Welcome to the club. If your cat is fat, you are just like the rest of us. 60% of cats in America are overweight or obese. Now, what do you do about it?
It’s as Simple as 1,2,3.
1 - Portion control
Did you know that a cat’s stomach is approximately the size of a ping-pong ball? That is the size of a mouse. This is the amount of food that a cat should eat in small portions throughout the day and night.
But, that is not how we feed our cats. Do you know what the “All Day Buffet” is? That is the way most Americans feed their cats. The bowl, or worse yet, the “automatic-feeder” is filled to the brim 24/7. This is the recipe for obesity. Most cats need about ½ cup to 1 cup of food per day fed in ping pong ball sized portions. The exact amount depends on your cat's age, weight, and metabolism.
2- Stress Reduction
Imagine if you had nothing to do except eat and sleep all day. Every day. Over time, you would become quite stressed, and likely overweight.
In nature, cats spend 80% of their waking hours hunting for food. Most of that time is on the prowl, hunting for it. This is nature’s exercise. Recreating the hunt-catch-play-eat cycle keeps cats physically and mentally fit. Cats that are given the opportunity to express their innate feeding behaviors naturally return to a normal weight.
But, how do you accomplish this? Release 3 mice into your living room morning and night? Of course not. Simply use the portion filler as a guide to fill the three Doc & Phoebe’s mice and hide them high and low around the house before you leave for work in the morning and before you go to bed at night.
3- Exercise
Your cat wants to play with you! Schedule two 5 minute active play sessions with your cat a day. Grab your favorite laser pointer or wand toy and get your hunt on. This high energy together time is great for bonding and exercise.
Portion Control + Stress Reduction + Exercise = Weight Loss
Be patient. Slow and steady weight loss is best. The average cat should lose approximately ½ -1 pound a month. Rapid weight loss in cats can cause a dangerous condition call Hepatic Lipidosis. A weight loss program is always best with direct veterinary supervision.