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Obesity is the most common problem of health for cats. A cat is considered obese if she weighs 20% more than his optimal weight and if extra weight is the result of the accumulation of fat. If a cat is from 1 to 19% heavier than their ideal weight, then it is considered overweight and not obese. For a cat to stay healthy and have a long and happy life, the cat must maintain a healthy weight.

Determine if a cat is overweight or obese

There is no magic weight suitable for all cats. The breed, general size, age of the cat were all a factor of how much to weigh. To determine the optimal weight of a specific cat, it is best to consult a veterinarian. But in general, a cat whose ribs are difficult to feel because they are covered with a layer of fat is overweight or obese, according to the thickness layer of fat.

A cat is considered obese if she has a medium thick layer of fat that covers the entire its bony areas. Some obese cats develop even a bulge in the abdomen, which is sometimes called a skirt. " If the cat does not have a consistent size and if the back is wide, seen from above, the cat is obese.

How obesity affects

When a cat is either obese or overweight, it runs the risk of developing a variety of health problems such as worsening of osteoarthritis, resistance, diabetes mellitus, hepatic lipidosis - which fat is deposited in the liver, joint stress, lower urinary tract disorders and non-allergic skin diseases.

Cat obese or overweight may also have trouble breathing, develop a decrease immune function, and even have difficulty in childbirth.

Pre key to obesity

Some cats are more likely to become obese or overweight than others. In general, however, cats are like humans. If a cat eats more calories than it consumes, he will gain weight. The excess energy he draws from caloric intake is stored as fat.

The purebred cats, though, are less likely to become obese than mixed breeds. In addition, cats that are neutered tend to gain weight more easily than those who are not, probably in part because non-sterilized cats are available to wander in search a partner. In addition, the metabolic rate of a neutered cat is reduced by about 20%. Therefore, a neutered cat needs less food to maintain his ideal body weight.

Cats under two years are less likely to be overweight or obese than cats who are aged between two and ten years. This is because cats between those ages need less energy. Moreover, geriatric cats, which are aged over ten years, tend to be underweight. In addition, certain medications can make a cat more likely to gain weight, as some drugs will cause increased appetite and taking other drugs cause a decrease in metabolic rate. Some drugs tend to gain weight in cats are cortisosteroids, cyperoheptidine and amytripyline.

Treating obesity in the Cat

It is not healthy for a cat overweight or obese to lose weight too quickly. In fact, the rapid loss of weight increases a cat's chance of developing liver lipidosis, which is a fatal disease that causes liver fat to be deposited in the liver. Instead, a cat overweight or obese to lose weight steadily and gradually. In fact, it can take up to one year for a cat extremely overweight to reach his ideal weight in a healthy way.

If you try to help your cat lose weight, it is best to consult a veterinarian who can help you create a diet healthy. The veterinarian will ensure that your cat is still enough protein. Since cats are carnivores, it can be fatal to your cat for cutting meat. They need lots of protein and carbohydrates not very many. If you feed your cat a similar system, your cat will be able to lose weight without loss of lean muscle mass.

To help a cat overweight or obese to lose weight, it should also be encouraged to do much Exercise. This is especially true for cats with a slower metabolism, neutered cats, indoor cats with restricted activity, and cats on medication that affects weight. Pet owners can encourage exercise by playing with the cat frequently. For more direct exercise of a cat harness can be purchased from the cat walk around the house or up and down stairs. Dishes can even be transferred to areas that require more walking and, of course, reduce the portions of food from a cat overweight receives.

Maintain Weight

To keep your cat healthy and ideal weight, you might want to purchase light "special" or low calorie foods. This food will always taste good and keep your cat happy, but will also maintain a weight less because it is specially formulated for cats that have a slower metabolism and less active.

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