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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Resolutions are for the Cats -- and Dogs

Resolutions are for the Cats -- and Dogss
By Dr. Jevon D. Clark, D.V.M, Flathead Living, Winter 2011-12, Volume 4, Issue 4

I resolve to lose a little around the middle this year again.  Holiday, little sun, and cold weather tend to make all of us "blossom" in the winter.  But sorry, blaming the season is foolish.  This is an "us" problem.  Nutritionally unbalanced diets, too many treats, and far too little exercise all conspire to fatten up Garfield and Snoopy (and me!).  Pets no longer work for a living.  The don't spend their days searching for tonight's dinner.  Food arrives in a bowl or worse, come straight from our hands.  As a result, 45% of dogs and 58% of cats are overweight.

"So who cares if 'fluffy' is a little plump?  Well, as a veterinarian, I do.  The increased risks of diabetes, arthritis, and shortened life spans secondary to obesity have been well-documented in dogs and cats for years.  Pets that are the appropriate weight are much healthier throughout their life and they live significantly longer than overweight pets.

It is painfully simple for our pets to lose weight as it is for us.  In order to lose weight the energy used by the body must exceed the energy put into the body; decrease the calories and increase the exercise.  Sound familiar?

One of our favorite sayings in my practice is "Food is not love."  I'll let you in on a little secret.  There is an easy and inexpensive trick that everyone can do that will positively impact your pet's weight.  Don't feed your pet human food.  That's it, period.  Our food is incredibly calorie-dense.  One hot dog to a 20-pound dog is equivalent to a person consuming three entire hamburgers or two whole chocolate bars.  More shocking, one ounce of cheese to a 10-pound cat is equivalent to 3 1/2 hamburgers for a person!  Holy Creme Brule, Batman.  So, think twice next time before giving in to Fido with the one little bite of fillet.

Show me an overweight pet and I'll show you a person who doesn't get enough exercise.  It's no surpirse that your pets want to spend more time with you.  If you are sitting, they'll sit on you.  But, if you are active, they will be, too.  Nothing burns calories faster than spending 30 minutes walking your dog on a cold winter day.
 
All right, so walking a cat is not really practical, but you can at least play with him in the house for 30 minutes.  Your pets will absolutely love the attention and you'll feel better, too.

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Todays Article was suggested by Lifes Abundance Cat Food and GoFoods, Foods for Long Term Storage Reserves.


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Portly Cats Need to Lose Weight

Portly Pets a Problem for Many Owners
Daily Inter Lake, Saturday, September 17, 2011


It's not just two legged animals that are having a problem with obesity.  According to recent reports, pets are heavier than ever.

A 2009 national survey of veterinarians by the Association for the Prevention of Pet Obesity found 45 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats were overweight or obese.

Inactivity, too many snacks and poor diets are to blame for both pet and human obesity issues.  The health implication can be severe for everyone involved.

Overweight animals can have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, be at risk for heart attack or stroke, be at risk for skeletal problems, such as hip dysplasia, and low self-esteem, among other things.

The good news is some the same methods humans use to lose weight could be effective for pets, too.

1. Choose foods that list meat (protein) first.  Too many pet foods have replaced the majority of protein with high-carbohydrate ingredients such as corn and wheat.
2. Watch portion sizes.  Use the portion suggestions on the food as a guideline for feeding a pet.
3. Consider smaller, more frequent meals.  Instead of one large meal, feed a dog or cat three small meals a day.
4. Cut out nutritionally poor treats.  Replace fatty dog bones with crunch carrots or broccoli for better health.
5. Get moving.  Walking a pet is good for everyone involved.  Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day.  This will also improve joint flexibility.

Pets don't raid the refrigerator at night and often rely on their owners for exercise and care.  Poor habits on the part of pet owners could spell trouble for pets in terms of weight gain.

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Information about Lifes Abundance Cat Food
Information about Lifes Abundance Healthy Cat Treats
For Human Weight Loss visit the ShapeWay Diet Plan

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