What to do if your cat is overweight

How can I tell if my cat is overweight?

Fur can hide a lot! It’s important to understand the difference between a healthy cat and an obese cat. Picking up on this distinction can be the difference between a happy and healthy life, and one full of uncomfortable health problems. Keep an eye out for the following signs of obesity in your cat:

• You cannot easily feel their ribs
• You cannot easily feel their spine
• There is a layer of low hanging fat under their abdomen
• The space between their ribs and hips sticks out
• Inability to exercise

What causes obese or overweight cats?

Obesity in cats has a number of factors. In essence, it's the difference between energy intake (how much they eat) and energy usage (how much they exercise). High calorie food or a large amount of treats may contribute to this issue. Other common factors include medical conditions such as hypothyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism.

What is the best treatment for obese or overweight cats?

If your cat is obese or overweight, it’s best to get them seen by a vet who can determine if the cause is diet based or if it’s due to a more sinister underlying medical issue. Your vet will be able to recommend an appropriate diet that fulfils their nutritional needs without overindulging them. Bondi Pet has a range of cat food products that are specifically formulated to keep your furry friend at a healthy weight, so you are bound to find the perfect fit for your feline.

5 Top Tips to Help Your Cat Lose Weight

1. Look into diet food and feeding frequency. As Dr Kate mentioned, speak to your vet to determine the most suitable diet that fulfils your cat’s nutritional needs without overindulging them.

2. Cut the treats. Cat treats are great for training and adding important nutrients to your cat's diet, but if your cat loves its treats too much you probably tend to indulge multiple times a day. Exchange treats for playtime.

3. Consider a feeding ball for cats. If your cat still loves dry food, pick up a feeding ball that forces them to work for each nugget. They’ll have fun pushing the ball around and get significantly more exercise while doing so.

4. Make play time fun. Cats are typically sedentary creatures, but during the hours they are awake, get them moving! Toss around a small toy that they can chase or put some climbing posts and scratchers out. Giving your cat some low-intensity exercise options should encourage them to move more.

5. Keep up the water supply. Sometimes your cat feels “hungry” when they're really just bored. If playtime doesn’t work, break out a fresh bowl of water to give them something to consume. Check out our range of cat water bowls.