Cat diet question

[whbar158]

So my cat is an indoor cat, he is a large cat but I am trying to keep him from getting too fat. He currently is on Iams indoor cat food (dry). He is chubby, I want him to lose weight, he is very active, runs around plays with his toys I play with him. Ok so just feed him less food right? Well if his food bowl is low or runs out he totally freaks and starts destroying the house. Knocks stuff over, bothers you, tears up the carpet etc. I was thinking about putting him on wet food, but I don't know how he would do without food to eat the rest of the day. Any ideas? He is on Iams because I can get it here, my choices are the commissary on base or Wal-mart to buy his food, well there is also a kroger but I haven't been there yet to see what they have. The vet before I moved suggested a timed feeder that rotates with many slots for food so he doesn't feel like he is out of food. In just want him to be healthy without killing the house :)

[dmalbone]

Can't you receive packages? I have my food shipped because I moved and the closest place that has it is 45 minutes away and I don't always feel like going there. There is a reason that your cat is chubby on iams...

[Daatje]

Our cat used to be an overweight dry food addict. Nothing I did helped her lose the weight. Less food, diet food....it didn't matter. She was 25 lbs, had dandruff, dry skin, digestive upset.....I just didn't know how to help her lose the weight and improve her skin and coat.

I found this website of feline nutrition, and it is AMAZING!

www.catnutrition.org (use the menu at the very top of the page to navigate)

Go there, read up on species appropriate feeding. You'll be amazed. I started our cat on an all wet food (no grain additives, just meat) diet a year ago, and she lost all the fat and looks and feels super! She now weighs about 10 lbs, has a glossy coat, no dandruff and the digestive issues are a thing of the past.

I feed strictly INNOVA EVO canned. http://www.evopet.com/

Good luck with your cat! Species appropriate feeding is so important, I wish more cat owners would realize that the dry kibble isn't good for their felines metabolism!

[whbar158]

He was on science diet before, he looks exactly the same in the Iams haha, I know I was reading the other thread, what would be some good ideas that don't break the bank? I was looking at smartpak (they have the wellness core there) but that is pretty $$$. Yes I can get packages so I was looking online at some places and thinking about switching him to wet or doing a combo. I just worry about doing full wet and him not having food during the rest of the day.....

[dmalbone]

They do not (and in most cases SHOULD NOT) have food available all day. He will cry but he will get over it. My cat was a raging bi*ch when I started a set feeding schedule but got over it quickly when she broke the habit. It's just boredom eating like people and there is absolutely nothing wrong with scheduled feeding. mine get fed three times a day and there is no way that they are starving. Yes, the quality foods look more expensive, but it is VERY true that you feed less of them. I'm going to be switching to all canned, but a dry food diet is not a death sentence. My adult cats each get 1 oz of dry in the morning (out of a 2 oz. shot glass style measuring cup), 1.5 oz. wellness pouch wet food in the evening and 1.75 oz. dry at night. They're still chunky and need to be cut back! I was feeding much more crappy iams waaaay back when. Fyi science diet is no better than iams so I'm not surprised you didn't see a change. Look at the other post about cat food going on this thread for brand recs. There are a lot. I'm feeding wellness and it costs absolutely no more than when I was feeding iams.