PetAg, Inc. adds new health and wellness product to their leading-edge nutritionals line-up

March 18, 2009 — HAMPSHIRE, Ill. — Fat cat photos posted across the internet may serve as entertainment to some, but the issue of pet obesity is no laughing matter. Maintaining a cat’s healthy weight and preventing obesity is key to ensuring a healthy lifespan for felines. With PetAg’s new CatSlim, cat owners can assist Fluffy in slimming down with the first all-natural, low-calorie liquid meal replacement designed especially for the species.

“Cats don’t get as much exercise as dogs, and like their owners, their metabolism slows with age,” said Darlene Frudakis, president and COO for the woman-owned pet product manufacturer. “Those facts combined with the issue of owners’ over-feeding and over-treating their pets, add up to weighty challenges for a cat,” she added.

Frudakis urges cat owners to visit their veterinarian for a proper evaluation before beginning any weight loss program. Rapid, unexplained weight gain may be a warning sign indicating a number of health issues, ranging from excess fluid retention due to kidney problems, to diabetes, to a hormone imbalance caused by any number of medical conditions. The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that 25 percent of cats are overweight.

Forced rapid weight loss can be harmful to a cat. CatSlim is designed to offer a nutrition-packed alternative to regular feedings in a highly concentrated formula that naturally helps curb appetites while helping to metabolize fat. It is recommended that pet owners substitute one-half of a cat’s daily food intake with CatSlim per day during the weight loss program.

“Cats like humans need to lose weight in a controlled manner,” said Jean I. Heidker, Ph.D., the animal nutritionist and food technologist responsible for creating the formula for this revolutionary product. “Eating foods that are high in protein, low in fat and contain dietary fiber will help cats decrease the fatty tissue while maintaining muscle mass,” she said, adding, “An exercise regime is also important to help them expend energy and tone muscles.”

High in dietary fiber, CatSlim’s vanilla flavor and high milk protein base is antibiotic-free, hormone-free and does not include preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. CatSlim includes a vitamin and mineral-rich formula that also includes taurine, an essential amino acid for cats that supports their cardiovascular and neurological functions. It is high in dietary fiber and meets all of the nutrient requirements for a complete balanced meal. Cats feel full and well satisfied after drinking it. CatSlim is a powder concentrate that is easy to mix and feed.

It is a complete and highly-palatable liquid meal replacement and food supplement that promotes prolonged health and wellness of cats. Because cats don’t have a strong drive for thirst, CatSlim also provides the liquid refreshment and hydration while also providing an enticing complete meal replacement.

“Our company has focused its energy on inventing innovative, life-saving nutritional products to serve animals all over the world and CatSlim joins a long line of trusted, effective health and wellness products introduced by PetAg,” said Frudakis.

Food and supplementation alone should be combined with a reinvigoration of the cat’s environment and a conscious effort by the pet owner to increase the cat’s activity level. Evaluate the weight every two weeks and once Fluffy is at an ideal weight, strive to stabilize that weight.

CatSlim is intended for adult cats and meets the AAFCO requirements of an adult maintenance diet. The product is available on shelves in Spring 2009 for a suggested retail price of $9.99 for a week’s supply.

Visit www.petag.com to find distributors and information.

About PetAg, Inc.
For over 60 years, PetAg, Inc. has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality pet nutrition and health conscious products. Headquartered in Hampshire, Illinois, this woman-owned company has brought pets and their owners some of the most recognizable brand names in the industry. PetAg products cover a wide range of animals through every stage of the life cycle. From newborn care including the scientifically balanced neonatal milk replacers, Esbilac® and KMR®, to senior pet care supplements including CatSure® and DogSure® which lead the category. PetAg’s health and fitness categories include Rawhide Brand® and Chunky Chews® for dogs, DogSlim™ weight management program of supplements and nutritional treats and Hawaiian Delights® edible treats and toys for birds. Each of the product categories has the same focus: to enrich and prolong the lives of pets worldwide.