Orijen for weight loss - opinions please

[Millys Mum]

2mm isnt much, fish bones aren't like cows, i wouldnt let it put me off, if you did get a problem with the cat range they would swap it

[Mark]

I guess she is 


I have been searching for it but keep coming across this story. I know it was dog food and I'm sure it has been sorted but a bit worrying (salmon bones in food)

http://www.5stardog.com/Dog-Food/re-399705_Bone-fragments-in-Orijen---Champion-Pet-Foods-response.aspx

[Millys Mum]

Thanks Gillina  I will order some and see how she goes - although she keeps piching the hedgies regular dry food 

Shes probably eating more than you think then...

[Mark]

Thanks Gillina  I will order some and see how she goes - although she keeps piching the hedgies regular dry food 

[Gillian Harvey]

My carb theory makes sense to me but wondered if it did to anyone else?

The way I see it (but I stand to be corrected) cats are designed to convert fat and protein into energy but not carbs - so theoretically, rediced carbs should reduce weight better than reduced fat? - for cats anyway.

Absolutely! You are spot on, and if she won't eat meat, then I'm sure a 'no carb' dry is worth a try.

[Mark]

The problem is getting her to eat the wet. She is a biscuit girl. She won't even eat real meat like the others.

[fluffybunny]

Geoffrey is a tubby boy (7.2kg), in the past month I've swapped them over onto the bozita cartons and he is now down to 6.8 relatively painlessly - by which I mean he hasn't been whingeing hugely for food so it must be quite filling.  I don't think bozita has any cereals in it but my swedish isn't really good enough to double check 

[Mark]

I have tried that but she won't eat much wet. Surprisingly, she doesn't eat a lot of dry either. I think switching her to a low-carb dry will help her. I will give it a go as nothing else is working.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Senior food does help cats loose weight, and wet food is best MArk, so maybe reduce her dry and feed her more wet?

[Mark]

Like Orijen?  - no grain

[Millys Mum]

Low cal foods are always full of low quality grain, better to feed less of a good quality meaty food

[Mark]

It's mainly for Kylie but Alice is startingto put it on too. She won't exercise at all - she just watches me 

I wish I could find a quality food that is healthy and low cal - rather than a diet version of a high cereal food.

[Den]

Granted I know far more about dog food than cat food I don't think they are that dissimilar. With a dog carbs are basically a filler. A dog gets it's energy from protein and fat. So the higher the protein and fat (you need the right ratios of fat to protein) the better. If that dog is not active enough then it will put ON weight because the fat and protein get stored as fat!! Oddly enough with a dog if you want them to put on weight you feed them carb fillers and less protein/fat .. they are in effect eating less but the carbs fill them up so they feel full.

Like a human and dog Alice will need exercise as well as a change in diet to loose weight. Again going back with dogs I know most dogs would just have to look at a bag of Orijen to put on weight.

[Mark]

I just looked and can't see anything about weight loss but the "biologically appropriate" thing sums it up really. cats convert fat onto energy when fed a high protein diet. I will order some and see how she goes on it.

[Angiew]

Doesn't their website say something about weight loss? I think it still depends on the cat, my ging justl ikes to eat and is overweight, mind you He's not getting any bigger which is a good start

I think zooplus are out to help though as they have been promising new stock of the larger bags for over a month - I have just been forced to place a second order of the smaller bags - and its working out expensive at the moment.

[Mark]

Without having anything to compare it to, it's difficult as they never quote Kcals on cat food 

I almost ordered Eaglepack house cat until I saw they use Poultrymeal rather that poultry meat meal.

[sheryl]

You could Email Orijen Mark, they are very good at answering queries.

[Mark]

No doubt it is quality food - I just don't want her any heavier.

My carb theory makes sense to me but wondered if it did to anyone else?

The way I see it (but I stand to be corrected) cats are designed to convert fat and protein into energy but not carbs - so theoretically, rediced carbs should reduce weight better than reduced fat? - for cats anyway.

Please can someone tell me if I am talking nonsense? 

[sheryl]

My cats are all on Orijen Mark they are all thriving (my vet thought I had put some sort of oil conditioner on the Bengals coats because they are so soft and shiny)- I cant comment on the weight loss side of things though.

[Mark]

I have tried Kylie on Hill's R/D and M/D and she isn't getting any lighter. I'm concerned that any Hill's still contains a lot of cereal. I am thinking of trying something like Orijen which has no cereal and therefore very low carb. I know cat's bodies aren't designed to process carbs so wonder if this may help. Even though this would be higher fat, it is as they say "biologically appropriate" - would be a bonus if I can get Alice on it as well as it also has glucosamine.

Does that make sense?