Cat Obesity – Signs Your Cat May Be Living Too Large
Jeffersonville, Ind. (PRWEB) April 29, 2014 -- Feeding your cat extra treats or cuddling for longer naps may be hurting her more than showing her love. It may be leading to an overweight or obese cat. In fact more than 55% of US cats are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. PetFirst shares information on how you may be hurting your cat in the long run by not monitoring their weight now.
Much like human obesity, carrying excess weight takes a toll on your cat’s body. The extra pounds can cause hip and joint pain, diabetes, and heart disease, not to mention a shorter life expectancy. Along with the physical side effects, there are emotional ones too. Your cat may become more withdrawn from family and other pets in the home, making them more likely to continue gaining weight, and can lead to depression or acting out.
Preventing and treating your cat’s obesity is something you should first discuss with your veterinarian. The first step should be a complete veterinarian exam making sure there are no underlying physical conditions also adding to the obesity. Once given the green light, your veterinarian may offer some of the following treatments and recommendations:
Establish an eating plan (sounds better than putting your cat on a diet, right?). This will take some retraining for you, your family and your furry friend, so be patient. Everyone has to make the changes, or it won’t be successful.
• Stop feeding your cat between meals, especially people food or table food.
• Establish a feeding schedule and stick to it as much as possible, including timing and quantity.
• Control the number of treats and review the treat’s ingredients to ensure they are well-balanced for your cat’s health.
Exercise your cat, indoor cats can exercise too. Teaching your cat to come when their name is called or encouraging the cat to follow you around the house while you do chores are two great ways to start out. As your cat begins to get more exercise, you’ll notice a decrease in your pet’s appetite and their body composition will begin to change.
Examine your personal commitment to improving your cat’s health through weight loss. As your cat’s guardian, are you committed to making these changes in your cat’s eating and exercise routines? If you are not leading the charge in making these changes, your furry feline can’t win the battle of the bulge. So what can you as the pet parent do?
• Review the eating plan and make sure there is no snacking or feeding between meals.
• Only feed your cat in her food dish.
• Commit to playing with your cat for 30 minutes or more each day. Set aside the time and find something you can do together such as playing with a new toy, chasing a jingle bell ball or investing in the cat treehouse.
• Communicate with your veterinarian these changes you have made and commit to taking your cat in for regular check-ups. Your veterinarian is your partner in improving your cat’s health and will be able to help you along the way.
Another great option for protecting your cat is having a PetFirst pet insurance policy established. The Lifetime Accident and Illness pet insurance plans offer affordable coverage options that offer up to 90% reimbursement for veterinary medicine. The Lifetime plans do offer the Routine Care rider to help cover the expense of annual exams, vaccines, flea and tick prevention, heartworm, prevention, microchipping, behavior training and more. For more information on a pet insurance plan visit http://www.petfirst.com or call 877-894-7387.
About PetFirst
PetFirst is the fastest growing pet insurer in North America offering easy-to-understand lifelong coverage for dogs and cats. PetFirst’s comprehensive coverage is unique in the industry providing simplified policies with coverage for hereditary, chronic and breed-specific conditions with no per diagnosis limits. PetFirst offers pet insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through animal welfare agencies, retailers, employers as well as other partners. PetFirst polices are underwritten by American Alternative Insurance Corporation (Munich Re) which is rated by A.M. Best as A+. Additional services are underwritten by Lloyd’s. For more information about PetFirst pet insurance, visit http://www.petfirst.com or call 877-894-7387.
Lynne Choate, PetFirst, http://www.petfirst.com, +1 (812) 206-6982, [email protected]
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