Every day, I see at least one fat cat come into my hospital. When I say fat, I don't mean a "just a bit roly-poly." I mean F-A-T. I mean 20lbs of cat when it should be 12lbs (that's 40% of its body weight kitty needs to lose! Think of a 250-lb man who should actually weight 150lbs!) I mean obese to the point that the kitty can no longer groom itself and has stopped jumping on the couch or playing.
Cats get fat because we, as owners, let them get fat. We ensure that food is plentiful because we don't want to see our feline friends hungry. But, we end up doing more harm than good, as obese cats are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, are more likely to experience arthritis, and can face the serious disease of hepatic lipidosis. Male cats that are obese are more likely to exhibit signs of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) and can face urethral blockage, which is life-threatening.
Wild cats do not get reliable meals. They eat when and how they can, and they can learn behaviors - such as frequenting certain areas - that increase their chances of getting a meal. Your pet cat is much the same, except he doesn't have to hunt for his meals. You give them to him! And then he performs certain behaviors (such as standing in front of the food bowl and crying) because he knows they'll increase the chance of getting fed. Not because he's hungry, but because he's driven to keep searching for food.
So, we, as pet owners, have to decide that our cats have had enough to eat. We know they're not going to starve on two meals a day. And we know that fat cats are at a higher risk of becoming unhealthy cats.
Cats get fat because we, as owners, let them get fat. We ensure that food is plentiful because we don't want to see our feline friends hungry. But, we end up doing more harm than good, as obese cats are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, are more likely to experience arthritis, and can face the serious disease of hepatic lipidosis. Male cats that are obese are more likely to exhibit signs of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) and can face urethral blockage, which is life-threatening.
Wild cats do not get reliable meals. They eat when and how they can, and they can learn behaviors - such as frequenting certain areas - that increase their chances of getting a meal. Your pet cat is much the same, except he doesn't have to hunt for his meals. You give them to him! And then he performs certain behaviors (such as standing in front of the food bowl and crying) because he knows they'll increase the chance of getting fed. Not because he's hungry, but because he's driven to keep searching for food.
So, we, as pet owners, have to decide that our cats have had enough to eat. We know they're not going to starve on two meals a day. And we know that fat cats are at a higher risk of becoming unhealthy cats.