Home Remedies for Overweight Cats
Obesity is usually defined as being 15 percent or more over the average body weight for a particular individual. Since cats usually weigh somewhere between eight and ten pounds, any cat that tips the scales at more than 12 pounds is probably carrying too much weight. It's difficult to get an accurate weight on your cat at home so another way to tell is feeling the cat's ribs. You shouldn't be able to see the cat's ribs, but you should be able to feel each one under the hair and skin. As in people, a belly that protrudes much farther than the ribs is also a sign of weight gain.Overweight cats are at higher risk for more serious or life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes. They are less active, which may also be an important factor in urinary tract problems.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Overweight cats are at a high risk for diseases and illnesses -- much like humans. |
Get 'em going. There's only one way to lose weight safely: Burn more calories than you eat. You're not going to convince your cat to get on the treadmill or the stair machine or to take up jogging, so it's up to you to increase her activity. Sometimes, introducing a young, active cat will get an obese cat moving out of self-defense, but the most reliable method is for you to exercise her with regular daily play sessions.
Less is more. A weight loss diet means cutting your cat's calories by about 30 percent until she hits the target weight, then maintaining the right number of calories to keep her at her lower weight. (This will be fewer calories than she was eating to maintain her weight.)
Cats are particularly notorious for being bad sports when they don't get as much to eat as they want (or have become used to), so be ready for some protests at first. To get your fat cat on the road to fitness, be sure to feed her less. Reducing calories means reducing the amount of food. Period.
You should also cut out snacks and treats. If you feel you absolutely must give your cat a treat, take a few morsels of food out of an already smaller meal and give it to her later. The overall calorie count (amount of food) for the day must stay down, no matter what!
Another guideline to follow is to give her lots of small meals. If your dieting cat gorges on her more humble repast and acts like she's starving three hours later, try splitting her food up into several little meals, gradually reducing the number until she's back to two or so a day.
And finally, don't "free feed" your cat. You can't tell how much your cat is eating if you leave a bowl of food out all day. Keep meals at regular intervals, and pick up what isn't eaten.
Easy does it. Your cat didn't get fat overnight or in one week. It took months or years. Gradual weight loss lets the body adjust to the changes and puts less stress on internal organs. The increase in your cat's activity will help regulate the rate of weight loss and speed things up as your cat gets fitter. Never put a cat on a starvation diet; starvation and rapid weight loss can trigger a fatal liver disease.
What about low-calorie cat foods? Low-cal cat foods are designed to make your cat feel full while actually giving her less calories than a full meal. In some cases, your vet may prescribe a weight-reducing food or suggest buying one of the low-cal commercial brands. In general, it's better not to change your cat's food -- if you can help it -- and just feed less of what she usually gets. However, switching to a low-cal food so that your cat successfully loses weight is better than keeping her on the same food -- and keeping her fat.
When to Call the Vet
It's probably a good idea to talk to your vet before you begin a home weight-reduction program for your cat, just to make sure there's nothing you've overlooked. If your weight-loss program doesn't seem to be working after several weeks, you should definitely call the vet for advice. Any cat who begins looking plumper in a very short period of time needs to see the vet as soon as possible; quick weight gain can be a sign of very serious illness.
DANGER LEVEL: Obesity is moderately to very dangerous, since it increases a cat's risk of life-threatening illness. The health risks go up as both the weight and the length of time that the cat remains overweight go up.
Most cats -- especially outdoor cats -- end up with occasional scrapes and scratches. In the next section, we will show you how to heal these minor cuts.
