Owner's perception of changes in behaviors associated with dieting in fat cats

Abstract

Abstract Fifty-eight obese cats were fed 1 of 3 equicaloric diets for 8 weeks: a high-fiber (HiFi) diet, a control diet formulated to maintain weight in adult cats, or a low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet. The cats' changes in weight at 4 and 8 weeks were compared with baseline weights. Behaviors at 4 weeks were compared between diet groups. Whether the cats differed in behaviors compared with baseline was compared at 4 and 8 weeks without regard to diet. The behaviors were recorded by the owners and analyzed for direction of the change (if change occurred). The behaviors were prefeeding begging, following, meowing, and pacing. Those recorded postfeeding and similarly analyzed were jump in lap, purr, rest, sleep, and use litter box. The owners were also asked whether the cat's affection toward them had changed since the diet was fed. Most of the cats (38 of 47; 81% of those with data for that time) lost weight during the first 4 weeks, irrespective of the diet; there was no difference in percentage of original body weight lost at 4 weeks between the diets ( P = 0.36). However, the HiFi group lost relatively more weight across the entire 8 weeks than did the low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet group ( P = 0.0075). Overall, 38 of 50 (76% of cats with data for that time) of all cats had weight losses at 8 weeks. Irrespective of the diet, many cats reacted to caloric restriction by intensifying their appetitive behaviors. Of the cats that had changed the frequency of the particular behavior at 4 weeks, most increased the frequency: begging (32 of 41 increased), following (35 of 37), meowing (34 of 38), and pacing (30 of 31) before the meal (all P ≤ 0.0001); however, the cats did not begin to beg earlier during food restriction ( P = 0.47). The cats also increased the 4-week postmeal (satiated) behavior for jump in the owners lap (14 of 15 increased) and use the litter box (12 of 13) (both P ≤ 0.005). Affectionate behavior increased in most cats (30 of 32 with change at 4 weeks; P ≤ 0.001). The changes in behaviors at 8 weeks generally followed the same patterns except that purr became significant, and both beg and use of litter lost significance. A HiFi diet led to more weight loss at 8 weeks than an equicaloric and high-protein diet, but the type of diet did not affect appetitive and satiated behaviors. Of the cats that changed behaviors, the appetitive behaviors typically increased, and the owners felt that their cats displayed more affection.