Safe Dieting Tips for Cats.

The new weight loss pill for dogs is not safe to use in cats. That's too bad because, for cats, extra weight is more of a problem and harder to safely lose.

Cats have very fine bones and joints, engineered to be just strong enough. Big bones would diminish reaction time and quickness, which are vital for a hunter of birds and mice. A little extra weight may lead to arthritis. Obesity can also predispose cats to diabetes and to a serious liver disease called "hepatic lipidosis."

Neither jogging and nor a long walk on a leash appeals to a cat. For a dog, a walk or even a ride in a car is an adventure, but a cat would rather take a nap. Encouraging exercise, through play, is good for your relationship with your cat but I don't think the cat's going to burn much fat.

If you have the will power, it is simple and generally safe to take pounds off your dog by simply limiting the amount of food he gets. You generally don't have to worry about deficiencies in vitamins, minerals or essential amino acids, but it's always good to ask your veterinarian first.

Cats, however, have some important nutritional idiosyncrasies that must be allowed for in a weight loss program. Cats can't make vitamin A or a B vitamin called niacin. Arginine and taurine are essential amino acids that cats require in their diets. They must also get an essential fatty acid called arachidonic acid in their diet and they require more protein than dogs do. In nature cats eat virtually nothing but other animals, and they eat the whole animal. Everything. This ensures that they get these critical nutrients in adequate amounts.

That is why good quality cat food is so important. These foods are designed so that if the cat eats the amount that a typical cat would require to maintain its body weight, it would get enough of all these critical nutrients. To lose weight, the cat has to eat less than that amount, and therefore might serious deficiencies in these things. To complicate things further, too strict of a diet may cause "hepatic lipidosis," a serious liver disease that is expensive to treat and often fatal.

The basic plan is still to weigh the cat every week or two and measure his total food intake, including treats and table scraps, and tidbits pilfered from the dog or other cats. But you must adjust the amount of food carefully, so the cat loses an ounce or two of weight per week. It is best to do this under the direction of your veterinarian, and get a thorough physical examination, and perhaps lab work, before starting.

Specially formulated cat foods are also an important part of a feline weight loss program. These foods will probably have added amounts of vitamin A and niacin, arginine and taurine, and arachidonic acid, perhaps higher protein, and may be restricted in carbohydrates. Several companies manufacture dry and canned foods to help cats lose weight.

Hills offers "r/d feline" and "m/d feline," canned or dry and Royal Canin offers a "Calorie Control" diet for cats. On a query we posted on an Internet site for veterinarians these were the foods most commonly recommended for feline weight loss. Iams and Purina, as well as several other companies, also make diet foods now. I found several Internet sites such as RxPetFood.com and PetFoodDirect.com where you can buy these prescription foods on-line.

But before you do anything, talk to your veterinarian. The wrong weight loss program could kill your cat.