How To Safely Help Your Cat Lose Weight

8 November 2017
 Categories: , Blog

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Carrying excess weight and fat is dangerous for everyone, including cats. Unfortunately, simply forcing your cat to eat less isn't a viable way of helping them to lose weight. If your cat is overweight or obese, give these steps a try to get your cat back to a healthy weight.

Veterinarian

Just like with people, it's a good idea to visit a doctor before beginning any diet program. Cats need to visit a veterinarian before you try to encourage them to lose weight. If your cat is carrying excess weight due to a health problem like hypothyroidism, your veterinarian will be able to detect and treat the underlying issue, which can help your kitty to lose weight on its own.

Furthermore, losing excessive weight too quickly is dangerous for cats. Without guidance, this can lead to a problem called fatty liver disease, which can be painful and dangerous for a cat's health. Make sure that your veterinarian agrees to your plans to help your cat lose weight before you begin the diet.

Exercise

One of the very best and healthiest things you can do for your cat's weight is to help them to exercise more. You can simply play with them more in order to encourage exercise. You can also add cat-friendly toys and climbing trees to your home to allow your cat a variety of ways to get in exercise even when you're not around.

Exercising more will help your cat to burn calories and build more muscle mass, which will also help to burn fat.

Diet Food

Lastly, consider putting your cat on a diet with a healthy, lower-calorie brand of food. Simply reducing the amount of food you give your cat isn't a good idea, since it's hard for the average pet owner to determine a cat's individual caloric needs. However, diet cat food is available from nearly all pet stores. It's carefully crafted to offer the nutrients and vitamins your cat needs while still reducing the amount of fat and calories they consume. Follow the directions on the packaging carefully to ensure that your cat is getting the correct quantity of food based on their current weight.

Helping your cat to lose weight is a good way of protecting your cat's overall health and ensuring that they live a long, happy life. Talk to a veterinarian for assistance in setting up a diet plan for your kitty and other pet care tips.