Cat diet- overweight and elevated blood sugar

[jackiea1021]

Hi- my 9 year old cat is fully recovered from his recent bout with a bad stomach illness. He was overweight to start with, about 18 lb. and lost some body weight, probably between 16-17 now, but I don't want to overfeed him and let him gain back all the weight he lost(I have added canned food for a few days since he's been sice). While at the vet, they checked his blood sugar and it was 209-elevated but not critical. We will have it checked again in 3 months to evaluate. Meanwhile, he usually has free access to Iams regular dry food(not light) at all times, we have 2 cats, this male is fat, and the female is normal weight. I have read it is bad for the system if they nibble all day, but don't really know how much he eats now in quantity, so don't know how much to reduce it by. Should I feed once or twice daily and do they need canned food or is just dry ok, and should I take it away until next feeding time? There is lots of info out there, and it's confusing- any opinions? Also, does anyone feed a natural home made diet- either raw or cooked? I am curious, but the cats are 8 and 9, so may not adapt to a complete change in diet. Thanks in advance for any advice!
Jackie

[Traci]

I wouldn't automatically assume your kitty has fully recovered. As a matter of fact, I would get him back to your vet for a recheck on the blood tests. It's been almost a full week since the initial anorexia/vomiting and he only started interest in eating last night, and not much at that. While it seems to be slight improvement, there may still be an underlying problem that needs to be rechecked by your vet. I would also suggest another x-ray to see if there are any changes in the abdomen, intestines, bowel loops, etc. It seems your vet was thorough with diagnostics at the time, but I would double-check with him and make absolutely certain there are no oral health problems, diseased teeth, ulcers, etc. that may be preventing him from eating. A CBC might show if there is an infection present that could also be preventing him from eating.

Only your vet can answer the question about the diet. This should also be based on any new findings/diagnostics concerning kitty's current problems. If constipation/diarrhea has been or is an issue, the diet may need to be changed to something more appropriate for easier digestion. Since he is overweight as well and the glucose is elevated, if a weight loss managment is initiated, it has to be done slowly, carefully, cautiously, and on strict supervision of your vet. He would need to calculate kitty's weight, requirements, evaluate his general health status in order to calculate his feeding amounts (and type of diet used for the purpose). You do not ever want your kitty to lose weight fast, suddenly or drastically, as this can cause severe liver problems as well as diabetes. Never approach this on your own, it must be done under supervision of your vet.

I don't advocate home-cooked or raw diets at all. I would only suggest home-cooked in the event your vet determined a food allergy, IBD that was not responsive to medical management, or any serious condition that required a home-cooked diet. These diets need to be carefully prepared, properly supplemented, not easy for the average owner to do. I don't ever advocate raw diets due to potential bacterial/parasitic concerns, not to mention feeding a raw diet to a cat with a health condition yet undiagnosed.

Please speak with your vet about these issues, and opt to get a recheck on the bloodwork, x-ray, etc. Since a week has passed with anorexia and insufficient nutritional support, you need to find out if the liver or kidneys have been compromised.