It’s not hard to see how some of these cats ended up in this situation. Just like us, cats have evolved to be out in the wild, finding food, perhaps chasing it and fighting. Instead, we all sit inside comfy, climate-controlled homes and have regular meals that are pretty calorie-dense.
Plus, who doesn’t like a little snack? Most of us probably eat more than we should and move a lot more than we do. A housecat doesn’t exactly have access to the same physical activities that it would have in the wild. And since most of us love our pets, we always like to give them a little snack to munch on.
So experts have a number of tips to help get your cat's health back on track. First and foremost, a food scale can be useful to understand just how much (or little) food they are getting. There is no one-size-fits-all scenario, as everything from the cat’s breed, gender and access to the outdoors will influence how much it needs to eat.
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This is why it’s best to consult with an expert and perhaps show them the cat to get a better estimate. Since a random decrease in nutrition has its own risks and can add stress to the animal's life, which has its own host of health risks. That being said, there are definitely fatty snacks that can be cut wholesale from its diet.
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Of course, a healthy lifestyle isn’t just eating less, it also involves more movement. While for humans this tends to manifest as a gym or at least more walking, it can be a tad harder to implement these changes for a cat. Getting a cat to use a treadmill is not going to work in most cases and the majority of indoor cats are going to remain indoor cats.
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So the onus of responsibility will fall upon the owner. The best bet is to get a few toys and see what the particular cat likes. Then have a few minutes of play sessions every day. Not only will this make the cat more active, but it’s good stimulation for its brain and it helps create a bond between the cat and the owner.
Additionally, it can help to introduce some more ways the cat can be active even when the owner is not around. Vertical spaces are a great option, particularly if the cat has to jump and climb its way up. Our feline buddies do like a height advantage, so this way savvy owners can “trick '' their pets into exercising more.
As cute as we might find these chonkers, it’s not just their hearts that might be at risk when cats are overweight. Cats are naturally very clean animals, so a larger surface area and diminished dexterity due to size can actually cause them a lot of distress, as they can no longer properly clean themselves.