Modify your cat’s diet
Do you fill up your cat’s food bowl as soon as its empty? Do you give her plenty of treats for her good behaviour? Then it’s no surprise she’s overweight! It’s recommended that owners of overweight cats give their pet diet cat foot and be tight-fisted with treats. Consult your veterinarian to determine the ideal portion of food to give your cat, given her age, weight and health.
Encourage her to be active
If your cat doesn’t have toys or any opportunities to be active, she’s likely to become bored and ultimately put on weight. We advise anyone with an overweight cat to purchase interactive food dispensers (such as diggers and food trees) and stimulating toys. This way you’ll motivate your cat to burn calories. In the same vein, try to play with your cat as often as possible. For example, you can throw a little ball to her or make her chase the light from a laser pointer.
Monitor her weight loss
If your cat is starting to lose weight, it’s important to keep close watch over her and to ensure that the weight loss isn’t occurring too rapidly. This could destabilize her health. Weigh your cat regularly to ensure that your strategy is working and that the weight loss isn’t too extreme. Once you’ve got her down to the desired weight, begin gradually getting her back to a regular diet. However, it’s important that the good habits developed during the diet are retained, so that a yo-yo effect doesn’t occur.
Obesity in cats: the consequences can be serious
The Order of Veterinarians of Quebec is clear in its position: obesity can negatively impact cats’ health and reduce their lifespan. Notably, it can lead to diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and skin diseases.To keep your cat happy and healthy, make sure she has a balanced diet, ample toys and accessories to get her moving and, of course, lots of love. For more advice, come visit us at Chico, your friendly neighbourhood pet store.