Average Jane's Cat Improvement Program

Test Subject #1: Xena
Weight: 15.5 pounds
Physique: Excessively Rounded
Cooperation Level: Fair

 

Test Subject #2: Velvet
Weight: 11.2 pounds
Physique: Lean and Muscular
Cooperation Level: Along for the ride

Thanks to BlogPaws and pet food company Nulo, I'm starting a 90-day program to get Xena to slim down. She's a young cat - not even four yet - and I hate to see her so overweight. Yes, I love her even though I know she's plotting to do away with me so she can have my husband to herself.

Velvet is participating as well because she and Xena live in the same part of the house and are used to sharing a food bowl. It's not a "diet food," per se, so she'll benefit from the nutrients without necessarily losing any weight.

Before the program started, I sat in on a conference call with the company's CEO and founder, Mike Landa. He started the company in response to hearing more and more clients of his pet sitting company request pet sitters who could administer insulin to their diabetic pets. It made him take a step back and look for the root cause of the increase in pet obesity that he and his colleagues had been observing, which led straight to their diets.

The Nulo site has a lot of interesting information about ingredients that you do and don't want to see in your pets' food. Their Nutrition Philosophy page even links to a bad ingredients list you can print out and take to the store to help you select the best food.

The coolest thing about their site is that you can create profiles for each of your pets and track their weight and exercise levels (the amount of time you spend playing with them in various ways). If you've ever looked at a weight loss site for humans, it's pretty close to the same thing.

We made the food switch a couple of days ago and the main difference I'm seeing so far is that the cats aren't hoovering through all their food quite as quickly. Supposedly this is because it's more nutritionally dense and filling.

I'll be weighing the cats and posting periodic updates for the next couple of months and I'm really hoping it helps Xena get to a healthier size. I'm embarrassed to admit that I had to give her a treat to get her to stand up so I could get the final photo.

Disclosure: Nulo has generously provided free product and other benefits in exchange for my participation in the Nu Campaign to fight pet obesity. All of the opinions about the product are mine and not dictated in any way by the company.

Comments

[Keith]

So Dr. Jones is at his fighting weight then ?

[girlvaughn]

I'm sure I've already told you this but I have two black cats too! Good luck with the new food plan, can't wait to hear how it works. Two of our cats have been at their same weight for a while now - around 13 lbs - and they're 10. The kitten hates to eat and will probably always be 7 lbs.

[Dogingham]

Love those kitty pics. Best wished from another Nulo blogger :)

[zenzonechick]

I still remember when Xena was tiny enough to sit on my shoulder on the way home. Smallest one in the cage!

[Teri and the cats of Furrydance]

Great post and photos! Zena and Disco started this 'Simply Fit' program at the same weight and almost the same age (Disco is 5 years old)...wish they could 'work out' together, hahameow! Purring for success for Xena, from another Nulo blogcat!