When your cat suddenly becomes overweight, you may be one of the first people to notice it. The first sign that your cat is becoming overweight is that it digs deep into its bag of treats for its every meal. This is normal for overweight cats, as they are using more energy than usual to digest their food. Another obvious sign is that your cat seems lethargic and lacks the desire to play or be active. There are many health problems associated with obesity in cats, so it’s important to address these issues quickly.
Obesity in pets can lead to a number of illnesses, some of which will need veterinary treatment. Excessive weight causes the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your pet’s body to deteriorate over time. It also decreases their lymphatic system’s ability to adequately eliminate wastes from their system. These changes cause many feline obesity problems, including joint problems, heart disease, and arthritis. Many of these ailments can be fatal if left untreated.
An Overview
When your pet starts losing weight, it’s important to try to get it back to its ideal weight. One way to do this is to feed your cat at a smaller volume each day. Talk to your veterinarian about prescribing a special formula for overweight cats, or making homemade diet supplements for your cat. Using human-grade products or commercial foods that are high in fiber, protein, and other vitamins and minerals can help your cat to return to its ideal weight.
Veterinarians are the best place to start when you’re concerned about overweight cats health problems. Although a vet will not be able to change your cat’s genetic make up, he or she can provide valuable information about what’s causing your cat’s weight gain. Your cat’s breed may have a direct cause, such as the way the pet was raised, or there could be multiple factors. A vet will be able to give you advice on how best to care for your cat, and will probably perform an examination of your cat.
Overweight Cat Health Problems
There are a number of different reasons your cat is overweight. In addition to the obvious issue of inappropriate feeding, the presence of excess calories in its diet has been linked to health issues, including diabetes and cataracts. Some of the other causes of obesity include inadequate physical activity, insufficient consumption of water, or inadequate feeding techniques. In order to avoid having your cat fall prey to any of these common causes of obesity, there are a number of things you can do to increase its activity levels, improve its nutrition, and reduce its consumption of dry food calories.
Cat obesity is often genetic, meaning that if one of your pet’s parents is obese, then half of all its litter mates are likely to be as well. Obesity in dogs is also sometimes genetic, although this is less often the case with cats. Some studies have indicated that overweight animals tend to have lower activity levels and greater calorie consumption than do lean animals, so you may want to consider spaying or neutering your male or female cat in order to avoid obesity in your pet.
If you’re concerned about the calories your cat consumes and would like to reduce their overall body weight, there are several things you can do. The most obvious way to trim down your cat is to provide it with a proper cat food diet that provides it with plenty of healthy, high-calorie, but low-energy ingredients. A well-balanced cat food will help your pet to stay energetic and fit while keeping its natural prey instinct and will result in a slimmed cat.
In The End
The best way to find out what kind of cat food is best for your cat is to read the label carefully. You’ll want to avoid any dry foods and consider adding a home cooked dry food diet to your pet’s daily routine. When you feed your cat, you should be aware of the quantity and proportion of each serving, and you should never feed your cat more than about a half-cup of food at one time. By providing your cat with a steady, regular source of dry food, you will help to keep its calorie intake consistent, thus preventing obesity. Obesity in cats is usually caused by irregular meal times, so if you feed your cat regularly, it won’t have an opportunity to overeat. You may also want to invest in a cat-food dispenser or cat bowl, since this will help you keep track of what your cat is eating at all times.
