> That also leaves us needing an explanation for why wild animals don't get
> obese, even when their prey is plentiful. Lions do not get fat amidst
> plentiful antelope, yet domestic housecats do become obese and often
remain
> obese despite owner's efforts to limit their calories and let them
exercise.
> If food type does not matter much, why is it that a cat or dog will eat
> itself to death on pet food, but will reportedly never do so in the wild?
Do
> different rules apply to cats and dogs than apply to humans?

 Although food type certainly matters, I am not comfortable with the lion
analogy.  First of all, the antelope may be plentiful, but the lion still
has to go out and chase it, risk the horns, hooves, etc.  If humans had to
work hard physically to get their food, perhaps we would not be so inclined
to overeat.   I feed my cats whole mice and day old chicks (from
http://www..rodentpro.com), a species-appropriate diet, but one of them
still wants to eat more than his share and we restrict his ability to eat
freely.  Something about it laying on a plate... a luxury the lion never
knows.

I also want to mention my belief that humans are really not "designed" to be
sedentary.  Without regular vigorous exercise we cannot expect our
metabolisms to behave in a normal way. Mine certainly doesn't. How shocked
my friends were at a recent news article that recommended 90 minutes of
exercise per day.  My old buddies at Weight Watchers would bathe in glory if
they got in 20.

Lastly, I should probably start a new thread for this, but it ties into the
other discussions on this thread: I read this website article that discusses
the relation between higher fat and weight loss. I am very curious to know
your opinions.  http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/fat-not-protein.html

Cheers,
Cynthia