When you realise that your cat is overweight the impulse may be to reach for the Feline Atkins Diet book and half starve your precious pet, fill it full of fat and no carbs (you may do it to yourself but why put your cat through it).
No, the first thing to do is ask your vet how much weight it should lose. That should give you some sort of idea how much of a problem you have to face.
Formulated cat food now exists specifically for weight reduction programs. Again ask your vet for details.
Now’s the time to start looking at the backs of packets. Try to serve up dry food that contains less than 10% fat and provides 10% or more of fibre.
Try and feed your pet as instructed on the food labels. This could be up to four times a day. Get realistic, for some people this just can’t happen. But at least try for twice daily.
Exercise will obviously help. For obese cats this can be more of a chore than a way of life so you may like to help this along with a little play time. Encourage your cat to get up off its fat backside and get back to the natural predator it really is.
Talking about predators, if your cat does manage to supplement its diet with a little extracurricular mouse activity, then reduce the amount given at meal times proportionately.
Don’t micro manage the situation. Only weigh your cat every two weeks. This will avoid disappointment on your part. Averages count in this game not quirky peaks and troughs that may arise over the course of a few days.
If your cat is very obese then do consult your vet about diet. Too much dieting for this type of animal can cause severe liver complaints.
Now go and help that cat get its life back.
