More and more pet cats are becoming obese, and that is often due to the owner’s lack of knowledge of how to properly feed their cat or keep it active.
It is very important for a cat to exercise daily through play in order to stay healthy and in shape. Unfortunately, around 58% of cats in the U.S. are overweight, while around 1 in 5 cats are obese. This means that there are fifty-four million overweight cats and around twenty million obese ones. Although having a chubby or obese cat may seem cute to you, it is actually a serious problem, as obesity can lead to a series of health problems, including respiratory and heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2- diabetes and osteoarthritis.
Neutered cats and those that are mix-breaded are more likely to become obese, but overeating and lack of exercise are huge factors to gaining weight as well.
If your cat is obese, it may be time to make some steps to help it slim down. Obese cats live much shorter than fit cats, and if you love your pet you probably want it to live as long and as healthy as possible.
The first and most important step in helping your cat lose excess weight is establishing a healthy diet for your pet.
1. Give your cat protein-rich food.
Dry cat food is usually packed with carbohydrates, and like people, cats also turn carbohydrates into sugars and gain weight faster if their diet is rich in these nutrients. On the other hand, proteins are good for muscle growth, but won’t make your cat gain weight if its portions are controlled. Therefore, you should give your pet wet cat food much more often than the dry one, as wet food is rich in proteins, and more easily digestible.
2. Feeding your cat twice a day is ideal.
Feeding your cat only once a day but in a large portion may end up with your fluffy pet overeating without you even knowing about it. On the other hand, if you feed it 3 or more times a day, it will get used to being fed more often and it will cause complications if you sometimes have to leave the house for a longer time during the day. Feeding your cat twice a day, with eight to twelve hours apart from one meal to another is ideal. But you still need to control the portions – check with a veterinarian how much food your cat should be getting based on its age, gender, size and type.
3. Give your cat plenty of fresh water every day.
Similarly to humans, the less water cats drink the more difficult it is for them to lose weight. Drinking fresh water will improve their digestion and help them lose weight, so make sure they have plenty of it in their bowl and that you pour fresh water daily.
4. Don’t give treats too often.
Giving your cat treats can be a good way to show it that it has behaved nicely or that you care for it. However, these treats are usually high in calories and if your cat isn’t active enough eating them will lead to weight gain. Give your cat a treat once or twice a week, but don’t make it a daily habit, especially as these treats are usually better-tasting than their healthy food counterparts, so your cat might become picky and cause you problems.
5. Make sure your cat has toys to play with.
You don’t want your cat lying around all day while you’re at work, but you don’t want it scratching your furniture either. A good way to keep it active even when you’re not around is to give it toys to keep it moving.
For example, a mouse with batteries which can move around the house for your cat to chase is a great option. Also, balls and ropes are always fun for cats to play with. When you’re at home, you can chase each other around the house, play with a feather or throw a toy for your cat to bring back.
You probably think that it’s a dog thing, but you would be surprised with how many cats actually bring toys back to their owners. The most important thing besides the diet is exercise, and you can keep your cat active through play. All you need is toys, time and patience.