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Obesity in Cats or Why is Kitty Obese?

why is my cat fat?
Obesity in Cats or Why is Kitty Obese?

Why is Kitty Obese?

Obesity in Cats, is your cat overweight, lethargic, and sleeping most of the time? Believe it or not the diet and the feeding schedule is likely the problem.

Obesity in Cats and here is why kitty is obese:

1- Kitty is controlling the feeding schedule or better yet, there is no set feeding schedule and portion control!

2- You leave dry food out for kitty all day and night throughout the week!

3- Your dry food is mostly fat and carbohydrates and the only reason it list high protein content is the measure is a dry basis and not a wet basis (this is important)!

4- Your cat sleeps both night and day! Indoor cats do not engage in enough exercise to burn off the calories it is eating!

Obesity in cats and here are the solutions:

  • Learn to give your cat several small meals throughout the day if possible. Try not to leave food out all day and night. You need to control the feeding schedule and here is what I recommend for a feeding schedule for the busy working family. Give kitty a tablespoon of canned food as soon as you wake up then leave the remainder of the 3-ounce can when you go to work. Try not to feed more than a 3-ounce can per feeding. When you return from work, give kitty a tablespoon of canned food when you get home then the remainder of the can before bedtime. Note that this schedule is for cats 15 lbs or less. Larger breeds such as maine coon may require another 3 ounces of wet food daily.

  • Portion control is necessary but do not hold back or try to “starve diet” kitty because their liver cannot handle the lack of food like humans can. If you stay or work from home you can easily control the feeding schedule. Increase to four times a day but smaller portions. Kitty will slowly start to lose weight over a period of several months. Be patient this takes time.

  • Transition your cat from dry to canned wet and possibly to homemade raw diet. Expect this to take time but do not “cold turkey” kitty from one type of food to the other. Serve up both in small portions side by side in the same bowl. After several days or weeks slowly reduce the amount of dry in each serving until you’re done feeding dry. Dry food in my mind are treats and should be used as such. Use only as a treat and never as a full meal.

Obesity in cats:

  • Cat neutered or spayed or breed of cat are not significant reasons for why kitty is obese. Cats will adjust their metabolism after surgery and this takes several months. If your cat is lazy or not getting attention to exercise, then it will gain weight. Obesity is not breed specific but rather based on its feeding and exercise habits. You must control the frequency and portions to be successful, and of course lots of play time exercise for kitty.

  • Buy plenty of cat toys but making your own is quite easy. A long wood rod can be used like a fishing pole and tie string to the rod and a swatch of denim or cotton cloth on the other end. Catnip can be grown or purchased to entice kitty (not all are attracted to catnip). Simple stuff like paper bags (never offer plastic bags) or a box is quite entertaining for your cat. Exercise your cat for 30 minutes or more daily. This can be split up into two or three sessions.

  • A cat cannot lose weight of it takes in more calories than it burns up on a daily basis. This is true for us as well so exercise and diet is necessary to keep your cat healthy and slim.

If you have more than one cat, please try to treat them all the same with food and exercise. Should you have both normal and obese cats then I recommend feeding the obese cats in a different room from the normal cats and make sure the normal cats have finished their food before letting the obese cats mingle with them. Remember your cat does not have to be obese.

Is my cat fat?


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