When the morbidly obese cat Cinderblock embarked on a two fat cats weight loss journey two weeks ago, her one-paw-on-the-treadmill efforts to get trim went viral. Her strict diet and exercise routine have helped her gain 16,000 subscribers since the launch of her Cinder Gets fit YouTube channel. She has lost 0.2lb since then. Vets are becoming more concerned about pet obesity in the UK. It is associated with health conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. Direct Line pet insurance cats illustrated conducted a survey of 2,100 pet owners and found that more than one million cats have been informed by their vets that their pets are overweight.
Recognize the signs Two fat cats
The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals released a PDSA PAW 2018 report in 2018. It found that 68% pet owners didn’t know their two fat cats was obese or overweight. This is a great habit to start. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association ranks body condition in two fat cats between 1 and 9. Their fat should cover their ribs. You should feel their ribs by gently touching them. This can be done by a vet.
Get a specialist diet
According to Daniella Dos Santos (president of the British Veterinary Association), it is important to get the diet right from the beginning to prevent obesity. There will be specific needs depending on the cat’s breed, size, age, and lifestyle. The Pet Food Manufacturers Association has a strict nutritional test that ensures a balanced diet. Dos Santos says that it is easy for pets to overfeed. “When they sleep, they don’t consume many calories so we have to adjust the food and quantity we feed them.”
Limit the amount of treats Two fat cats
Dos Santos says that people forget lots of cats that treats can be unhealthy and have a calorie count. They should therefore be considered alongside the rest of the food. What about the table scraps and leftovers? She adds that a cat’s calorie needs are lower than a human. Even foods that you might consider healthy for humans like chicken breast are too high in calories for cats.
Let them work for your food
You can encourage your cat to work harder to find their food. Scatter feeding or puzzle feeding are good ways to make them more active. Two Fat Cats Protection suggests that cats be encouraged to exercise by placing their daily food in feeding balls.