Effects Of Low Calories, High Fibre Diet On Weight And Body Condition Score In Overweight/ Obese Prone Cat In Malaysia

An abstract of the research paper presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, in partial requirement of the course DVT 55204 – Research Project. Feline obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disorder among domestic cats, particularly middle-aged and neutered ones. Factors such as free feeding practices, sedentary lifestyles, and positive owner perceptions of chubby cats exacerbate the problem. Effective weight management strategies are therefore critical. This study investigates the effectiveness of a low-calorie, highfibre diet (Diet A) in achieving gradual, safe weight loss (0.5%-2% per week) to minimize risks like hepatic lipidosis in overweight or obese-prone cats with a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6/9 or higher. The study also evaluates the impact of this dietary intervention on overall health, owner compliance, and feeding practices. Additionally, strategies to increase satiety through dietary fiber and maintain lean body mass with high-protein formulas were integrated into the intervention. A cohort of overweight and obese-prone cats was enrolled and monitored for body weight, body condition score (BCS), and overall health metrics over a 4-week period. Behavioral observations, including satiety and activity levels, were also assessed to determine the diet's acceptability and impact on feline well-being with an emphasis on safety and minimizing adverse effects. While the results may not show a drastic loss of body weight, the trial underscored the importance of a slow and steady approach to feline weight loss to prioritize the long-term health and well-being of overweight cats. All cats included in the study were confirmed healthy based on pre-trial physical examinations. No systemic diseases were detected, and no participants were pregnant, lactating, or required special diets or medical interventions. One cat died before the trial due to unrelated complications, leaving a total of eligible cats in both trial and control groups.The mean body weight of cats in the trial group decreased from 4.65 kg to 4.51 kg, with a statistically significant mean difference of -0.14 kg (p = 0.011, 95% CI: -0.23380, -0.5420). In contrast, the control group showed a mean weight increase of 0.18 kg, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.434, 95% CI: -0.61, -0.96). The trial group exhibited a consistent reduction in mean body weight percentage across four weeks, while the control group showed fluctuations without a clear downward trend.The body condition score
IV (BCS) of the trial group significantly decreased from an initial mean of 8.4 to 7.4 (p = 0.004, 95% CI: -1.76, -0.65), whereas the control group showed no significant change (p = 0.184). This supports the efficacy of the low-calorie, high-fiber diet in improving body condition.Satiety scores in the trial group showed a mild decrease from 3.2 to 3.0, though this change was not statistically significant (p = 0.80). Palatability scores remained high throughout the study, with the trial group consistently scoring 4 out of 4, suggesting that the diet was well accepted by the cats.Overall, the findings indicate that the low-calorie, high-fiber diet effectively reduced body weight and improved BCS without negatively impacting satiety, palatability, or quality of life. The activity of the animal and the behaviour are taken into account to ensure that the amount of the feed given does not depress the cat or causing them to have much deficit in their diet, and especially to know whether this diet helps them to lose weight without them feeling hungry or begging for food, as this factor is important in Malaysia as we all know how much cat owner put empathy for their cat, and once their cat beg for food, it is hard for the owner to resist. This study shows that despite of the non-drastic weight loss, but the cat shown a loss in the body condition score, without compromising the level of activity of the animal, hence helping cat to lose their weight at safe rate preventing adverse effect of drastic diet change.
Keywords: Feline obesity, overweight, owner compliance, low calorie high-fibre diet,