Keeping Kitty Fit

October 11th is Pet Obesity Awareness Day! Obesity is quite a large problem among cats. According to recent studies, nearly 60 percent of our feline pals are obese. A Springville, UT vet lists some ways to keep your furry buddy trim and slim in this article.

Measure Portion Sizes

It’s actually quite easy to overfeed Fluffy. Pay attention to portion sizes. This is also something to consider when deciding whether to opt for canned food, dry food, or a mix of both. Canned food has more moisture content, and is therefore closer to cats’ natural diets, but it costs more and spoils faster. Dry food is cheaper and lasts longer, but may contain more fillers, such as corn or wheat, which may lead to weight gain.

Don’t Be Meowpulated

Kitties are very, very good at wrapping their humans around their cute paws. It doesn’t help that Fluffy often treats spotting the bottom of her food bowl as a dire emergency, even if she just had breakfast. Don’t let your feline friend meowpulate you into overfeeding her!

Limit Treats

Treats are great for bonding and purr activation. Just don’t go crazy! Stick with the recommended serving sizes. 

Provide Enrichment

Did you know that cats are just as susceptible to boredom snacking as people are? If Fluffy doesn’t have anything to do all day but stare at the walls, she’ll very likely start going back and forth from her food bowl, just for something to do. Offer lots of toys, and, if possible, a safe, comfy window seat with a good view.

Keep Kitty Active

Taking a few minutes a day to play with your furry best friend will benefit her mentally, physically, and emotionally. It can also make a difference in warding off obesity. Kitties both appreciate and benefit from having some things that encourage her to jump and climb. Cat towers are great for this. You can even offer Fluffy a kitty exercise wheel!

Monitor Fluffy’s Weight

It’s much easier to correct a gain of a few pounds than to try and address severe obesity. Weigh Fluffy regularly. You can do this at home by stepping on a scale, getting your weight, and then stepping on again and getting the difference between the two numbers. Of course, your vet should be the ultimate judge of whether your kitty needs to lose weight or not.

Do you have questions about caring for your cat? Contact us, your local Springville, UT pet hospital, today!