Overweight Cat Help

As in humans, obesity in cats is becoming an increasing problem that can lead to a number of diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. With proper nutrition and exercise, you can help prevent your cat from becoming overweight.

How do I know if my cat is overweight?

When there is excess fat over the ribs and abdomen, your cat is overweight. Excess fat over the ribs feels like this: place your palm up on the table, spread and run your fingers over the knuckle. Ribs that feel fatty like this indicate your cat is overweight. If your cat’s neck is wider than your cat’s head and the head looks small for your cat’s body, your cat is obese.

A cat with an ideal body weight should have easily felt ribs that are not visible, an obvious waist, and slight tucked up tummy. Their hips, ribs, shoulders, and cheeks should be in alignment when looking at your cat from above.

How can I help my cat lose weight?

A balanced diet that is carefully measured and fed according to your cat’s ideal weight combined with a minimum of 10-30 minutes of active playtime a day can help prevent and treat obesity. Keep your cat active with toys, cat trees, catnip, and scheduled playtime. Measure food carefully or invest in a food scale for accurate feeding. Slowly decrease the amount of food you give your cat and give treats sparingly. Treats should make up less than 10% of the total calories your cat needs for the day. If possible, use your cat’s food or a spoonful of canned food as treats. Weighing your cat regularly will help keep you on track. We offer free weigh-ins!

What is offered during a nutritional consultation?

There are a number of weight loss diets including a metabolic diet that we can prescribe to help your cat lose weight safely. We will go over food options, take body measurements, and calculate the number of calories your cat needs to best meet your nutritional requirements.