Not-So-Fat Cat: Tips For Helping Your Kitty Slim Down
Posted on: 6 July 2015
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If your cat is suffering from a weight problem, your vet may have expressed some concerns about long-term health. Overweight cats can be at risk of many conditions, from heart disease to fatty liver. If your vet has suggested that it's time to slim your kitty's waist, you'll want to arm yourself with some tried-and-true techniques for burning some weight off. Here are some tips to help you get things going.
Start With the Food
One of the first things you'll want to consider is what and how much your cat is eating. For example, your veterinarian may suggest switching your cat's food to a low-calorie option instead of the traditional calorie-dense foods you may be buying. Start gradually replacing a portion of the food at each meal. Increase the amount of the new food each time you feed until you've made a complete transition. This eases the chances of digestive upset.
In addition to the new food, you should also consider providing your cat's meals in smaller amounts. Your vet will tell you how much the cat should be eating throughout the day. Take the total and divide it into smaller amounts throughout the day so you aren't dumping all of the food at once and then facing a hungry kitty in the evenings. Otherwise, you'll be tempted to overfeed.
Add More Play
Increased activity levels are another key for helping your cat lose weight. Add more play time to your cat's daily routine. The more your cat plays, the more calories he or she is burning. Invest in a laser pointer or a flashlight. Most cats love chasing these types of lights. Even many lazy kitties can't resist the temptation of a wiggling light on the floor. And, using lights for chasing games will help foster a cat's natural hunter instincts, which may actually encourage more activity.
If your cat doesn't like to get moving for anything but food, talk to your vet about low-calorie treats that you can use in a treat toy. These toys are great for getting food-motivated cats up and around. Just be sure you're mindful about how many treats your cat gets each day – they should be counted into the daily food limits.
With tips like these, you can help your cat shed some of those excess pounds and restore the lean body structure that's ideal for his or her health. Talk to your vet today about any other changes you may need to make to keep your cat healthy.
To learn more, contact an animal hospital like Denville Animal Hospital.