Tips for weight loss in cats

Obesity in cats are common, especially those who are kept indoors. Obesity is a serious problem that can predispose cats to different complex pathologies. These pathologies can put the cat’s life in risk, like hepatic lipidosis, diabetes, cystitis, skin problems or lameness.

A cat with perfect body condition-and weight- should have marked waist, the ribs should be palpated easily (but not seen) and shouldn’t have a lot of abdominal fat.

The pillars for a successful weight loss in cats are:

  • Diet: if the cat is overweight or obese, switch his/her diet to a specific one for weight loss and maintenance.
  • Exercise: it is very important to keep the cat moving! Try different things to promote exercise. Some of them are:
    • Play with the cat: it will help on the weight loss journey, but it is also important to simulate hunting behaviours in cats that are kept indoors. Every cat will prefer a different toy, some prefer rat-like toys, others prefer playing with balls. Try to play with your cat at least 30-60 minutes a day.
    • Change the place of the water or food bowl every few days (carefully so the cat doesn’t get stressed).
    • Hide some food in different places of the house, so the cat must look for it (a small part of the cat’s food ration).
    • Make your cat jump on surfaces (putting the food on high surfaces, playing…).
  • Treat any kind of mobility issues.
  • Ambiental enrichment: it is possible that the cat is eating more than he/she should because he is getting bored. Ambiental enrichment is an important part of the weight loss program (and also important in every cat we have home!). Some things that we can provide our cats with, are:
    • Scratching posts. Both vertical and horizontal.
    • High places where they can climb.
    • Hiding places.
    • Interactive toys
    • Litter trays must be away from the food and water, in a quiet location. In multi-cat houses, it is important to have 1 more litter tray than the number of cats we have.
    • If we have more than 1 cat, it is important to provide them with enough resources, so they don’t have to fight for them (food bowls, water, resting places…).
  • Follow-up consults: it is important to control the evolution of the weight loss program to make sure that it is working.