Obesity in cats reflects the same problem the majority of people in the U.S. are battling. Obesity affects joint problems like arthritis, increases the risk of diabetes development, can compromise respiration (pickwickian syndrome), and, sadly, reduces both the quality and quantity of your cat’s life.
Many people are surprised that their cat is overweight, especially when they are following the recommended guidelines on the pet food bag. You must remember that the guidelines on a pet food bag are meant to provide a starting point to determine how much food your cat should eat on a daily basis, and should not override your own common sense. If your cat is becoming chunky, then reduce the amount fed. If your cat feels a little too thin, then increase it. The recommendations on the bag are just that, recommendations - not requirements.
Another mistake people make involvesimproper food measurement. A “cup” on the guidelines of a pet food bag means a measuring cup – not a scoop, hand-full, coffee cup, fountain drink cup, etc. Any measurement used other than a measuring cup will lead to feeding inappropriate amounts of food.Unfortunately, many people feel that overfeeding their cat is an act of affection. Those with busy lives may overfeedin an effort to compensate for their absence from the home. Others will feed their cat a healthy amount of food and then give them many rich treats. A treat is defined as “an event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure”. If a treat is given several times a day or even once a day, it is no longer a treat, but part of the cat’s daily diet, thereby contributing to obesity. If you want to feed treats, then you must reduce the amount of cat food given. Better yet, set aside some of the cat food you would have normally given and use that as a treat if you must give treats on a daily basis.
Some cats, like people, are genetically prone to obesity. This does not mean that these types of cats will be fat. What it does mean is that you will have to monitor their diets more closely and adjust the amount or use a lower calorie diet if they are getting over their ideal weight. These include prescription cat foods that can be purchased at our clinic in the Golden Gate area of Naples, or shipped to your home in Estero or Bonita Springs, for example, through our website at www.mynaplesvet.com or our online pharmacy at https://mynaplesvet.vetsfirstchoice.com.
At Town & Country Animal Hospital, we offer a variety of options to reduce cat obesity, as well as care and treatment for many related diseases and issues, including cat diabetes and cat arthritis.