Just as humans suffer a host of subsequent health conditions when they are obese, so too do cats with weight issues as well. It leaves them open to such destructive conditions as arthritis and diabetes, and it seriously shortens their already short life spans. The interesting thing to note is that the rise in feline obesity is directly connected to the increase in human obesity statistics too. This means that just as people are beginning to habitually over-feed themselves they are doing the same for their pets.
There are a few good ways to conquer weight problems in cats, however, and it all begins with how the cat is provided its daily meals. Many modern cat owners feel it is necessary to leave a bowl of dry food out during the day, and then to supplement the cat’s diet with a bit of wet food as well. The combination of wet feeding and what is known as free choice feeding is often a leading cause of weight problems in a cat. When a cat is bored it will do just as many people do and head to the food. When the supply of food is never-ending, it is easy to see why a cat might be overweight.
In addition to leaving out too much food, many people also choose the wrong foods as well. It is important to demonstrate to a pet the love you feel for it by making the right choices in the foods you buy for it. This does not mean that your cat must receive all kinds of expensive “human grade” foods, but buying the discount bag of dry kibble is not necessarily taking a cat’s nutritional needs to heart. Consider that many of these dry foods are full of sugars and carbohydrates that a cat cannot process or digest at all. They are also full of preservatives and “by products” that are difficult for the cat to metabolize as well.
Rather than spending money on junk food that is quickly killing a cat and making it over weight, it is best to scout out a supply of foods that feed the cat what it would naturally require. This would be a meat based diet that is high in protein and comprised of very little carbohydrate or grains. In fact, some food makers are actually producing wet foods that are entirely free from grains altogether.
A final word about weight control and cats is to also consider the need for store bought treats. These are usually the definition of “filler” and should be replaced with small bits of pure protein. Why not cook a bit of chicken and chop it into bite-sized portions that serve as a healthful and much more beneficial snack? Your cat will love this just as much as the packaged snack and it will not harm its body in any way.
