Introduction
What is the problem with obesity? It is the current most common nutritional disorder in our pets today. One third of American pets are considered to be obese. While the trend shows, it is more common for dogs to be obese, the rate at which cats are said to be obese is as high as 52% in the pet population (Miller). Obesity is a result of energy intake exceeding energy expenditure with the accumulation of excessive amounts of adipose tissue in the body (Butterwick, 2272S; Miller, 16). Yet another way to define obesity is to determine BCS or Body Condition Score. This is done in a systematic way and requires some training and skill to accurately determine the correct BCS. To start you would want to palpate the ribs, vertebrae, and …show more content…
Some of these ways can potentially have a negative effect on your cat, so achieving weight loss properly is the key. Energy reduction post neutering should be that weight loss is achieved, but there is no loss of lean muscle mass. If the level of energy restriction is too severe there will be rapid weight loss, however there will also be a significant loss of lean body mass (Butterwick, 2113S). Lean body mass is your cats own body muscling, and with low energy intake the body has to break down muscle to make its own energy, and will not use the fat present in adipose tissues. To correctly address weight loss in your cat, energy should be restricted by 60% of adult maintenance requirements at target body weight for a period of 18 weeks. This will result in a 1% body weight loss per week and 90% of that weight will be from body fat. This method limits the loss of lean body mass to only 8% of total body weight over the 18-week period. If the energy is restricted by 45% of adult maintenance requirements at target body weight over an 18-week period, this will result in a body weight loss of 1.3%. This seems much better because the cat is losing more weight, however it comes at a cost. The amount of lean body mass that is lost jumps to 19% of total body weight over the 18-week period (Butterwick,
What is the problem with obesity? It is the current most common nutritional disorder in our pets today. One third of American pets are considered to be obese. While the trend shows, it is more common for dogs to be obese, the rate at which cats are said to be obese is as high as 52% in the pet population (Miller). Obesity is a result of energy intake exceeding energy expenditure with the accumulation of excessive amounts of adipose tissue in the body (Butterwick, 2272S; Miller, 16). Yet another way to define obesity is to determine BCS or Body Condition Score. This is done in a systematic way and requires some training and skill to accurately determine the correct BCS. To start you would want to palpate the ribs, vertebrae, and …show more content…
Some of these ways can potentially have a negative effect on your cat, so achieving weight loss properly is the key. Energy reduction post neutering should be that weight loss is achieved, but there is no loss of lean muscle mass. If the level of energy restriction is too severe there will be rapid weight loss, however there will also be a significant loss of lean body mass (Butterwick, 2113S). Lean body mass is your cats own body muscling, and with low energy intake the body has to break down muscle to make its own energy, and will not use the fat present in adipose tissues. To correctly address weight loss in your cat, energy should be restricted by 60% of adult maintenance requirements at target body weight for a period of 18 weeks. This will result in a 1% body weight loss per week and 90% of that weight will be from body fat. This method limits the loss of lean body mass to only 8% of total body weight over the 18-week period. If the energy is restricted by 45% of adult maintenance requirements at target body weight over an 18-week period, this will result in a body weight loss of 1.3%. This seems much better because the cat is losing more weight, however it comes at a cost. The amount of lean body mass that is lost jumps to 19% of total body weight over the 18-week period (Butterwick,