Nowadays even our pets are subject to diseases of civilization. Obesity is no good for them as well as for people. Do you know how to tell if your cat is obese and what are its causes and consequences?
Nowadays even our pets are subject to diseases of civilization. Obesity is no good for them as well as for people. Do you know how to tell if your cat is obese and what are its causes and consequences?
While in the past cats spend a great deal of energy to hunting, today they (especially those in flats) live in a very limited area and the majority of them have an unrestricted and all-day-long access to food. And this limited exercising together with excessive intake of calories (caused not only by overeating but by inappropriate type feeding) is the most frequent cause of obesity.
The castration also “helps” to get obese. This is because it changes animal’s metabolism. With growing age, there is also bigger need of quality proteins. So when the choice of the cat’s food is wrong, it can get obese even though it has not enough of such proteins.
Obesity presents health risks
Obese animals generally have a shorter life and and being a relatively bit overweight may increase the risk of serious diseases such as diabetes, diseases of joints and bones, diseases of the heart, liver or lung diseases and urinary tract diseases. Obesity also increases risks associated with anaesthesia and can complicate surgical procedures. Cats which are overweight are also lazier and thus do not support the activity of the intestines and this is bad for their digestion.
How to prevent obesity in cats
Do not choose poor-quality food. When choosing it you should also take the condition of the cat into account – whether it is castrated, how old and active it is and the like. Many producers already categorize cat food according to those criteria so it is no longer a problem.
Each cat should also have enough opportunities to burn its energy. A scratching tree can be good for this purpose or other form of activities, perhaps another cat buddy with which they can chase each other or encourage for playing. Some cats, like my own, are good alone but others need to be initiated to play.
How to fight obesity – lifestyle changes
If you think that your cat is suffering from obesity, consult it with a vet. He may decide that the condition of your cat is so serious that it needs a special health diet. Otherwise he/she can advise what food (it is usually marked as light) you should give your cat and how much. He/she may recommend the purchase of interactive feeders or functional toys.
Obese cat should also not have a permanent access to food. It should get the access to a bowl with food three times a day for fifteen minutes for example. The natural thing to do should be to avoid any treats and leftovers of human food. Try to initiate her physical activity as well.
Have your pet cat already had a problem with being overweight? Have you to solved it? Fortunately, my cat is so active that she could even handle the transition from the outside to the inside. Although she does not have access to the outside as she had in the past, she always runs as crazy at home, chases the dog and often even us so she did not suffer from any change in her weight. :)
Kitten Lady describes her activities as kittens’ advocacy and humane education. This all is done by young beautiful Hannah Shaw. She’s a kitten rescuer, spreads the principles of humanity and is an unwavering advocate of animal rights. She decided to...
Several kinds of hedgehog are kept as pets. The most common one is the four-toed hedgehog or an African pygmy hedgehog in other words. This pet which is not very common but is becoming more and more popular can live up to 9 years in captivity and...
More than one artist fell in love with these creatures and looked for inspiration for work in them. One of them was Ernest Hemingway. He is the author of the well-known saying “One cat just leads to another”. He really kept a large number of cats (in...
We have an active and healthy lifestyle. Or at least we try to have. In relation to that, we don’t only think about our own food but also about our dogs’ food. The trend of barfing has already come to the Czech Republic, too. It is a method of feeding...
If you go camping for the first time, it is good to prepare for all various reactions of your furry friend. Do you travel with it by car and by public transport with no problems? Is your dog okay when not sleeping at home, e.g. in a mountain cabin? It...
As the name of this breed suggests, you can’t expect much hair on an American hairless terrier. This small or medium size muscled dog has hair only on its muzzle and eyebrows. But the interesting thing is that puppies are born with an undercoat which...
Let us get this straight, what is monoprotein food? It is wet food (i.e. cans and pouches) which contains only one type of meat, muscles and bowels. And why is it better than common wet food?
A meat bomb in a form of a dog paté or can doesn’t have to be only a reward. If you are planning to go on a long hike – to the mountains or to the valley – you can make the use of a dog meat can. Dogs in move, usually when doing any sport outside, need...
The cause of diabetes is a lack of insulin (a pancreas hormone) or the inability of the body to use it effectively (i.e. the resistance of tissues towards insulin). And it doesn’t matter if you’re a person or an animal. With diabetes, the sugar is...
Runner Dion Leonard could talk for hours about the bond which is created between a man and a dog and also about how an unknown Asian crossbreed dog becomes one of the most famous dogs on planet Earth. He bumped into a dog companion at the ultra-trial...
Even when you cannot or don’t want to take your dog on your holiday with you, you still have many options what to do with it. You can take him to your relatives, accommodate it in a dog hotel, use dog-sitting and other things. It’s not that easy with...
Cats can also be heroes and put their lives at risk to save someone from risky or life-threatening situations. The first cat hero I will introduce you to is Scarlett. She showed her heroism in the most natural form – she saved her kittens. She took...
