Trying to figure out the best cat food for weight loss
My cat’s been gaining a bit of weight lately and I finally started looking into what I should actually change. I thought it would just be feeding less, but it turns out it’s not that simple.
I ended up going through a bunch of “weight management” foods and just tried to get a general sense of what people actually use. This is basically what I found:
Smalls
This one seems like the easiest if you don’t want to think too much about portions. They portion it for your cat already, and it’s pretty high protein.
Only downside is it’s a subscription, so you’re kinda committing to it.
Open Farm (wet)
Came up a lot when I was looking at wet food. Not super calorie heavy and has a lot of moisture, so cats feel full faster.
Texture looks a bit soft though, so I guess it depends if your cat likes that.
Purina Pro Plan (weight management)
Feels like the most straightforward option. Lower calorie and actually made for weight control.
Not fancy, but probably one of the easier ones to stick with.
Tiki Cat
This one surprised me because the calories per can are pretty low. Mostly protein and broth.
It’s very fish-based though, so I’m not sure how people use it long term.
Natural Balance “Fat Cats”
Name is… yeah. But it’s made for overweight cats, lower calorie and more fiber so they stay full.
Seems practical, just not as “clean” as some others.
Hill’s Science Diet (light)
Feels like a safe option. Lower calorie, balanced, nothing too complicated.
Probably one of those foods that just works without overthinking it.
IAMS Healthy Weight
Similar to Hill’s but cheaper. Easy to find too.
Not the best ingredients compared to others, but more realistic for everyday use.
Primal
More high protein/raw style. Sounds good in theory, but also feels easy to overfeed if you’re not careful.
The main thing I noticed is they’re all kind of trying to do the same thing: keep protein high, keep calories lower, and help cats feel full so they don’t constantly act hungry.
Also didn’t realize how often people recommend wet food for weight loss because of the moisture. This is what I was looking at while trying to compare everything: https://technomeow.com/best-cat-food-for-weight-loss/
I’m still figuring out what to try first, so I’m curious what actually worked for other people. Did switching food make the biggest difference, or was it more about portions?
