Overweight Cats: Health Risks, Management Guide, and Weight Loss Strategies to Improve Quality of Life
Overweight Cats: Health Risks, Management Guide, and Weight Loss Strategies to Improve Quality of Life
Have you noticed your feline friend getting rounder? While your love for your cat is unconditional, regardless of their size, just like humans, being overweight can put extra stress on a cat's body, and the health risks can be serious. Overfeeding or an inactive lifestyle are two of the main reasons cats become overweight, and older cats and indoor cats are most likely to become overweight.
1. Determining if Your Cat is Overweight
Different breeds of cats have different body shapes and different lengths of fur, so it's not always easy to tell if your cat is overweight unless she's extremely obese. Generally speaking, when you run your hand along her body, you should be able to feel (but not see) her ribs, and you should see a defined waist from above.
2. Health Risks of Overweight Cats
An overweight cat is at risk for a number of health problems that can significantly affect their quality of life and lifespan. Here are some of the common health issues:
(1) Feline Diabetes
Overweight cats are more prone to developing insulin resistance, which is part of a cat developing diabetes. Insulin resistance is when the body cannot use insulin effectively, which causes blood sugar levels to increase. Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, and lethargy.
(2) Feline Heart Problems
Just like humans, any extra weight your cat carries will put stress on her heart and could worsen any existing heart disease. Heart disease can be very serious and lead to complete heart failure, although they can often be managed with diet, medication, and stress management, any cat with heart disease must be at a healthy weight.
(3) Feline Liver Disease
Conditions like diabetes, linked to feline obesity, can place greater strain on the liver, and feline hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver, is also a significant risk. If your overweight cat drastically cuts down on her food intake, whether due to stress, illness, or inappropriate diet, fat can build up in the liver to the extent that it can be fatal.
(4) Feline Arthritis
Excess weight naturally puts stress on a cat's joints, causing mobility issues and exacerbating pain and inflammation caused by arthritis. Our cats' joints naturally deteriorate as they age, but any extra weight doesn't help and will make any arthritic issues worse.
(5) Feline Skin Problems
Non-allergic skin problems, such as feline acne and other infections, are more common in overweight cats, and if they are particularly obese and struggle to groom themselves, it can lead to problems of its own. Unkempt, dull, and coarse fur will harbor dirt underneath the skin leading to infections, rashes, redness, and dry and flaking skin.
(6) Increased Risk of Problems During Surgery
Overweight cats have a higher risk of complications under anesthesia for a number of reasons, including putting extra strain on their lungs. They also require more anesthesia than a leaner cat, so they are more at risk of an overdose, and it takes longer for them to recover.
An overweight or obese cat can face many health problems that affect their quality of life and lifespan. That's why we believe in controlling our cats' weight and incorporating regular exercise and movement into their daily routine. Charlie is our typical overeater and controlling his weight is very important, so we are vigilant about what he eats, keep regular feeding times, and provide him with fun and varied playtime options. He still has a little weight to lose, but he's on the right track.
Have you noticed your feline friend getting rounder? While your love for your cat is unconditional, regardless of their size, just like humans, being overweight can put extra stress on a cat's body, and the health risks can be serious. Overfeeding or an inactive lifestyle are two of the main reasons cats become overweight, and older cats and indoor cats are most likely to become overweight.
1. Determining if Your Cat is Overweight
Different breeds of cats have different body shapes and different lengths of fur, so it's not always easy to tell if your cat is overweight unless she's extremely obese. Generally speaking, when you run your hand along her body, you should be able to feel (but not see) her ribs, and you should see a defined waist from above.
2. Health Risks of Overweight Cats
An overweight cat is at risk for a number of health problems that can significantly affect their quality of life and lifespan. Here are some of the common health issues:
(1) Feline Diabetes
Overweight cats are more prone to developing insulin resistance, which is part of a cat developing diabetes. Insulin resistance is when the body cannot use insulin effectively, which causes blood sugar levels to increase. Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, and lethargy.
(2) Feline Heart Problems
Just like humans, any extra weight your cat carries will put stress on her heart and could worsen any existing heart disease. Heart disease can be very serious and lead to complete heart failure, although they can often be managed with diet, medication, and stress management, any cat with heart disease must be at a healthy weight.
(3) Feline Liver Disease
Conditions like diabetes, linked to feline obesity, can place greater strain on the liver, and feline hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver, is also a significant risk. If your overweight cat drastically cuts down on her food intake, whether due to stress, illness, or inappropriate diet, fat can build up in the liver to the extent that it can be fatal.
(4) Feline Arthritis
Excess weight naturally puts stress on a cat's joints, causing mobility issues and exacerbating pain and inflammation caused by arthritis. Our cats' joints naturally deteriorate as they age, but any extra weight doesn't help and will make any arthritic issues worse.
(5) Feline Skin Problems
Non-allergic skin problems, such as feline acne and other infections, are more common in overweight cats, and if they are particularly obese and struggle to groom themselves, it can lead to problems of its own. Unkempt, dull, and coarse fur will harbor dirt underneath the skin leading to infections, rashes, redness, and dry and flaking skin.
(6) Increased Risk of Problems During Surgery
Overweight cats have a higher risk of complications under anesthesia for a number of reasons, including putting extra strain on their lungs. They also require more anesthesia than a leaner cat, so they are more at risk of an overdose, and it takes longer for them to recover.
An overweight or obese cat can face many health problems that affect their quality of life and lifespan. That's why we believe in controlling our cats' weight and incorporating regular exercise and movement into their daily routine. Charlie is our typical overeater and controlling his weight is very important, so we are vigilant about what he eats, keep regular feeding times, and provide him with fun and varied playtime options. He still has a little weight to lose, but he's on the right track.
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