Overfeeding And Obesity in Cats

Overfeeding and obesity in cats is becoming really a major issue which can directly affect their life. You will be surprised to know about the fact that 40% of cats are obese in United States. One pound weight gain in cats is as same as 20 to 25 pounds weight gain in case of human beings. Are you among the people who feed the cat in a wrong way? Then it is the time to revise their diet and exercise schedule.

 

Signs of Over Feeding

You can check if you are over feeding the cat. It involves a very simple check. Just feel the ribs with the finger. Waist should be narrow after rib cage. If it is not, your cat is overweight. Overweight cats can gain weight fast and the obesity develops.

Causes of Obesity in cats

• Free choice feeding: In most of the cases the cats are fed a bowl full food. The owner assumes that the cat will eat optimum it wants. But the fact is that cat can not control their food intake.
• Unhygienic Food: Feeding the cat frequently with unhygienic food
• High Calorie food and lack of exercise: A cat is given non-veg. food and the exercise is less. The unconsumed calories lead to obesity.
• Thyroid disorder: Thyroid disorder may lead to obesity in dogs.
• Lack of exercise: In case of indoor cats, the problem of lack of exercise is prominent.

Health Risks Due to Obesity

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Cystitis
• Hepatic Lipidosis
• Liver and kidney diseases
• Constipation
• Cancer
• Lowered immune system

Tips for weight reduction in cats

• Consult a vet and revise the diet plan of a cat
• Note down the weight and monitor throughout
• Ensure that the calories are consumed through proper exercise.

Diet Plan of a cat

• Feed the cat for 2 to 4 times, small meals at a time. Quantity of food varies depending upon weight. The proportions are written on the food packets and the best you can do is consult a vet.
• Restrict the carbohydrates from the diet: Dry food consists of carbohydrates which are 5 times of their natural diet. Feed the cat with low carbohydrate diet, which is available as canned food. As the food consist high protein and moisture; that is similar to its natural diet, the cat will eat it. You can consult the vet and standardize cats diet and set its meal timings.
• Do not give the table scraps or food items between meals.
• The important thing you should follow is, do not change the diet all of a sudden. Mix small amount of low carbohydrate diet in its regular diet. Reduce the regular diet slowly and increase the revised diet. So that digestion is not upset.

How you can help your cat to get rid of obesity?

• Take your dog for walk
• Play with it daily so that calories will burn
• Cats like to play with toys. So bring some and allow it to play daily for sometime.

Do not expect that your cat will shed weight overnight. Consistency in diet and exercise will help to shed weight.