Hill’s launches feline therapeutic diet for weight and mobility

Hill’s Pet Nutrition has launched Prescription Diet Metabolic + j/d, a therapeutic feline diet that combines weight management and mobility support in a single formula, available through veterinary recommendation. The April 30 announcement positions the product as a way to address two common comorbid concerns in cats at once: excess body weight and reduced joint function. Hill’s says the diet combines its existing Metabolic and j/d platforms, using a targeted omega-3 fatty acid profile for joint support and a metabolism-activating formulation for weight loss; the company also says the food is clinically shown to improve cats’ ability to run, jump, and play in as little as one month. (prnewswire.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the launch reflects a practical shift toward bundled nutritional management for cats with overlapping chronic issues. Obesity remains common in feline practice: APOP’s 2022 report found 61% of cats evaluated by U.S. veterinary professionals were overweight or had obesity. At the same time, osteoarthritis is often underrecognized in cats, and major veterinary references note that weight loss is part of multimodal management for overweight feline patients with OA. A diet that aims to support satiety, weight reduction, and joint health in one prescription product could simplify recommendations, improve adherence for pet parents, and give clinicians another nonpharmaceutical tool for long-term case management. (petobesityprevention.org)

What to watch: Watch for whether Hill’s publishes peer-reviewed feline data behind the combined formula, and how quickly clinics incorporate it into obesity and OA protocols. (prnewswire.com)