Care for an Overweight Cat

There are many ways to love a cat. Unfortunately, many cat owners show their love by feeding their cats too much food, which can lead to obesity. In fact, there are now more overweight and obese cats than normal-weight cats! If your cat is overweight, your care for her should focus on adjusting her diet and increasing her exercise so she can lose weight and become a healthier cat.

Creating a Weight Loss Plan

 * 1) Take your cat to the veterinarian. The principles of weight loss in cats are simple—eating less and exercising more. To help your cat reach her ideal body weight, you'll need a plan to put these principles into practice. Your veterinarian can help you develop this plan, but he or she will need to examine your cat first.[[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 1 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * Your veterinarian can determine if there are any underlying health conditions that could make it more difficult for your cat to lose weight.
 * 3) * Your veterinarian will do a thorough physical examination of your cat and weigh her. He or she will also analyze your cat’s blood and urine.
 * 4) * A swinging pouch behind your cat’s hind legs indicates that your cat is overweight.
 * 5) * The ideal weight for the average domestic shorthaired cat is 8 to 10 pounds (3.6 to 4.5 kg).
 * 6) Develop a weight loss plan. Weight loss should happen slowly in cats. Rapid weight loss can cause a serious medical condition called hepatic lipidosis. Your veterinarian will be able to recommend a carefully crafted plan that will help your cat lose about one to two percent of her body weight per week until she reaches her optimal weight. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 2 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 7) * One to two percent weight loss per week is ideal for a cat on a weight loss plan.
 * 8) * The plan may involve a 20 to 40% reduction in your cat’s current food intake.
 * 9) * Discuss the plan with your veterinarian so you understand exactly what you will need to do at home to help your cat lose weight. The plan will likely involve changes to your cat’s daily feeding and activity routine, so you should make sure you are comfortable with the changes you will need to make.
 * 10) Create a schedule to monitor your cat’s progress. Because you look at your cat every day, it may be difficult for you to see any changes in her weight, whether loss or gain. On a daily basis, record her daily food intake and activity. Weigh your cat once a week and record her weight. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 3 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 11) * Weigh your cat on the same day and at the same time of day. This will give you a more accurate assessment of her weight loss. She probably will not simply step onto the scale herself, so you will need to hold her in your arms when you step on the scale. Weigh yourself first, then weigh yourself with your cat.
 * 12) * Subtract your original weight from the ‘you + cat’ weight to get the weight of your cat.
 * 13) * Take your cat to your veterinarian every two to four weeks for a more thorough examination. Your veterinarian may recommend adjustments to the weight loss plan.

Adjusting Your Cat’s Diet

 * 1) Feed your cat multiple small meals per day. Rather than leaving food out all day for your cat to eat (which may be more convenient), you should feed her two to four small meals a day. This will make it easy for you to control her portion sizes and monitor how much she eats on any given day.[[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 4 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * If you are gone most of the day, consider using a timed feeder that will release a small portion of food at designated times throughout the day. Talk with your veterinarian about what specific times would be best for your cat to eat.
 * 3) * Feeding multiple meals a day will also help you see if your cat is eating at all. Call your veterinarian if your cat does not eat for two or more days—not eating for several days could mean your is cat sick.
 * 4) * Visit your local pet store to purchase a timed feeder.
 * 5) * Free-choice feeding is a major contributor to overeating and obesity in cats.
 * 6) Provide a high-protein diet for your cat. Cats are carnivores, which require protein as the key ingredient in their diet. Your cat’s diet should be at least 35 to 45% protein. Unfortunately, many dry cat foods are low in protein. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 5 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 7) * You may have heard that too much protein in your cat’s diet can lead to kidney problems. Provided your cat is healthy, her body will eliminate the excess protein in her urine and use the rest calories or conversion to fat.
 * 8) * Previous studies in rodents suggested a concern for kidney disease with excess protein, but research in dogs and cats has alleviated this concern.
 * 9) * Read the food labels to determine if the food has the recommended amount of protein. You should also check the protein source—chicken and lamb are good sources of protein. A good quality food will have these meats, or another form of meat, listed as the first ingredient.
 * 10) *Be aware that a cat who overeats on a high-protein diet will still gain weight. To be effective, you must control your pet's portion sizes.
 * 11) Limit the amount of carbohydrates in your cat’s diet. Carbohydrates are not a necessary part of carnivore’s diet. Not only are cats not able to digest carbohydrates as well as dogs and people, but the excess carbohydrates get stored as fat. Dry cat foods are typically high in carbohydrates.[[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 6 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 12) * After a carbohydrate-rich meal, your cat’s blood glucose level stays high, which can put her at risk for developing diabetes.
 * 13) * Your cat’s diet should be no more than about 25% carbohydrates, but your cat would probably be fine with an even smaller percentage.
 * 14) * Soft, meat-based foods are lower in carbohydrates than dry foods.
 * 15) Decrease your cat’s treat and table scraps intake. Your cat probably won’t like it very much, but you will need to cut back on her intake of tasty treats and human food morsels. Cat treats are high in carbohydrates, and are purposely made to be so scrumptious that your cat will want to eat them even when she’s not hungry. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 7 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 16) * If your cat has gotten used to getting treats if she howls enough, you will need to break her of this habit. You should not reward her with treats for vocalizing, especially when she needs to lose weight.
 * 17) * Tasty table scraps are often high in fat and sugar, and are also off limits.
 * 18) * If you cannot resist giving her a little extra food, make it healthy. Examples of healthy treats are broccoli, cooked green beans, and air-popped popcorn (unbuttered and unsalted). Be aware that these treat options may not seem particularly delectable to your cat.
 * 19) Supplement your cat’s diet. Cutting back on your cat’s food intake means that her diet will have fewer nutrients overall. To compensate, you will need to add various supplements to her diet. For example, your cat will need a vitamin/mineral supplement and a fatty acid supplement. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 8 Version 3.jpg|center]]
 * 20) * Speak with your veterinarian before adding these supplements to your cat’s diet. Your veterinarian will be able to recommend which supplements to purchase, and how to add them safely to the diet.
 * 21) * The fatty acid supplement is needed to keep your cat’s skin and coat healthy. Her coat may become dry and flaky without it.
 * 22) * L-carnitine is another nutrient that you can to your cat’s diet. It helps your cat’s body convert fat to glucose and can aid in weight loss. The recommended amount of L-carnitine is 250 to 500 mg per day. Your veterinarian can recommend how much to give your cat.

Increasing Your Overweight Cat’s Physical Activity

 * 1) Play with your cat multiple times a day. In addition to eating less, your cat will also need to become more active in order to lose weight. Schedule multiple daily playtimes with your cat to get her up and moving. One of those playtimes should be close to her bedtime to tire her out before going to sleep. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 9.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * Since cats like routine, play with her at the same time each day.
 * 3) Stimulate your cat’s hunting instincts. In the wild, cats use a lot of energy hunting their prey. Indoor cats do not need to hunt for their food, so they are not using much energy during the day. When you are the pet store, look for interactive toys that look like the animals she would hunt in the wild (e.g, mice, birds, lizards). [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 10.jpg|center]]
 * 4) * To get your cat to chase the toy, try moving it around on the ground as if it’s trying to get away. You could also hide behind some furniture so your cat could feel like she’s stalking the prey and getting ready to pounce.
 * 5) * Wand toys that look like birds are great toys for cats. When you use it, try to mimic natural bird movements.
 * 6) * Keep in mind that cats stalk their prey for only about three to five minutes in the wild before moving on. Switch up the ‘hunting’ games every few minutes to keep your cat interested.
 * 7) * Laser pointers also stimulate your cat’s hunting instincts. Move the laser around and watch your cat run and try to pounce on the light on the floor. Do not point the laser at her eyes.
 * 8) * A stick with an attached ball or feather will encourage your cat to leap and catch her ‘prey.’
 * 9) Move her food and water bowls. If your cat is used to walking only a few steps to reach her food and water, move the bowls farther away to increase her physical activity. If you live in a multi-level house, consider moving the bowls to another level to encourage her to walk up and down the stairs.[[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 11.jpg|center]]
 * 10) * It may take your cat a few days to adjust to the bowls being in a different location.
 * 11) Adopt another cat. At first, this may not seem like an obvious way to increase your cat’s physical activity. However, another cat could become your cat’s playmate. The other cat should be friendly and playful, thereby encouraging your cat to get up and play. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 12.jpg|center]]
 * 12) * Keep in mind that cats, especially older cats, are very set in their ways and may not take too kindly to having another cat in the house.
 * 13) * Kittens are usually a good choice as playmate, since they have lots of energy and like to play.
 * 14) Give your cat a scratching post. Scratching posts give cats a good way to stretch and exercise their muscles. Posts are either horizontal or vertical and come in a variety of materials, such as sisal. The scratching post should be long or tall enough (about two feet) for your cat to stretch her entire body out when she scratches. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 13.jpg|center]]
 * 15) * If your cat already has a scratching post, entice her to use it more by placing some catnip by it.
 * 16) Walk your cat on a leash. Walking your cat on a leash can be a good way to increase her activity. Plus, she may enjoy getting some fresh air and seeing some new sights. Keep in mind, though, that not all cats will actually walk when they go outside—some may spend more time sniffing things in the environment than walking. [[Image:Care for an Overweight Cat Step 14.jpg|center]]
 * 17) * For some cats, being walked outside on a leash is mental exercise, not physical exercise.

Tips

 * As your cat’s owner, remember that you control what she eats and how much she eats. If you feed your cat too much, then she will likely become overweight.
 * Adjust your cat to her new diet gradually, especially if you are switching foods completely. Mix the new food in with her original food in slowly increasing percentages (25%, 50%, 75%) until she is eating only the new food.
 * Food label recommendations are just that—recommendations. Work with your veterinarian to determine how much your cat should eat to lose weight.
 * Your cat may reach a weight plateau during her weight loss program. This is completely normal. However, you should to make that everyone in your household is following the plan and not sneaking her extra food.
 * Be patient! Depending on how much your weight your cat needs to lose, it may take up to a year before she reaches her ideal weight.
 * At the end of your cat’s weight loss program, feed her a light or low-calorie food so she can maintain her weight.
 * Although all cat breeds at risk for obesity, older cats and neutered cats tend to gain weight easily.

Warnings

 * Rapid weight loss in cats can lead to a serious medical condition called hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver). Your cat’s weight loss should be gradual.

Related wikiHows

 * Clean Your Cat When He Can't Do It Himself
 * Keep a Cat from Becoming Fat and Lazy
 * Determine if Your Cat is Overweight
 * Slim Down a Fat Cat
 * Put Your Dog on a Diet

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