The growing epidemic of obesity in the United States isn't restricted to the human population alone, an increasing number of house cats are now mirroring their owners indulgent behaviours.

In the past, most cats served a purpose; rodent control. The domesticated cat was allowed to roam freely, hunting mice and other rodents around the family farm or house. In more recent times, we have developed a real fondness for our feline companions, and although it is still common in rural areas to find barn cats, the majority of the cat population is now housebound.

As the dynamics of cat ownership has changed, so has the feline menu. No longer is Kitty hunting for meals, but meals are provided, sometimes without limitations. Therefore, Kitty has grown quite a paunch! Many cat owners love their chubby felines, but do not realize that they are killing their cats with kindness.

An obese cat is at a high risk for many preventable diseases, one of which is diabetes. The risk for diabetes in an obese cat is almost four times greater than in a slim cat. In an obese cat, the body secretes more insulin in response to the increase in blood glucose levels. Over time, the demand for insulin is greater than what the pancreas can produce, and it shuts down, resulting in diabetes.

Another very serious danger is called fatty liver disease. This illness is usually secondary to another problem that develops first; if for some reason, an obese cat suddenly stops eating, the cat's body will send fat cells to the liver for fuel, resulting in what could be considered a "fat overdose" for the liver, which is not efficient at processing fat cells. This results in liver failure which will inevitably kill the cat if left untreated.

A few other problems, if not as serious as those listed above, can be uncomfortable for the overweight cat. The risk of arthritis is greater, as more weight is being put on the joints, resulting in weakening and lameness. A fat cat cannot maneuver itself gracefully and will often injure itself trying to jump on and off furniture.

Grooming also becomes a serious problem; how to get around all this berth? Physically, it is impossible for the poor cat to be able to keep itself clean. This results in skin conditions such as dermatitis, dandruff, and a matted coat. Basically, a smelly cat.

Cat owners need to be aware of the potential for health risks in allowing their overweight friends to continue on the path to obesity. If nothing else, the shorter life span should be enough to inspire any cat owner to take steps to ensure their cats' health.

There are many things to consider when evaluating a cat's lifestyle before making any changes. One of the first steps is a change in diet; the majority of commericial cat foods contain an alarming amount of carbohydrates, which contribute to weight gain. Cats are true carnivores, and should be fed as carnivores. When shopping for dry cat food, find one that lists meats as the main ingredients instead of grains. Most dry cat foods will list at least one grain; try to find a food that uses brown rice or millet which is more easily digested by cats than any other carbohydrates.

Canned foods can also contain grain products, so be wary and check labels. In general, holistic pet foods are a good place to start searching for a new food, since most holistic or natural pet food companies produce foods for cats based on their carnivorous nature.

Portion control is common sense, and the labels on the food packaging should be used as a guide only. In general, feed the lowest recommended amount listed on the package, and adjust the amount fed as needed. Keeping track of your cats' weight with weekly weigh-ins will help

As in humans, exersise is very important for a cat. However, it is not practical to try to teach kitty to run on a treadmill.......here is where we need to be creative.

Cats love to sharpen their claws. Most cats find scratching posts to be completely useless, to be honest.....why not just use the couch? Here is a tip: cats love tree bark. There are great products out there that use cardboard products to make scratching "boxes" for cats that mimic the bark of a tree; you sprinkle some catnip on them, and they love it. This is good exersise for all cats; and psychologically very healthy also.

Toys.......there are so many out there, and a good choice is those little fuzzy mice. Store your cat's toys in a bag of catnip; every day, give them some fresh toys and replace the ones they've been playing with back into the catnip bag until tomorrow. I've never met a cat that doesn't like catnip, and nothing like it to get them moving.

Climb those stairs! If you have access to a staircase, use it to your advantage. Put that fat cat's food upstairs and make him climb for it. Keep his toys and litterbox downstairs so he has to come back down later.
Invest in a harness and leash and take kitty out in the yard. Being in the outdoors may inspire her to move around and check things out.

Naturally if a cat is very obese and cannot handle some of the above activities, don't push it. After all, we are not punishing your cat. After dietary changes are made and a few pounds are lost, activities like climbing stairs will become easier.

We love our cats, and the best way to show our love for them is to take care of them responsibly, which takes some discipline on the part of the cat owner. And remembering that a fat cat doesn't necessarily mean a happy cat.

Used by permission

Copyright © 2008 D. Ashley

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Ian White Moderator Housecarers
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Edited: 01/21/2008 at 12:19 AM by IanLWhite