Impact of time-limited feeding and dietary carbohydrate content on weight loss in group-housed cats

One Health: Circadian Medicine Benefits Both Non-human Animals and Humans Alike

Circadian biology's impact on human physical health and its role in disease development and progression is widely recognized. The forefront of circadian rhythm research now focuses on translational applications to clinical medicine, aiming to enhance disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment responses. However, the field of circadian medicine has predominantly concentrated on human healthcare, neglecting its potential for transformative applications in veterinary medicine, thereby overlooking opportunities to improve non-human animal health and welfare. This review consists of three main sections. The first section focuses on the translational potential of circadian medicine into current industry practices of agricultural animals, with a particular emphasis on horses, broiler chickens, and laying hens. The second section delves into the potential applications of circadian medicine in small animal veterinary care, primarily focusing on our companion animals, namely dogs and cats. The final section explores emerging frontiers in circadian medicine, encompassing aquaculture, veterinary hospital care, and non-human animal welfare and concludes with the integration of One Health principles. In summary, circadian medicine represents a highly promising field of medicine that holds the potential to significantly enhance the clinical care and overall health of all animals, extending its impact beyond human healthcare.

Survey of Belgian owners' perspectives on quality of life and difficulties during a weight-loss programme in obese cats

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to determine owners' perception of their cats' quality of life (QoL), and whether there is a correlation with weight-loss variables, as well as to identify the main difficulties owners encounter during controlled weight loss in their obese cats.

METHODS

The study was carried out as an e-questionnaire survey addressed to owners of cats starting a weight-loss programme. The e-questionnaire was provided at a single time point after the conclusion of the study (24 weeks).

RESULTS

Nineteen completed questionnaires were included. Eighteen cats had a lower weight at the end of the weight-loss period, two of which had successfully reached their target weight. Mean weight loss was 13.84% body weight at a rate of 0.53% weight loss/week. Although the perceived QoL was not correlated with weight-loss variables (P >0.05), it increased over time, even in cats that did not reach their target weight, and was statistically correlated with increased activity (r = 0.73; P <0.01), mobility (r = 0.78; P <0.01) and play time (r = 0.61; P <0.01). The main difficulties encountered by owners were not giving (32%) or permitting the cat to eat extra food (26%). The main presumed difficulty for the cat was having its food decreased over time (53%). Most owners considered their cats happy (42%) and quite happy (53%) during the study, and no statistically significant correlations were found between the weight loss, food-seeking behaviour and stress parameters (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Although several difficulties were encountered throughout the study, increased QoL and energy levels in their cats were noticed by owners. A positive perspective on weight-loss programmes is important to keep owners motivated and achieve the target weight in their cats. Furthermore, this survey provides insights into the perceived difficulties of weight-loss regimens in cats.

Cats reorganise their feeding behaviours when moving from ad libitum to restricted feeding

Objectives

One identified solution to prevent obesity in cats is to control and limit their calorie intake. The objective of the present work was to better elucidate the impact of calorie cut-off on the feeding behaviour of cats.

Methods

A control (n = 31) and a test group of cats (n = 38) were included in the present study. Both groups received the same food variety during the study. A period of ad libitum feeding was initially set (T0), followed by a 9-month mild calorie restriction period for the test group only (T9; average calorie restriction = 6%), and a final period of ad libitum feeding (T10). The individual cat feeding behaviours were measured via an electronic feeding system, and agonistic interactions between cats during food anticipation via video observations. Generalised linear mixed models were fitted to compare all feeding parameters between periods by group. No statistical analyses could be performed on the agonistic interactions data owing to their structure.

Results

The feeding behaviour of the control group remained stable during the entire study, while the test group showed fewer but larger meals taken at shorter time intervals and a faster eating rate in response to calorie restriction. The average total number of agonistic interactions per cat increased during the calorie cut-off period in the test group only. One month after returning to ad libitum feeding, all behaviours were largely restored to baseline values.

Conclusions and relevance

Behavioural changes expressed by cats under calorie restriction can explain some of the difficulties obtaining cat owners’ compliance with dietary restriction, especially in multi-cat households. Feeding strategies should be utilised to help cats be less impulsive and maintain normal feeding patterns when moving away from ad libitum feeding.

Factors associated with overweight cats successfully completing a diet-based weight loss programme: an observational study

BACKGROUND

The most common approach for controlled weight loss in cats is dietary caloric restriction, using a purpose-formulated diet. Most previous studies have only assessed short-term outcomes, and no previous study has examined overall success (i.e. odds of reaching target weight). The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with overweight cats successfully completing a diet-based weight loss programme to reach target weight.

RESULTS

Sixty-two cats were included, and 28 (45%) completed their weight loss programme. The remaining 34 cats (55%) did not reach target weight, of which 2 (3%) were euthanised for unrelated reasons. Reasons for cats stopping the programme prematurely included inability to contact owner (n = 19), owner requested that the programme be completed prior to reaching target weight (n = 5), the cat developed another illness (n = 3), refusal to comply with requirements for weight management (n = 2), owner illness (n = 2), and personal issues of the owner (n = 1). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that rate of weight loss and weight loss required were positively (odds ratio [OR] 157.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.00-2492.67) and negatively (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.98) associated with the odds of completing the weight loss programme, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies should consider developing better methods of supporting the owners of the most obese cats during weight management, since these cats are least likely to complete reach target weight.

An international multi-centre cohort study of weight loss in overweight cats: Differences in outcome in different geographical locations

Introduction

Feline obesity is a worldwide concern which has recently been formally classified as a disease by the veterinary community. Management involves invoking controlled weight loss by feeding a purpose-formulated food in restricted quantities and altering physical activity. Most weight loss studies conducted in cats have been undertaken in research cat colonies from single geographic locations. The aim of this multi-centre cohort study was to determine the efficacy of a short-term dietary weight loss intervention in overweight pet cats across a range of geographical locations globally.

Materials and methods

A 3-month (median 13 weeks, inter-quartile range [IQR] 12–15 weeks) weight loss programme was conducted at 188 veterinary practices in 22 countries, and involving 730 cats, 413 of which completed the programme and had complete data available. All were fed commercially available dry or wet weight loss diets, and median energy intake was 53 kcal/kg BW^0.711/day. The Royal Canin Ethics Committee approved the study, and owners gave informed consent. Owners completed behavioural questionnaires assessing begging, physical activity and quality of life (QOL). Linear mixed models were used to assess the respective influence of time, age, and initial body condition score (BCS) on weight loss and behavioural observations.

Results

At baseline, median age was 72 months (range 12–200 months) and median BCS was 8 (range 7–9). In all, 402/413 cats (97%) lost weight (mean 10.6±6.3%) during the programme at a rate of 0.8 ±0.50%/week. Based upon owner questionnaires, activity and QOL improved (both P<0.001), while begging behaviour decreased (P<0.001) during weight loss. The main factor influencing percentage weight loss was geographical location (P<0.001), with cats in North America losing less weight (median 7.2%, IQR: 4.4–10.4%) than those in both Europe (10.7%, 6-8-15.4%) and South America (10.0%, 6.2–15.4%). Differences in weight loss were also observed amongst countries (P<0.001), with cats in Argentina, Germany, and Italy losing more weight than cats in the USA, and cats in Germany also losing more weight than cats in Portugal.

Discussion/conclusion

Most of the overweight cats enrolled in this international multi-centre study successfully lost weight. The reason for the differences in percentage weight loss amongst geographical locations requires further study.

Obesity Treatment: Environment and Behavior Modification

Obesity is commonly encountered in veterinary patients. Although there are various published dietary approaches to achieving weight loss, successful long-term prevention of weight regain has proven elusive. Adding environmental and behavioral treatment strategies to a weight loss plan may help the veterinary team, the pet, and the pet owner maximize the effectiveness of the program. Because the owner directly affects the environment and behavior of the pet undergoing a weight loss plan, treatment strategies with an emphasis on owner involvement is the focus of this review. Veterinary use of the 5 A's behavioral counseling approach with the pet owner is discussed.

Changes in body composition during weight loss in obese client-owned cats: Loss of lean tissue mass correlates with overall percentage of weight lost

Obesity is one of the most common medical diseases in cats, but there remains little information on success of weight loss regimes in obese client-owned cats. No information currently exists on body composition changes during weight loss in clinical cases. Twelve obese client-owned cats undertook a weight loss programme incorporating a high-protein low fat diet. Body composition was quantified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, before and after weight loss. Mean (±standard deviation) weight loss was 27±6.8% of starting weight, and mean rate of weight loss was 0.8±0.32% per week. Mean energy allocation during weight loss was 32±7.0 kcal/kg target weight. Mean composition of tissue lost was 86:13:1 (fat:lean:bone mineral). The proportion of lean tissue loss was positively associated with overall percentage of weight loss (simple linear regression, r2=44.2%, P=0.026). Conventional weight loss programmes produce safe weight loss, but lean tissue loss is an inevitable consequence in cats that lose significant proportions of their starting body weight.

Understanding and Managing Obesity in Dogs and Cats

Treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common disease, and nutrition has become an integral part of management. This article focuses on the role of nutrition and dietary ingredients in OA, evaluating current evidence for obesity management, omega-3 fatty acids, and chondromodulating agents. Additionally, Keeping an animal in optimal to slightly lean body condition has been shown to decrease the risk of development of OA and to aid in management of dogs with OA.