Have You Got a Fat Cat?
A cat is considered obese when its body weight is 20% and above the recommended weight for his build and years. You can detect a cat is obese if they have a layer of fat covering their bony areas and often they get a paunch around the abdominal area which can look a little bit like a skirt.
There’s no right or wrong weight for a cat. You’ll need to get the advice of your vet to know whether your cat needs to be slimmed down or not.
As with humans, obesity has some serious health risks attached to it for cats. Heavier cats are more likely to end up with joints problems in later life such as rheumatics and arthritis. Their risk of diabetes is also increased.
If you’ve been advised your cat is getting a bit too tubby don’t put them on a strict diet as too rapid a weight loss can also cause health issues. Talk to you vet about slowly reducing the number of calories your cat eats. If your cat normally grazes throughout the day then restrict his feeding times to certain times throughout the day. Increase the amount of exercise he has by playing with him. Encourage chase and stalking games which will burn calories and keep him entertained.