by Diane Burket

A fat cat is an unhealthy and unhappy cat. You might think it’s cute to be pudgy….but it’s not healthy. Fat cats aren’t able to jump, run and play like they should and may be at risk for many diseases.
You’ll rarely see a wild cat that is fat.  They’re very active and have to hunt for their food.
Indoor cats can get bored and eat too much.  
Perhaps you’re “spoiling” them with too many treats and too much food.

So….what to do if you’ve got an overweight cat?

• Feed your cat(s) the recommended amount of nutritionally complete food.    ..depending upon their age and activity level
• Feed 2 – 3 times per day at approximately the same time each day
• I don’t recommend dry food for many reasons.  Read my post about this.  However, if dry food must be left out for thin, active cats—elevate it.  Keep it on a desk or shelf so the fat cats can’t get to it while the thin cats can.
• Limit treats to less than 5% of their daily food intake (We keep regular dry food in the treat bag for the beggers in our house.  They think they’re getting treats…but it’s just food)
• Milk is for cows—not cats.  Milk can cause diarrhea or vomiting.  Don’t feed it to your cats
• If you’re still feeding your cats dry food, add a little water to it.  It’s filling and will keep your cat from dehydrating from dry food.
• Schedule some play time with your cat(s) every day.  Use laser pointers,
  Da Bird Feather toys, etc.
  

• Be sure to have plenty of stimulating cat trees, scratching posts and toys to keep them active
  

• Keep plenty of water bowls around the house.  That will encourage your cats to drink more and he/she will feel more full.

Here’s a great article about how to help your cat lose weight:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-tips-to-help-your-fat-cat-lose-weight.html