Comments on: Is a calorie really always a calorie? Apparently not in cats

By: 2CatMom

2CatMom — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:57:23 +0000

Ingrid King - why? Because REAL food costs $ and if you can serve roadkill, left over cooking oil from restaurants, diseased animals that you get for practically nothing from the slaughterhouse and cheap, govt subidized corn you can charge 2/3 of what the ‘good’ food costs and make a lot more profit.

And unfortunately, many people still look for the cheapest thing to feed their pets.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:56:27 +0000

We rawfeeders have known this for many years. Good to see the veternarian community finally getting it. Cats are carnivores!

By: Ark Lady

Ark Lady — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:47:05 +0000

Interesting but raw foodies find just that shift helps level out the weight.

I’ve got my nephew (a cat) on a new regime) he needs to be about 12 pounds…when I arrived he was 17 pounds and having trouble breathing.

Two months later he is 15 pounds and active and happier.

There are some food issues but now he is in training. During the first session he “got” what was happening and started purring.

Now his behavior dictates food delivery and we are moving the obsessiveness over food into something new and exciting.

In most cases, I find the problem is owner over feeding.

By: straybaby

straybaby — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:40:54 +0000

I haven’t had to even think about any of my cats’ weight for almost 7yrs. They self regulate on a raw diet. Very handy when you have more than a few cats at all stages of life.

By: Ingrid King

Ingrid King — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:23:14 +0000

I was working at a veterinary clinic when the first CAtkins diets came on the market, and it was pretty amazing to see how cats that hadn’t been losing weight on low calorie high fiber (high carb) weightloss diets were starting to lose weight on the high protein low carb diets.

It’s nice to see that studies are continuing - hopefully, some day we’ll see the end of commercially marketed high carb diets for cats. It seems that the smaller pet food manufacturers have caught on to this a while ago, more and more grain-free diets are now available. I wonder why it’s taking the large corporations so long to catch on to this?

By: Barbara Saunders

Barbara Saunders — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:22:56 +0000

My understanding is that weight regulation has a lot to do with the way the endocrine system is functioning. It’s not just calories; it’s whether a person is getting the nutrients that keep the “regulating” on track.

By: Abby

Abby — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:14:52 +0000

I have noticed this with my cat Simo, she can eat the same food and lose or gain weight. The seasons make a difference and if she is ill.

By: 2CatMom

2CatMom — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:14:41 +0000

Probably would work in most carnivores, but especially in cats which are obligate carnivores

I struggled to get my ginormous cat to lose weight. Special low cal (high carb) food - nothing happened. Both cats now eat an almost pure protein wet food diet. Teddy lost 1.5 lbs in 6 months (from a high of 16.2 lbs) Ida lost about 3/4 of a lb and now weighs a perfect 10.2 lbs.

Their coats are shiny, they have more energy (not necessarily a good thing at 3 AM) and Ida hasn’t had a urinary track infection since we switched to wet.

I’ve been on a low carb diet for several years. The substitution of a protein bar for a bagel at breakfast took off 10 lbs. A year of pilates took off another 10 lbs and the weight is still dropping. I have no more than 10 additional pounds to go and I’m confident I’ll get there.

Fructose corn syrup must be the worst thing ever invented. Its in everything and I really believe that its largely responsible for the rising rates of diabetes we’re seeing in this country.

By: YesBiscuit

YesBiscuit — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:54 +0000

Wonder if this is true for other carnivores besides cats.

By: Christie Keith

Christie Keith — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:46:22 +0000

There are studies showing the same thing in people. I lost 187 pounds on a low carb diet. And I’ve kept it off now for more than 6 years, still eating low carb. I’m a true believer.

But I think most skeptics contend that the reason low carb diets work is that if you restrict a food group, you reduce calories, and also, that possibly controlling carbohydrate reduces appetite and cravings by reducing blood sugar swings.

And I’m sure that’s true. But a calorie is still not “just” a calorie — people, like cats, can lose the same amount of weight while eating MORE calories if they limit carbohydrate than if they don’t.

Or eat the same amount of calories and lose more weight.

A calorie really, truly is NOT just a calorie, and macronutrients do matter.

Best book on the science behind this is “Good Calories, Bad Calories” by Gary Taubes, although most of the friends to whom I’ve lent or recommended it found it hard going.