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.