This is how obese cats are, how can I avoid it?

Currently, obesity affects 40% of our cats. In people, obesity is closely associated with the metabolic syndrome that causes different diseases such as insulin resistance causing diabetes, risk of heart disease and other diseases.

This same metabolic syndrome occurs in cats.

These associated diseases mean that the life expectancy of an obese cat is drastically reduced, increasing the risk of mortality by 2.7 times.

Therefore, obesity is a health concern and not an aesthetic one.

How much should a healthy cat weigh?

The size differences are not as pronounced as they can be in dogs, in which we can differentiate between a 1.5 kilo chihuahua or a mastiff of almost 60 kilos. But despite not being that big, there may be a difference between a Sphynx and a Norwegian Forest Cat.

For this reason, there are different tables depending on the age and breed of the cat , although sometimes these tables show ranges that we must confirm with the veterinarian.

In addition to weight, there are several ways to know if our cat is at an optimal weight or if the opposite is below or above what we consider healthy.

One of these very useful tools in controlling the weight of cats is body condition. It is an index that evaluates the degree of fat reserves, depending on the coverage of ribs, lumbar vertebrae, hip bones, abdominal fold and waist presence. There are two scales. The first from 1 to 5 and the second from 1 to 9.

The second tool tells us the amount of muscle present in our cat. The relationship between the amount of muscle and fat are inversely proportional. On the other hand, with age and due to some diseases, cats lose muscle mass, so it is essential to control their presence and when in doubt go to the vet.

How to know if a cat is obese?

We consider a cat obese when its weight exceeds its optimal weight by 20% and overweight when it is between 10-20%.

Sterilization causes a tendency to gain weight, especially during the first few months due to hormonal changes. For this reason, it is essential to have an important control during this period.

How to make my cat not get fat?

To prevent a cat from gaining weight, we must first feed it a high-protein, low-carbohydrate wet food (whenever possible and not contradicted by any pathology it may present)

It has been shown that wet feeding not only prevents obesity, but also improves body condition in obese animals.

On the other hand, we must provide the cat with different stimuli so that it can play at home. Cats are hunting animals in nature, so we must simulate that hunt when feeding at home.

To prevent the cat from getting fat we can:

• Use interactive feeders. For example, a ball with food inside that when they move it comes out or they have different degrees of difficulty in getting both wet and dry food.
• If several cats live in the house, specific feeders can be used for each one (some even open only with the microchip of the specific cat) or feed separately.
• Stimulate the game . Never do it with your hands. We can use rods, balls that we will throw and they will pick up, hide pieces of candy so that they entertain themselves looking for it at home
• Improve environmental enrichment at home. If a cat is bored it will tend to eat. If we compare it to people, it would be the same image of when you go to the fridge to eat because you are bored or stressed.

What happens when a cat gets too fat?

Obesity alters metabolism. It can be the precursor to many diseases or worsen others.

• Obesity causes insulin resistance leading to diabetes mellitus.
• Worsens osteoarthritis by overloading the joints
• It can trigger hepatic lipidosis , which is an accumulation of fat in the liver, which can be fatal if not acted on quickly
• Cystitis and urinary tract diseases
• Digestive problems such as constipation, anal sac problems.
• Dermatological problems due to the impossibility of grooming correctly
• Heat and exercise intolerance

For this reason we must not only control the weight of our cat (even buying a baby scale to have at home) but we must notify the veterinarian of any change we see.

References

Body Condition Score WSABA https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Body-Condition-Score-Chart-Cat-Spanish-updated-August-2020.pdf

Cline, MG, et al 2019. Obesity in the Dog and Cat.

Tarkosova, D., et al2016. Feline obesity–prevalence, risk factors, pathogenesis, associated conditions and assessment: a review. Veterinární medicine, 61(6), 295-307.