Check that your pet's ribs are easily felt but not visibly sticking out. This indicates that your cat is at a desirable weight.
Step2
Look at your pet from above. Some indentation between the rib cage and the hips, depicting an hourglass shape, indicates that your pet is at a desirable weight.
Step3
Check your pet's belly. If the belly of a cat protrudes, the cat may be overweight. (A protruding belly on a cat is called an apron.)
Step4
Feel your pet's hips. Anything more than light fleshiness indicates that your pet is above normal weight.
Step5
Always consult a veterinarian before putting a pet on a diet. Your veterinarian can recommend a special diet appropriate to your pet, and can examine your pet to rule out the possibility that a serious medical condition is causing the obesity.
Tips & Warnings
Regular exercise helps your pet lose weight.
A cat's weight at 1 year of age often reflects the animal's optimal body weight, although this is not true of cats that are already obese at 1 year. A veterinarian can provide weight guidelines.
Visible ribs or excessive thinness could be a sign of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in cats, especially in those over 12 years of age. Consult a veterinarian if your pet is chronically underweight.
It's crucial not to let your cat become overweight - it could lead to hepatic lipidosis (a fatty liver).
on 9/5/2006
Apparently the hanging apron many female cats get (that are not overweight) is caused by muscles being cut during spaying. The muscles relax and never regain their elasticity. (Although this doesn't explain why my male cat has a bit of an apron). Female cats spayed through a flank wound are particularly prone to developing an apron (or udder, as I like to call it), while those spayed through a wound on the tummy, between the legs are less so.
on 8/29/2006
In a multi cat household, if you normally free feed it is not unusual for one or more cats to overeat. The pudgy cat could be trying to gain dominance over other household cats and may be trying to gain control of the food dish to assert himself. You may notice behavior, like - every time another cat tries to eat the pudgy one starts being pesky and crowding out the other cat or nibbling at him until he annoys the other cat away from the dish. Then pudgy snarfs as much food down as he can sometimes so much and so fast that he then vomits.
Cats are territorial and you may have to confine pudgy for several hours a day to what you decide is his own area with his own metered amount of food, water and of course litter box and comfy bed. This way the other household cats can continue to free feed without becoming stressed.
At night when you allow everyone to commingle leave no food out everyone will get used to the no grub between 11 PM & 7 AM or whatever time you set. Just be consistent because confused cats can become nervous and develop other disorders, like over grooming. You may end up with a skinny bald cat and a 40 lb tabby.
on 8/8/2006
One way to help your cat lose weight is to figure out why and how he became overweight in the first place.
For you: How did he gain too much weight? Are you feeding too much? Are you feeding too often? Are you feeding the wrong thing?
For your cat: Why does he eat too much? Is he actually hungry? Is his food not filling enough? Is it lacking nutrition your cat craves? Is he bored? Does he eat every time he passes a bowl with food? Does he actually crave attention? Is he vying with another cat for the food?
My cats became overweight because I fed them kitten food a bit after their kitten metabolism slowed down and they got pudgy before I accepted that they weren't growing babies anymore. But one of them gained much more weight than her sisters. After awhile, I figured out why: her sisters would eat a reasonable amount and then leave the food bowl. She, on the other hand, sat and ate as long as she could, much more frequently than the others.
I finally realized that every time she wanted to cuddle and I was busy, or one of the other cats was there first, or I didn't have as much time as she wanted, she would immediately go to the food bowl. Once I adjusted to her needs and gave her more individualized snuggle time, she stopped her emotional eating and is now actually more slender than her sisters.
on 8/8/2006
If your cat is overweight and you are sad not to be able to give him/her treats anymore, do not despair. Just go to a whole food shop and buy some catnip - cats love it and the chances are they'll actually burn calories rolling around in it!
on 8/8/2006 Higher quality cat food pays for itself 150%.
You end up with a fat cat because it's overeating poor nutritional quality cat foods (like Whiskas or Friskies). Your cat overeats because the foods you feed are lacking in vitamins and minerals the cat's body needs. Think of it this way...You're feeding your cats potato chips.
Go to a quality pet food store and invest in a bag of food made by companies like Innova or Wellness. If that isn't available, the expensive Purina kitten chow is a high quality food, Eukanuba isn't terrible, or pick Science diet as a last bet. Your cat WILL achieve its proper body weight if you provide it with high quality food without you doing a thing. If you're feeding dry, eventually your cat will consume about a total of 1/4 cup of food per day.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 9/5/2006 Apparently the hanging apron many female cats get (that are not overweight) is caused by muscles being cut during spaying. The muscles relax and never regain their elasticity. (Although this doesn't explain why my male cat has a bit of an apron). Female cats spayed through a flank wound are particularly prone to developing an apron (or udder, as I like to call it), while those spayed through a wound on the tummy, between the legs are less so.
Anonymous said
on 8/29/2006 In a multi cat household, if you normally free feed it is not unusual for one or more cats to overeat. The pudgy cat could be trying to gain dominance over other household cats and may be trying to gain control of the food dish to assert himself. You may notice behavior, like - every time another cat tries to eat the pudgy one starts being pesky and crowding out the other cat or nibbling at him until he annoys the other cat away from the dish. Then pudgy snarfs as much food down as he can sometimes so much and so fast that he then vomits.
Cats are territorial and you may have to confine pudgy for several hours a day to what you decide is his own area with his own metered amount of food, water and of course litter box and comfy bed. This way the other household cats can continue to free feed without becoming stressed.
At night when you allow everyone to commingle leave no food out everyone will get used to the no grub between 11 PM & 7 AM or whatever time you set. Just be consistent because confused cats can become nervous and develop other disorders, like over grooming. You may end up with a skinny bald cat and a 40 lb tabby.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 One way to help your cat lose weight is to figure out why and how he became overweight in the first place.
For you: How did he gain too much weight? Are you feeding too much? Are you feeding too often? Are you feeding the wrong thing?
For your cat: Why does he eat too much? Is he actually hungry? Is his food not filling enough? Is it lacking nutrition your cat craves? Is he bored? Does he eat every time he passes a bowl with food? Does he actually crave attention? Is he vying with another cat for the food?
My cats became overweight because I fed them kitten food a bit after their kitten metabolism slowed down and they got pudgy before I accepted that they weren't growing babies anymore. But one of them gained much more weight than her sisters. After awhile, I figured out why: her sisters would eat a reasonable amount and then leave the food bowl. She, on the other hand, sat and ate as long as she could, much more frequently than the others.
I finally realized that every time she wanted to cuddle and I was busy, or one of the other cats was there first, or I didn't have as much time as she wanted, she would immediately go to the food bowl. Once I adjusted to her needs and gave her more individualized snuggle time, she stopped her emotional eating and is now actually more slender than her sisters.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 If your cat is overweight and you are sad not to be able to give him/her treats anymore, do not despair. Just go to a whole food shop and buy some catnip - cats love it and the chances are they'll actually burn calories rolling around in it!
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006
Higher quality cat food pays for itself 150%.
You end up with a fat cat because it's overeating poor nutritional quality cat foods (like Whiskas or Friskies). Your cat overeats because the foods you feed are lacking in vitamins and minerals the cat's body needs. Think of it this way...You're feeding your cats potato chips.
Go to a quality pet food store and invest in a bag of food made by companies like Innova or Wellness. If that isn't available, the expensive Purina kitten chow is a high quality food, Eukanuba isn't terrible, or pick Science diet as a last bet. Your cat WILL achieve its proper body weight if you provide it with high quality food without you doing a thing. If you're feeding dry, eventually your cat will consume about a total of 1/4 cup of food per day.