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My cat is overweight and won't play. How can I help him lose weight?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Siamese | Male | neutered

What is the best way to help your cat loose weight. He is pretty overweight for a cat. Never really likes to play unless he is in the mood or given catnip.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 28th, 2017

It can be very difficult to get an overweight cat to lose weight, but keep in mind that every little bit helps. Diet is more important than exercise although getting Oliver to move more will help :try moving his food up high to get him to move, and you can certainly use catnip. I typically recommend using a therapeutic diet to help with fat loss and muscle retention for my patients. Some cats do better with canned, some with dry. Your veterinarian can estimate Oliver's ideal weight and calculate exactly how much food he should get in a day. Avoid all treats and table scraps. Oliver should lose no more than about 1-2% of his body weight per week so keep in mind that it may take several months for him to reach his ideal weight. Good luck!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 4th, 2019

    You may want to look into a prescription diet like Hill’s Metabolic for weight loss. It’s difficult to know exactly how many calories he should be eating without knowing what his estimated ideal body weight is, but in general I recommend reducing food and treats by about 25%. Any exercise can help - if he likes a feather or ribbon type toy or a laser pointer you could start with 10-15 minute sessions twice daily.

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