Jessie is a 5 year old grey Domestic Short Hair who has come to the Park Road Veterinary Clinic for her care since she was just a kitten. When Jessie was 3 years old she started to gain some weight and at 4 years old she was up to 14.3lbs – a healthy weight for Jessie would be around 11lbs.
Her owners and Dr. Martin discussed her weight loss at her annual appointment and they committed to her weight loss goal. I should mention that Jessie has food allergies so this would not be an easy journey. Finding a food that worked for losing weight and did not cause Jessie any complications would be a challenge for them.
Marilyn and Harold worked diligently on Jessie’s weight loss and when she came in for her annual wellness exam this year she was down 2.2 lbs! That’s amazing progress for a cat! Anyone who has a cat that needs to lose weight knows how difficult it is to do and how monumental that much weight loss is.
When I asked Jessie’s owners how they did it, this was their response, “Well Jakki, like everything in life, you have to be disciplined when trying to achieve a goal. We started with counting calories, then measuring the amount of food allotted. E.g. 1/4 tin of wet food in the morning and at supper. 1/4 cup dry food (allotment for entire day) fed as treats through the day. Jessie has food allergies. With Sue’s help at Paulmac’s we were able to come up with a diet/food that Jessie not only could, but would eat. It was a journey. We had to be patient and not give in her crying for food. Be consistent. Yes, her food is costly, but as Harold says, ‘this is her college fund, and we don’t have to buy shoes.’ You cannot put a price tag on your pet’s health.”
We are so happy for them and for Jessie, this is a huge success and should be celebrated. We wanted to share Jessie’s weight loss success in order to give others hope and advice towards their pet’s weight loss. It is possible, it takes dedication and some trial and error but you can do it. Jessie is healthier and happier and that’s the best outcome we can hope for!
By: Jakki Papp
