What Happens if your Cat Gains Just One Pound?

Pet Obesity is Downright Dangerous
By Amanda Baltazar

(Adapted from Hills Pet Nutrition, Pet Chat Email Newsletter 1-31-13.)

Sadly, like us, our cats are expanding their waistlines year after year. Why? One reason is we don't always grasp how much smaller our pets are when compared to us. Fortunately Petfit.com has developed a calculator to stack up your cat's weight gain to that of a woman. Simply select your pet's breed and the number of pounds she's gained and it will give you the human equivalent based on a 125-lb. woman.

“Humans almost always anthropomorphize their pet, says Dr. Jim Dobies, a veterinarian with South Point Pet Hospital in Charlotte, N.C., and a member of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association. “If you can compare them in a real world way and how it compares to us, that will go a long way towards helping an owner see the reality of what’s going on.”

Here are a couple of examples of how just a few extra pounds can be disastrous to your cat:

Siamese:  A mere 2 lbs of extra weight on a sophisticated Siamese cat that weighs 10 lbs. is tantamount to you gaining a whopping 25 lbs. This poor kitty’s setting herself up for diabetes.

Persian:  If your Persian tabby gains just 1 lb. — the weight of most typical household cans — it’s the equivalent of you gaining 11 lbs. A little more exercise and fewer calories should put you both on the right track.

Singapura: A 6-lb. Singapura cat that eats enough to add 2 lbs. of weight is the equivalent of a woman gaining a massive 41 lbs. Time to cut the portion sizes or risk putting her — and other cats like her — on a fast track to diabetes, arthritis and heart problems.

American Shorthair:  An American Shorthair cat whose weight jumped by 3 lbs. would be seeing the same kind of gains as a human gaining 27 lbs. Overweight cats can suffer from fatty liver syndrome (hepatic lipidosis) which means their liver functions poorly and they may even suffer liver failure.
Maine Coon: A typical 17-lb. Maine Coon gaining 4 lbs. of body weight would be seeing the same increase as a human who gained 29 lbs. This cat is setting herself up for a potential heart attack.

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If you are looking for a nutritious food for your cat, check out Lifes Abundance Health Food for Cats

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Feline Feeding Behavior

Feline Feeding Behavior and Why It Matters
Credits: July Lifes Abundance Newsletter, Thursday, 26 July 2012 16:53 by Dr. Jane Bicks 

Cats are enigmatic creatures.

Having an appreciation for their motivations will not only help you to develop a deeper bond, it could make your cat healthier, too.

Feeding your feline optimal nutrition not only requires an understanding of your cat’s unique nutritional needs, but also of their feeding behavior. In fact, understanding the nuances of feline consumption can help combat one of the most common feeding disorders in cats - obesity.

When it comes to feeding behaviors, domestic cats aren’t vastly different than their wild cousins.

Felines are so fundamentally predatory that they will actually stop eating a meal to initiate a new hunt. This instinctual strategy evolved in the wild over the course of millenia to maximize food availability. This is why, if a cat even sees a mouse, she feels compelled to catch it.

Domesticated cats exhibit this same hunting impulse, and sometimes pet parents mistake feline hunting behavior as an expression of hunger. However, it’s simply a manifestation of their predatory instinct.

It might amaze you to learn that cats in the wild consume 10-20 small meals per day! And 40% or more of the diet of feral domestic cats consists of small rodents, but the typical mouse only provides a tiny amount of the daily energy requirement of an adult cat. In order to obtain enough calories, a cat must hunt throughout the day and night.

Generally speaking, domesticated cats demonstrate similar behavior, ‘snacking’ throughout the day on their kibble and canned food. The significant difference here is that prepared food features substantial calorie counts, especially compared to a field mouse.

With many indoor kitties adopting the couch-potato lifestyle, a sizable portion of the U.S. cat population is overweight or obese. A major concern that affects overall health, obesity was nearly unheard of in cats 100 years ago.

In a relatively short period of time, cats have gone from outdoor predators, constantly searching for small prey, to indoor loafers with a nearly constant supply of freely available food! No longer subjected to the daily hardships of environmental dangers (such as predators, rampant disease, increased risk of traumatic injury and at the mercy of the elements), cats are not only falling prey to obesity, they are suffering from collateral disorders like arthritis and diabetes. Simply by adopting new methods of providing sustenance, pet parents can not only help their indoor cats avoid obesity but also boredom … talk about a win-win scenario!

Unless your cat is hyper-vigilant at regulating her caloric intake, the amount of food for the day should be measured out to prevent overeating. Resist the temptation to ‘feed the empty bowl’.

A good reality check is readily available in the form of the Suggested Daily Amount listed on the back label of Life’s Abundance food bags. It’s important to note that neutered and sedentary cats have lower energy requirements than outdoor hunters or extremely active kitties.

Food intake should be adjusted according to a cat’s activity level, to help maintain an optimal body condition. Remember, a cat is at a good weight when you can feel ribs, but not see them. It’s always a good idea to discuss weight management issues with your veterinarian. Feeding your cat in a manner that mimics hunting can result in positive health benefits. Doing so will decrease boredom and increase exercise levels, helping to trim fat and build muscle tissue.

We encourage you to employ some of the following suggestions, provided by from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (catvets.com):

• Use a puzzle feeder or food ball to dispense food as a challenge. Or make your own homemade puzzle feeder by cutting holes into a taped-shut shoebox or empty two-liter bottle, either with holes large enough that she can paw kibble out, or kibble-sized holes that will dispense food as she bats the container around. Begin with easy-to-solve puzzles … as your smart kitty works out the chow challenge, introduce new, more difficult mealtime mystifiers. *Hide food throughout the house … be creative and change up locations frequently, effectively recreating a ‘scavenger hunt’.
• Throw kibble for your cat to chase, to mimic pursuit of prey.
• If you feed treats, make sure the calories for those treats are reflected in the total daily counts.
• Make sure all the members of your family are on the same page when it comes to curtailing feline obesity. That means, no duplicated feedings or treating.
• If your kitty stares at you with longing eyes during meal time, then feed the largest meal during that time to prevent begging.
• If your kitty pounces on you at night demanding to be fed, then feed the largest meal right before bedtime.

If you feed your cat Life’s Abundance Premium Health Food and Instinctive Choice Premium Canned Food, you obviously care about improving the health of your cat. Just keep in mind, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

I truly believe that if you make the commitment to alter your feeding habits, you can make a big difference in the long-term health of your furry best friend. Thank you so much for all you do to make the world a better place for companion animals.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jane Bicks

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The quality of cat food you feed is important to your Kitty's health and well-being. Healthy, happy cats make fewer trips to the Vet, too. We feed Life's Abundance Cat Food. It's healthy, wholesome and does not contain artificial colors or flavors. It does not contain animal byproducts, corn or what gluten. Your kitty will love Life's Abundance Kitty Food.

>>> Learn More and Order Lifes Abundance Kitty Food.

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