Effectiveness of a new dietetic weight management food to achieve weight loss in client-owned obese cats

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate weight loss and maintenance parameters in cats fed a novel weight management food and to assess the owner's perception of the cat's quality of life. Methods This study was designed as a prospective, uncontrolled/unmasked clinical trial. One hundred and thirty-two overweight/obese, otherwise healthy, client-owned cats were enrolled. Initial evaluation included physical examination, nutritional assessment, ideal body weight determination and weight-loss feeding guidelines development. Followup evaluations (monthly for 6 months) encompassed determination of body weight, body condition score, body fat index, muscle condition score and feeding practices. Quality of life assessment by owners included the cat's level of energy, happiness, appetite, begging behavior, flatulence, stool volume and fecal score. Results Eighty-three percent of the cats lost weight, with an average +/- SEM weight loss of 11.0 +/- 1.8% over 6 months and an average +/- SE weekly weight loss rate of 0.45 +/- 0.02%. The mean +/- SEM duration of weight loss was 134.0 +/- 4.8 days. Fourteen percent of cats achieved an ideal body weight. Seventy-nine percent of cats ate more calories from novel weight management food than the recommended daily energy requirement for weight loss, and the majority of these cats still lost weight. Body condition score and body fat index decreased over time compared with baseline from weeks 12-24 and from weeks 8-24, respectively. Owners perceived an increase in energy and happiness (>week 12) in the cats that lost weight, without changes in appetite or begging behavior. Conclusions and relevance This study confirmed the effectiveness of the novel weight management food in achieving weight loss in overweight/obese client-owned cats. Owners reported significant improvements in their cat's quality of life without negative side effects.