhoo
    Tessyloowhoo Posts: 504
    Nah my doggie is perfect sized!
    43359607_2944.jpg
    Us after our latest 8.8 mile hike
    43359607_8659.jpg
    Sorry I see any dog thread as an excuse to post pictures.....
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    Maybe if you're feeding them wet food, switch too dry. All my life my family has fed our animals dry food and none of them have ever been overweight. Try that.
  • NostalgicMuse
    NostalgicMuse Posts: 340 Member
    My cat is my accountability partner for MFP. :bigsmile:
  • YaGigi
    YaGigi Posts: 817 Member
    One of my dogs is old, has diabetes. So he's always on a strict diet.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    My dogs are very thin, and my German Shepherd is difficult to get to eat. She'd rather play. Since we forced my kitty to be an inside kitty she has gotten chunky. She used to climb and chase birds all day now she just eats and sleeps.

    I'd let her out but I'm scared that she'll be eaten by coyotes

    Our Sheltie is rather thin as well... but since he has the energy of a chihuahua we don't worry too much... As far as the cat, can you let her out during the day and bring her back in at night. If I remember correctly, coyotes are primarily active at dusk and dawn... at least I don't remember seeing and hearing them at any other time.

    That's an idea to consider even if when we get home from work until a bit after dusk might give her a bit more activity then she is getting now.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
    I'm a huge animal lover. I don't spoil my pets horribly with treats or bad food, yet somehow they are all overweight. My whole family, human and animal, needs to lose weight! Anyone else have overweight pets? How have you helped them lose weight?

    Our beagle who passed last year (RIP) was overweight and we successfully trimmed her down. For some reason it's harder this time around with our little terrier and new beagle. And the cats are chubby too. We feed them on a schedule. Play. Walks. I don't know what else to do.

    One of my dogs was a bit chubby until I moved into a place with a backyard and a pool. He does his own workouts now, I swear... it's too funny. He'll run around all crazy in the backyard, do some laps in the pool (I'm not kidding) and then eat his dinner. It's adorable.

    Other than that, I started taking him on longer walks and feeding him less. I realized I was overfeeding him simply because he had the ability to eat more. Portion control is important, even with animals.

    Another thing I realized was that what *I* thought was a lot of exercise for my dog, wasn't something *he* considered to be "a lot". Animals have a lot more energy to expend than we realize. This is going to sound silly, but up the intensity of his workouts. :)

    If all else fails try a new dog food. There are reasonably priced brands that offer a "healthier" alternative. Good luck!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    What's ironic is that many sedentary pet owners I know, also have sedentary pets. And they're usually fat too.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
    I don't think it's ironic that sedentary owners = sedentary pets, it makes perfect sense. After all, we can't expect our dogs to go hit the gym while we munch on our goodies and watch TV. ;)
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/vegetarian-cats-and-dogs.aspx?PageIndex=3


    Look at how happy she is since she's lost weight on her vegan diet.

    2177945.jpg?type=articleLandscape

    I've heard you're not supposed to feed cats a vegan diet. I'm not bashing it by any means. I used to be a vegan... my oldest cat acts like she hates meat to be honest.

    No, you aren't supposed to make cats go vegan. You can kill them doing that. They are CARNIVORES.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Surprisingly, none of my animals I've owned or currently own have ever had a weight issue. I took/take better care of them then I do myself..lol.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/vegetarian-cats-and-dogs.aspx?PageIndex=3


    Look at how happy she is since she's lost weight on her vegan diet.

    2177945.jpg?type=articleLandscape

    I've heard you're not supposed to feed cats a vegan diet. I'm not bashing it by any means. I used to be a vegan... my oldest cat acts like she hates meat to be honest.

    No, you aren't supposed to make cats go vegan. You can kill them doing that. They are CARNIVORES.

    Feeding a carnivore a vegan diet could frankly be considered abuse.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/vegetarian-cats-and-dogs.aspx?PageIndex=3


    Look at how happy she is since she's lost weight on her vegan diet.

    2177945.jpg?type=articleLandscape

    So you could feed your animal less/try to get to move around more oooor we could take our cat and feed it a diet totally against what a cat is supposed to be consuming, thus risking doing serious hard to said cat.

    K.

    Just_stop.gif
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    This was my cat, Chairman Meow before I put him on the Catkins diet, and quit letting him eat before bed time.

    9416_8463.gif


    This is him today:

    114240651_cat_342943c.jpg
  • whooter
    whooter Posts: 47
    http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/vegetarian-cats-and-dogs.aspx?PageIndex=3


    Look at how happy she is since she's lost weight on her vegan diet.

    2177945.jpg?type=articleLandscape

    Happy? It looks like she's screaming for a cheeseburger.
  • Kindhearts30
    Kindhearts30 Posts: 1,730 Member
    Nope my pets are at perfect weight....
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    I would also be interested in this thread. One of our cats is overweight, no matter how timed the feedings are.

    What kinds of exercises can you do with a cat? She will bat at a string for a few minutes but then loses interest and doesn't want to do anything.

    You should get the toy called "Da Bird". It will have your kitty jumping and diving all over the place! My cats love it!
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/vegetarian-cats-and-dogs.aspx?PageIndex=3


    Look at how happy she is since she's lost weight on her vegan diet.

    2177945.jpg?type=articleLandscape

    And we all know what a shining example PETA is for animal welfare........

    /end sarcasm
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    This was my cat, Chairman Meow before I put him on the Catkins diet, and quit letting him eat before bed time.

    9416_8463.gif


    This is him today:

    114240651_cat_342943c.jpg

    Is shouldn't have laughed at the cat flap gif but I did. :blushing:
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    I see a lot of overweight dogs locally.

    I think it's a combination of feeding them rubbish, feeding them too much and not exercising them enough, but I think there are also probably breed specific issues, for instance Labradors are well known for their appetite...

    I have a collie. She is naturally very active. She always gets two off-lead walks a day (2x 60mins). She loves stuff like agility. She comes running with us and on the weekend we often go for 3 hour hikes etc.

    I feed her food which I have researched for ingredients and additives, and while she is allowed certain 'human' foods like boiled vegetables or rice, I would never let her have chocolate or biscuits.
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