The best cat food for overweight cats in the UK is specially formulated to provide essential nutrients whilst being lower in calories. This is not for kittens, pregnant or nursing cats - rather it's for those pets that have chosen to embrace a cat's life and are more Garfield than Simba.
Cats can struggle with their weight, especially when they spend all or most of their time indoors. If your cat can go outdoors, do allow them to exercise their natural instinct to run, scratch, pounce, climb and hunt in the garden. Getting active and being able to fully stretch their muscles will maintain their body condition. It's important for wellbeing too. Plus, your cat's food should come from a good brand.
If your cat is an indoor cat, provide lots of toys and stimulating activities for play. Provide indoor cat grass to enhance their environment and provide micronutrients. Spend time interacting with your pet - it's both a wonderful bonding opportunity and gets your cat active. If you've got guts, you can use a slow feeder to turn meal times into a stimulating puzzle which also means your moggy won't be able to gobble up the goodies. Additionally, their digestion will be much improved. If your cat is proving to be a scoffer rather than a grazer, an automatic pet feeder can be useful for giving the right portion size of the kibble.
Best cat food for overweight cats at a glance in the UK:
• Best dry cat food for overweight cats: Hill's Science Plan Perfect Weight Dry Adult Cat Food with Chicken - View at Pets at Home
• Best wet cat food for overweight cats: Royal Canin Ultra Light Weight Care in Gravy Adult Wet Cat Food - View on Amazon UK
• Best dry food for sterilised cats: Smilla Adult Light - Poultry - View at ZooPlus
• Best cat food for less active cats: Purina Pro Plan Light Cat Optilight - View at Pets at Home
A cat is classed as obese if their body weight is 10-20 per cent above what is normal for their breed and build. Almost half of domestic cats in the UK are obese and 50,000 are suffering from diabetes. For a longer life expectancy, these fat cats need to be placed on a calorie-restricted diet. Here's our round-up of the best lighter pet foods and premium foods that promote better health and body condition.
Best cat food for overweight cats UK
Best dry cat food for overweight cats
www.petsathome.com
To get your cat from chunky to hunky, Hill's Science Plan Perfect Weight Dry Adult Cat Food with Chicken is the top dry cat food for healthy weight maintenance. With a balance of 50 nutrients, it's clinically proven to help cats achieve a healthy body condition. This kibble is suitable for adult cats 1+ years. In addition to chicken, there is also a tuna flavour - which at least gives a bit of flavour variety. Although it's worth noting that cats have a lot fewer taste buds than dogs and humans, so it's not worth getting too hung up on gourmet flavour combinations for cats.
Customer review: "I have four cats in my home. They have always been happy with the food we give them, until I received the Hill's Science Plan Perfect Weight Adult Cat Food. Since trying it, they refuse to eat their old food. Once I had used up the packet, they hardly ate anything until I bought some more of this. They are now regularly fed on this food. I have two cat feeders, one has their old food and one has this food. This is the only feeder I have to refill! I love the fact that the pieces are small. My two old girls have issues with their teeth and I'm sure this is one of the reasons they choose this food over their old food. Very happy cats mean very happy owner."
Pros
- This brand produces a range of wet food and flavours that are for weight control
- Effective
- Complete nutrition
Cons
- Contains gluten
Best wet cat food for overweight cats
Cats will enjoy the delicious texture of this Royal Canin Ultra Light Weight Care in Gravy Adult Wet Cat Food. The high water content promotes a healthy urinary system. Containing 19 per cent less calories, the high protein content maintains muscle mass while limiting weight gain. Royal Canin claims: "Over 90 per cent of slightly overweight cats achieved a healthier weight in eight weeks". Offer this wet food in conjunction with dry kibble, otherwise, this becomes a very expensive way to feed a cat.
Customer review: "We've had great success with this food. Our male cat had repeating bladder infections due to being overweight. We've been using this along with a similar dry food. With this and added daily exercise (play), he has lost a significant amount of weight in a single month. He's in great health now. The only down side to this food is that it's a little difficult to get out of the package. The jelly variety of the same brand is much easier to work with."
Pros
- Cats like the taste
- Effective
Cons
- A bit difficult to get the food out of the pouch
Best dry food for sterilised cats
www.zooplus.co.uk
For less active and sterilised cats that have gained weight, Smilla Adult Light - Poultry is a complete dry cat food to help balance the fat and energy levels that have been affected by a slower metabolism. To illustrate portion size, Smilla suggests that an active adult cat that weighs around 5kg should eat 85g of Smila a day. In comparison, a neutered cat that's the same weight should eat between 45-60g a day. Containing 30 per cent high-quality poultry protein, reduced fat and plant fibres to aid digestion - this is a great kibble for overweight cats and cats with low activity levels.
Customer review: "A high-protein, high-volume, low-calorie dry food. Milton wolfs down his meals so there's no way I'd be able to feed him the brands that recommend 45g a day, but I can give him up to 80g a day (he's almost 5kg) of Smilla for around the same price. He loves it so much they even work in his treat/exercise ball."
Pros
- Complete food
- Added vitamins and minerals
- Good for teeth too
Cons
- The kibble is 9-10mm - it's larger than a lot of other dry foods - which might be difficult for some cats
Best cat food for less active cats
www.petsathome.com
Industry leader in pet food, Purina has a huge range of specially tailored products that are developed with pet nutritionists and vets. Purina Pro Plan Light Cat Optilight contains 38 per cent protein from turkey which will keep your kitty lean and full of vitality. Additionally, this formulated dry cat food contains OptiRenal, which is a special mix of nutrients - including vitamin C and E beta-carotene, arginine and the omega-3 fatty acid EPA - to improve kidney function and support lifelong healthy kidneys.
Customer review: "My cat tends to be rather fussy with her food and has a sensitive tummy. She loves this food and always goes at it as soon as I drop it in her bowl. Digestibility very good. The smell is fresh and appetising."
Pros
- Easy to digest
- Quality ingredients and nutrients
- Kidney care
Cons
- Kibble size is 11mm - some cats might struggle with a larger bite
Best bulk buy
www.zooplus.co.uk
You never see a fat fish, so it stands to reason eating salmon-based food is going to be efficient in getting your cat into shape. Perfect Fit Cat Complete Dry Adult 1+ Salmon is made with your cat's health in mind. Encouraging a well-balanced diet, this complete dry adult cat food supports adult cats with their coat, digestion, healthy urinary tracts, and optimum weight and body condition.
Customer review: "I had tried many varieties of dry food for our cat without success. Our cat loves this brand and really enjoys eating it."
Pros
- Lots of nutrients
- Specifically tailored for adult cats
Cons
- Fairly small pieces mean bigger cats might eat too fast
6.
Katkin Club
Best subscription for healthy cat food
www.katkin.com
If you're looking to jump to a high-quality cat food subscription box (think like HelloFresh or Gaucho for us humans), then check out Katkin Club for cats. They make fresh meals for cats every single day starting at £1.89 a day including dry, wet, homemade and raw options. It is slightly expensive to upkeep, but if you're looking to test them out they do a two-week free trial. Katkin Club devise a personalised plan, so your cat gets the calories they need… and no more.
Customer review: "Switching to KatKin was the best thing I’ve ever done for my cats. They are looking much healthier and happier. Our Tom cat who had suffered several UTI infections previously has not had any recurrence of this painful condition since we switched to KatKin over 12 months ago. Highly recommended…"
Pros
- 100 per cent human-quality meats
- Gently cooked to protect nutrients
- Frozen fresh with no preservatives
Cons
- Storing packs of frozen food takes up space
Best dry cat food to maintain body condition
Your cat will be looking sleek with IAMS. IAMS for Vitality Dry Cat Food with Chicken is supplemented with vitamins and minerals which is underpinned by over 70 years of research, development and innovation. The main ingredient is chicken, a natural source of taurine, which is essential for maintaining healthy eyesight and immune systems in cats. Iams contains a high percentage of meat protein. The composition of ingredients is a special formulation that reduces urinary pH and has prebiotics and beet pulp for healthy digestion. In addition, omega 3 and 6 support healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Customer review: "My cats are now 12 so I do worry about their health and ensuring that what they eat contains plenty of goodness to help them stay healthy and energetic. They really enjoyed this food and it seemed to do them good to. Their coats are shiny, and they are happy and healthy."
Pros
- Tailored blend of minerals for optimum health
- Wheat-free, no artificial colours, flavours or GMOs
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Other cat foods have higher protein
Best portion size for weight control
www.lilyskitchen.co.uk
Lily's Kitchen Pate is portioned in 85g trays. This Organic Chicken Pate is extra lickable - pair it with a puzzle feeder to make the treat last longer for your cat. In addition, eating slower will help their digestion. Even better, this is grain-free with all-natural ingredients and no added sugar, so you're getting high-quality meat, too. The organic ingredients include freshly prepared chicken, pork, beef and fish, together with carrots for a winner-winner, chicken dinner.
Customer review: "We bought this after our ten-year-old Napoleon lost six teeth. Chunky food is out of the question now, and early kidney disease makes food choices limited and tricky, as he also needs grain-free. We gave this pate a go… and result. He absolutely loves it."
Pros
- Very smooth
- Wide variety of flavours
- Quality organic ingredients
Cons
- Feeding your cat this way will accumulate lots of packaging
Best dry cat food for indoor and outdoor cats
www.petsathome.com
Royal Canin has a wide selection of dry food that caters to all sorts of different cat lifestyles - indoor, outdoor, sensitive stomach and picky eaters. We've selected this newly formulated food that's intended for adult cats who go outside but spend most of their time indoors - a perfect all-rounder for cats. Royal Canin Fit 32 Adult Cat is suitable for cats between 1-7 years old. Its formulation of 32 vitamins and minerals supports every major function in a cat's body. The adapted kibble size will thoroughly clean their teeth, keeping plaque under control.
Customer review: "I've got two very different cats, and they are both happy and healthy on this food. Great, you can buy the large bags here as well, stays fresh and makes it easier."
Pros
- Maintains a healthy weight and body mass
- Reduces hairball formation
- Support digestive function
Cons
- No flavour variation
Best cat bowl for weight management
www.petsathome.com
Surefeed's pet feeder is a high-tech solution if you have more than one pet. The sensor detects when your cat is in the bowl by microchip, and it only opens for them. You can monitor how much they are eating and set portion control. This feeder is suitable for all cats, and even small dogs, and has an integrated seal that keeps food as fresh as possible.
Customer review: "If my cat could speak, he would say thank you as now he gets to eat his food and the dog doesn't. The whole product is solid and easy to set up. The sensor opens when my cat is close to the bowl."
Pros
- Insight into your cat's feeding behaviour
- Portion size control
- Convenient
Cons
- Your cat has to be microchipped
FAQs
What causes cats to gain weight?
It's tempting, but try not to give too many tidbits. Treats should only be 10 per cent of a cat's daily diet. Dry cat kibble can be measured out into exact portions using scales and is ideal if your cat prefers to graze all day. Alternatively, wet cat food contains a higher proportion of water, which keeps your cat hydrated, and feeling full and produces more dilute urine.
Look for cat food that contains a source of fibre - it will be listed in the product description and is commonly beet pulp. Just remember that cats are obligate carnivores and depend on meat in their diet. Chicken is a top choice because it contains taurine which maintains the immune system.
Sterilisation changes a cat's metabolism. Their appetite can increase and their metabolism drops as a result of being neutered. If your cat has been spayed or neutered it's important to notice any weight gain. It's essential to keep your cat at their optimum weight to prevent a range of health problems, such as diabetes, arthritis, urinary tract disorders and heart disease.
Have you checked for worms? Yes, it's icky but worms can cause an increase in appetite. If your cat has a pot belly or distended abdomen worms could be the cause. Do note, that other symptoms of worms include weight loss, diarrhoea, itching and deteriorating condition of their coat.
Is it better to feed my cat wet or dry food?
Both types of food have their benefits. Wet food is mostly water and fills up your cat's tummy. In addition, wet food can be better for bladder health as the water content makes a more diluted urine.
Other the other hand, dry cat food in the form of kibble is great for dental health as the crunchy biscuits break down tartar and slow the build-up of plaque. Also, if your cat prefers to graze, dry cat food is the better option because it can be left out all the time.
You can feed your cat a combination of wet and dry food to get the best of both worlds.
What is diet cat food?
Diet food contains fewer calories, so it reduces a cat's energy intake without having to cut the quantity of food. Both dry cat food and wet cat food are available in lighter versions. Typically, they are lower in fat and contain a source of fibre. Also, complete diet foods are enriched with vitamins and minerals to keep your cat in tip-top condition. It's important to note that weight gain can be a result of additional health problems, so giving your cat the best possible nutrients is essential.
How much should I feed my overweight cat?
The correct portion size depends on your cat's size, lifestyle and weight. All commercial pet food has a feeding guide on the packaging that tells you how many grams per day a cat should be eating. Treats should be 10 per cent of their daily diet. Follow the PSDA's advice on feeding overweight cats: "If your cat is overweight, it’s important to feed them the amount recommended for their ideal weight, not their actual weight. So, if your cat is 5kg, but their ideal weight is 3.5kg, feed them the amount recommended for a 3.5kg cat".
How can I prevent my indoor cat from gaining too much weight?
It's a cat's life after all, but sedentary indoor cats are most likely to gain weight. In addition to the right food and portion size, give your pet stimulating activities that simulate their hunting, roaming, climbing, running and jumping needs. Lots of play is great exercise, so make sure your cats have several toys to stalk, chase and pounce on.
Wet cat food is bulkier because of its water content - this is filling and with fewer calories. It's stimulating for a cat to enjoy a delicious texture and smell and makes a great option for indoor cats. Meanwhile, puzzle feeders can make your cat more active and stop them from eating too fast.
Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Take A Break Pets, specialising in all things cats and dogs. In her other life, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.