Preventing Cat-astrophic Weight Gain

PetSmart - "Nick Saint-Erne, DVM / PetSmart"

Obesity in cats is becoming an ever-increasing problem as cats become more popular pets. Better quality diets such as premium advanced nutrition foods, while good for the overall health of your cat, can lead to obesity if the cat is an overeater. And while living indoors keeps your cat safe from loss, injury and disease, they may not be getting as much exercise as they need.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of extra weight being added to your pet. Overweight cats are prone to liver disease, diabetes, joint problems and shortened life spans.

So what can be done to prevent the weight gain and associated problems?

Know What, When They Eat

The first thing to look at is your cat's diet. These finicky pets have specific dietary needs that are quite different from dogs. They should be fed a quality high-protein cat food, either dry, canned or mixed depending on the cat's preference.

Most people leave dry food out all the time, especially in multi-cat households. This is acceptable if the cats are not overweight, but may be the ultimate cause of the obesity. Watch how much each cat eats to prevent "hogging." If they are gaining excess weight, then the food should be measured out for each cat at intervals three to four times a day. Frequent small meals are better than one or two large meals per day. Read the food package label for the amount to feed each cat, based on his or her age and nutritional needs. This is usually the maximum amount to feed; your pet may need less.

Avoid Crash Diets

There are special diets to help control your cat's weight, and lose weight safely - use them if your cat is overweight. It is important that weight loss in cats is gradual.

Unlike dogs, if cats are overweight they accumulate lipids in their liver. If they suddenly go without eating, such as from illnesses or injuries, or are given too little food, they go into a crisis called hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease, which can be fatal. If your cat is not eating, or vomits regularly, be sure to consult with your veterinarian who can check for this serious condition. Annual veterinary visits are a good idea in any case, and your veterinarian will weigh your cat and advise you as to the proper weight for its particular breed and age. Your veterinarian can also test for hormonal imbalances such as diabetes. Be sure to keep your cats current on all preventative vaccinations and medications, as well.

Try Kitty Calisthenics

Playing together with your cat is a lot of fun, and will increase physical activity, keeping the weight down. Rolling toys are good for some cats, who will chase them around the floor. Many cats will chase laser pen spots, just be careful to not shine it in their eyes. Toys on strings can be manipulated so the cat will frantically chase them. Be sure to keep string toys away from cats when not playing - the cat may ingest the string when unattended, causing intestinal obstructions.

Feeding the correct amount of a proper advanced nutrition cat food, playing with your cat regularly to increase activity and annual veterinary checkups to monitor your cat's health are the keys for helping your cat have a long and happy life with you.

- By Nick Saint-Erne, DVM/PetSmart

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