Tips for Your Overweight Cat

Posted by Jeanne on December 22, 2008

Cats are very similar to people in many ways. Just as it is important to watch what is going into your cat’s tummy, you also need to keep an eye on how much is going into your cat’s tummy. When people eat too much food, over time they become overweight.

Cats are the same. If they become used to eating however much they want, when they want, it is a sure bet that you will have a pretty fat cat on your hands after a while. This is especially true as your cat gets older and less active. If you aren’t sure if your cat is fat or not, there are a few telling signs that you can look for that are pretty similar as to when you can tell if a person is overweight:

• A double chin is always a telling sign of a weight problem. If you find that your cat has a bunch of fat underneath his chin, he might have a weight problem.
• A big stomach is another sign. If his stomach is hanging, he might have a weight problem.
• Another is whether you can feel your cat’s ribs. On a healthy cat, you should be able to feel his rib cage, if you cannot feel your cat’s rib cage, then your cat is definitely overweight.

Just as people think that their weight might not be a big deal, many cat owners might not feel it too distressing that their cat is a little overweight. The reality is that being overweight can cause many health problems in your cat. The more weight your cat has on his body, the more weight and pressure he has to carry around on a daily basis. This is why it is so important to pay attention to what and how much your cat is eating. If you do find that your cat is overweight, you should probably speak to your veterinarian about it and look into buying a specially formulated cat food for overweight cats.

Whether you have an overweight cat or not, it’s important to make sure that your cat gets the exercise he needs. If your cat isn’t overweight, then the exercise will help keep him active and avoid such a predicament. If your cat is overweight, then the exercise will help him to trim off a few pounds.

The great thing is that exercising with your cat doesn’t have to be a tedious activity; it can be a lot of fun. Below are a few ideas that will help you get an exercise program started with your cat:

• Try to get your cat to run around some
• Take a walk with your cat
• Get your cat some new toys that will encourage him to exercise and jump around
• Strategically place toys and treats all around the house to encourage your cat to walk around
• Switch up the games that you play with your cat so he doesn’t get bored
• Even if you are away for the day, leave approved toys out for your cat to play with
• Also, it sometimes helps your cat’s activity level if he has another feline companion to play with while you are away