Overweight Cat Help
One of the easiest things you can do to keep your cat healthy is to feed them the right amount of food to prevent excess weight gain. A lean cat is less likely than an overweight cat to develop diseases such as Diabetes, urinary blockages, and heart disease. A cat at a healthy weight also has more energy to enjoy life. Unfortunately, every cat food is different, and every cat’s nutritional needs are different, so knowing what the right amount of food is to feed is not always so simple. Currently, more than half of cats in North America are overweight or obese. The good news is that extra pounds can be shed with the right diet and feeding plan.
What is offered in nutritional consultation?
One of our goals is to help keep your cat healthy by managing their weight. That is why we offer weight management and nutritional consultations at no charge as part of your cat’s veterinary exam. During these consultations, we weigh your cat and assess their body condition. If your cat could benefit from losing weight, we will help you chose a quality food appropriate to your cat’s lifestyle and health needs. We will then calculate the number of daily calories needed to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight and tell you exactly how much food to feed per day. All you need to do is feed your cat the recommended amount. We can also give you advice on feeding them healthy treats, and tips on how to manage begging behaviours from your cat, to make the weight loss experience even easier for you and your pet.
Is my cat fat?
Many of us are so used to seeing overweight cats, that a lean cat looks skinny to us. To tell if your cat’s weight is appropriate for their size, look at them from the side and from above, and run your hands down their back and sides. The ribs and spine should be easily felt under a thin layer of fat. When viewed from above, the cat should have a visible waist or “hourglass” figure. When looked at from the side, the abdomen should be tucked up, higher than the level of the rib cage, even though the loose skin of the ‘fat pad’ will still hang lower.