What Can I Do to Help My Overweight Cat Lose Weight?

views the best pictures

One of,

if not the most frequent questions to veterinarians is, "What can I do to help my overweight cat?" Obviously, major concerns of pet cat owners is having an overweight cat, what caused the obesity and how to get the cat to lose weight.

Obesity can cause cats to develop arthritis, respiratory disorders, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease and definitely shorten their lifespan. A fat feline might also have problems with grooming, become lethargic and have issues using her litter box.

The following will point out some of the ways to identify if you cat is overweight:

You can find a chart online (the Purina Body Condition system) that will help to determine whether or not your cat is obese as well as to what extent. The ideal bodyweight for cat is graded as a score 3. This cat will have spine and ribs that you can feel, but will not be obvious. You can view the cat's waist from above and will not notice a sag if you are looking at your pet sideways.

For overweight cats, they will have a score of 4 to 5. It will be hard to feel and see their spine and ribs. They might have obvious fat deposits in the hips, chest and at the bottom of the tail. If looked at from above, you will not see a waist area. If viewed from sideways, you might notice sags.

The ideal and healthy weight for cats depends on the breed and gender. The healthy bodyweight for small breeds like the Siamese will be about 5 to 10 pounds, while larger breeds such as the Maine Coon will be about 11 to 15 lbs. The best thing to do when you think that you have an overweight cat at home is to contact a veterinarian.

A veterinarian should assess overweight and obese cats prior to introducing any kind of weight loss program.

How you can help your cat to lose weight.

There are many different techniques that you can use for your overweight cat to lose weight without damaging their health. Generally, the initial steps are very similar

* First, figure out the ideal weight for your cat including body-type, breed and life-style.

* Second, calculate the calories needed each day. Counting the daily caloric intake will be important for weight loss.

* Third, determine the percentage nutrients required. A quick list of nutrient percentages can be found here.

* Lastly, read the ingredients label on your cat's food! Compare the required nutrients and calories of those nutrients to the label.

It is not at all uncommon to find the way you have been offering food and the unbalanced food itself are basic causes of your cat's overweight problem.

The best way to help with weight loss would be to gradually - stress here on gradually - make changes to diet and to gradually incorporate exercise into your feline's daily routine. Given that fluff ball felines are well-known for lazing around all day long, you have to come up with some creative ways if want them to exercise. The key word is gradually.

This could be as simple as changing the location of their feeding bowl constantly, and playing hide-n-seek. This could be as simple as stopping the day-long buffet feeding style and offering smaller portions 2 or 3 times a day. This could be as simple as playing with your cat for 10 minutes a day. You can also use toys with which they will entertain themselves.

While you are gradually introducing a balanced diet and physical exercise to your cat's routine, this also requires you to modify your habits.

Other techniques for helping your feeding routine really do not require expensive toys or techniques, Most tips and techniques simply help you understand why your cat is overweight and what simple ways there are to get your pet to lose weight.

The goal of having a healthier, longer lived pet (and reducing vet bills) is well worth the short amount of time and trouble.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kef_Hollenbach