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Your cat is a very important part of your family and Pet Heaven would like to help you provide the best home possible! Here you'll find some great articles on keeping your cat healthy, links to other great cat sites and a few good store links so you can find that special food or toy for your cat! If there's anything that you would like us to add to the site, please let us know!
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FAT CAT? NOT IF IT GETS ENOUGH EXERCISE AND THE RIGHT DIET, SAYS A K-STATE VETERINARIAN! If your cat is packing a few extra pounds and you worry it may be overweight, a Kansas State University veterinarian says a change of diet or an increase in activity may be a good idea.
Kathy Gaughan, assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, suggests checking with a veterinarian before taking any action to promote weight loss in cats. A veterinarian can recommend a proper diet and exercise routine to avoid any unnecessary changes to a cat's regular diet or activity level.
The first thing to determine is whether or not your cat is overweight. Determining if your cat is overweight is often difficult because normal weight varies for different breeds of cats. A cat's breed, frame, height and length are all factors in a cat's appropriate weight, Gaughan said.
"I often see cats who are well-groomed to about halfway down their rib cage, then the hair coat appears unkempt with mats and dandruff over the tail region. This occurs when the cat cannot reach those areas to groom itself because the cat is too heavy," Gaughan said.
Cats who are overweight are more at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Arthritis problems may also begin earlier than they would if the cat wasn't overweight, Gaughan said.
If a cat is overweight, it is a good idea to have a veterinary assessment to make sure there are no underlying health problems, such as arthritis, before starting an exercise program with your cat.
"Sometimes it is very difficult to encourage cats to exercise. Unlike dogs, cats may not be enthusiastic to go outside on a leash walk. Usually more subtle methods of encouraging exercise are necessary," Gaughan said.
Gaughan suggests using a laser pointer to shine the dot around the room or bouncing a ball downstairs and getting the cat to chase it. This may not be successful for older adult cats or extremely overweight cats.
"If food is a cat's motivation, then making the cat work for its food would be a way to get them to exercise without knowing it. You could place small amounts of food on a flat plate and strategically place several plates throughout the house. In this manner, the cat has to move about the house, and therefore exercise, if it wants to eat," Gaughan said.
The main benefit of a regular exercise program is weight loss, but it can also help a cat with diabetes to improve control of the disease, Gaughan said.
Although exercise is one option for weight loss in cats, the best way is a diet change. "Your veterinarian can calculate your cat's dietary requirements and determine how much food you need to feed it. If your cat is not satisfied with the amount of food it is currently receiving, then it may be reasonable to change to a different food with lower calories so it can eat more and feel full," Gaugan said.
Gaugan said most cat food brands offer a light version and there are also prescription diets for cats. Prescription diets require a prescription by a veterinarian because they are severely restricted in calories and may not be appropriate for every cat.
"The most important aspect in encouraging a cat to lose weight is being patient. Weight loss is a gradual process," Gaughan said.
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