Overweight
Cats -
Prevent Your Cats From Obesity
"Even
overweight cats instinctively know the cardinal rule: when fat,
arrange yourself in slim poses." - John Weitz
With a range of formulas to help overweight cats
lose weight it is
no secret that obesity is a problem for people and cats alike. Like
people cats can get indifferent. They don’t want to move when they can
eat and hang out.
The one thing that motivates most
cats is food.
Use this! An animal is considered obese when 10-15% over the ideal
weight. For cats it depends on which breed and sex.
- A large full grown
male Maine
Coon can easily weigh 18 pounds no problem at all.
- On the
other hand, a 10 pound small female Singapura may be obese.
This is
enough to shorten your cat’s life, cause reproductive
issues and affect
the cat’s long term health.
- Looking at your pet you should be able to
feel but not see ribs.
- From a profile a waistline should be seen – fat
in the abdomen is another sign of obesity.
- If your cat is not overeating and gains weight
have tests done to make sure there isn’t an underlying medical
issue.
Obesity
can lead to heart problems, heat intolerance, diabetes and
a range of other issues that means a life lost far too soon. Reducing
the cat’s weight means not only cutting the food but increasing the
cat’s exercise.
Unlike dogs or horses it’s not a matter of “let’s go for a walk (or
ride)”. But overweight cats do have that food motivation so use it.
- Hide the food around the enclosure…
- other bites on
the upper levels
- make the cat seek the food and navigate those
different levels set up in their enclosure.
- Some overweight cats can be
‘motivated’ to play with a small soda bottle with a little kibble in
it, batting it around to try to get the food out.
If
your cat has a favorite toy or game use that. Some cats love to chase a
string or play with a feathered toy on a stick.
- Have toys to play with
and if necessary play with them for 5-10 minutes per day.
- Keep small
toy balls in the enclosure or catnip toys suspended from the ceiling
that they can play with.
This not only breaks the boredom that can come
from confinement, resulting in a happier cat but also a healthier cat
as the weight comes off.
Restricting feed intake means
watching closely what your pet eats.
- The snacks add up and the sitting at the food
dish does also.
- Give the
cat a certain amount of time to eat, spread the food around so he
“hunts” for it and increase his activity level with something that
motivates him.
Of course if a cat is too thin some of this
doesn’t apply but it still keeps the cat busy to hide food in several
places. Instead of curling in a ball for 18 hours he’s playing with
one. It’s good for his weight and mind to be active and the term “fat
cat” need never apply if prevention is done to keep the cat on a good
feed program. Prevention is always better than fixing!
Keeping your cats in good condition is the best gift you can give them
for their long term health.
Need any advice now? Ask a vet
online!
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