Feline Obesity
Does your cat polish your floor with his stomach as he walks? Is his food bowl
bigger than your head? Do you grunt when you try to pick him up? Does he bounce
when he lands on the floor? Do you spend more on his food bill than your own?
People see fat cats as subjects of humor. They make cartoons with cute captions,
manipulate photos into amusing cards, and crack jokes about their rotund companions.
As harmless as it seems, obesity in our feline companions is not a joke. The
health risks are very real. For nearly 40% of American cats, their lives will
be shortened by years due to this preventable problem.
All cat owners should know if their cat is obese, what problems are associated
with obesity, what causes obesity, and how to fix the problem.
So how do I know if my cat is obese? Obesity is commonly defined as being more
than 20% above the ideal weight. How that ideal weight is determined, however,
isn't always cut and dried. Unlike humans, who have Body Mass Index and other
various charts to guide them, there isn't an established chart of acceptable
weights for cats due to the large variations between the different breeds. A
Maine Coon will be much heavier than a Siamese. For this reason, obesity in
cats is determined using body condition scoring. Body condition scoring usually
ranges from 1 to 9, with 5 being ideal and 9 being grossly overweight.
So how can you tell if your cat's too fat? Feel his sides. Can you feel his
ribs? A little fat covering is ideal. You should be able to feel his ribs if
you put slight pressure on his sides, but you shouldn't be able to count them
just by running your hand over his body. Look at him while you're standing above
him. Can you see his waist? Yes, cats should have a waist. Look at him from
the side. Do you see his tummy tucking in a bit? It shouldn't be wobbling around
in the breeze (in neutered animals, a slight pouch of loose skin is normal).
For longhaired cats, it may be helpful to wet down their fur in the bathtub
to judge their body condition. All that fur can give the illusion that the cat
is much heavier than it really is, or provide a great excuse to the owner for
why her cat looks fat. (See the links following this article for an illustrated
chart to help you.)
So He's Fat. Is It That Dangerous?
The short answer: YES. The long answer: a list of known risks. Obese cats have
a much higher risk of developing:
· Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)
· Hepatic lipidosis / FLS (a form of liver disease)
· Arthritis or other skeletal problems
· Lower urinary tract disease ('cystitis')
· Breathing difficulties
· Heart failure
· Renal disease
· Problems with anesthetic
· Surgical complications
But He Doesn't Eat THAT much...
Excess weight is all about eating more calories than the body needs. If your
cat is neutered, he uses fewer calories. If he's a barn cat, he uses a lot more
calories. The more active he is, the more calories he needs. Most of us have
indoor cats that lay around much of the time. They're not using energy to stay
warm; they're not hunting for their food.
They don't need to have a big bowl of food lying around to munch on 24 hours
a day. When humans diet, it is often recommended to keep a food diary because
we lose track of how much we're really eating. You can lose track of how much
your cat is really eating if you free-feed dry and toss treats at him several
times a day. Be more conscious of what you're feeding him and remember that
an animal that weighs 12 pounds doesn't need to eat all that much. Nor will
he think you don't love him anymore if you stop tossing him treats every time
you think he's being cute. If you want to show him your love, play with him.
Give him some catnip. Spend time interacting with him. Don't equate food with
love.
Getting the Weight Off
If your cat is more than a little overweight, the first thing you need to do
is make an appointment with your veterinarian. There are a few medical reasons
for gross obesity that require veterinary care to fix. Barring a medical problem
causing the condition, your vet should monitor your obese cat's health as you
restrict calories. Strict dieting can be deadly to obese cats. Do not just drastically
cut down on her food and hope the weight will melt off. Obese cats that are
suddenly deprived of food are prone to Fatty Liver Syndrome, which can be fatal
if untreated. Weight loss should be a gradual process - the natural result of
a healthier diet and a more active life.
Most cats are not so grossly obese that they need medical care to supervise
their weight loss. Most are simply the result of an unhealthy lifestyle where
they consume too many calories, are too inactive, and eat the wrong kinds of
food (pretty much just like overweight people). Addressing these problems will
result in the weight gradually reducing to a healthy number. Try these tips.
· Buy premium food. Many inexpensive
brands don't use quality ingredients and use far too many fillers. The nutrients
are not as digestible, thus aren't bioavailable (they just pass right through
the system). The cat eats more to compensate.
· Feed portioned meals at regular mealtimes. Cats will eat out of boredom,
just like people. They may also compete for food in a multi-cat home. Feed the
portion recommended on the food packaging, dividing into two or three feedings
daily (barring any medical condition requiring a different feeding schedule).
Separate your cats in your multiple-cat household if necessary. Leave the food
down for 30-40 minutes, and then take it up. You eat meals at mealtime. So can
your cat.
· Feed wet food in addition to or instead of dry. Cats are meant to eat
meat. Dry foods tend to have far too many carbohydrates (not very digestible)
and not nearly enough water and protein. The wet food, high in protein and fat,
satisfies the cat's hunger better and is used more efficiently by the body.
If your cat likes wet food, feed the wet only. If she isn't all that crazy about
it, give her half her calories as dry and half as wet. If you're just starting
out, even a quarter of her calories coming from wet food is a start.
· Skip the treats. Food should not be equated with love. Once your cat
is down to a healthy weight, an occasional treat is fine, but until then, try
using praise, playtime, catnip, and other rewards to show how much you enjoy
your companion.
· Integrate activities other than eating into the routine. Your cat was
made to be an active being - one that hunted for food, competed for territory,
stayed safe from predators, stayed warm in the winter, cool in the summer, ranged
for mates, and raised young. Now that cats are kept as indoor pets, they need
activity to be provided for them. Get some interactive and automated toys for
your cat. Play chase with her - get her to chase you from room to room by dragging
a cat toy behind you. Get her a big cat tree and hide interesting things such
as catnip pieces in it, especially towards the top where she needs to climb
to get to. Plant a little container of cat grass and secure it to the top. Be
creative, but get her thinking and moving. Playing with your cat reduces stress
levels - for both of you!
Keep the Weight Off
Don't get lazy once your cat can actually jump onto the couch without effort.
A healthy weight is all about lifestyle. Maintain the feeding regimen, don't
start feeding a lot of extra treats, and keep up the activity levels. Spending
a little time to get your cat to a healthy weight will help your cat live a
longer , happier life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
M. Nikole Hunn is a freelance writer in her spare time, in between coding, tripping
over cats, and cleaning hair off the couch. Her main site can be seen at http://www.ipwebdesign.net/
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