What Is Feline Obesity According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, over 57% of cats are overweight. So what does it mean if your cat is overweight or obese? The definition of feline obesity is pretty simple. Essentially, it is when your cat has an excessive amount of body fat on her body to the extent where her quality of life has been negatively impacted.

How Did My Cat Become Obese?

 Your cat ate more food than his body worked off through play and other daily activities. Also, a diet high in calories and lacking in nutrition can also contribute to feline obesity. Giving your cat frequent treats, an inconsistent diet and an irregular feeding schedule can increase the likelihood of obesity in your pet.

Risk Factors For Feline Obesity

Age of your cat. Middle aged cats or cats between the ages of 5 and 10 years are more at risk for obesity. Not enough physical activity If your cat has been neutered

How Can Obesity Negatively Impact My Cat?

• Shorter life-span• Arthritis• Diabetes• Fatty liver disease also known as hepatic lipidosis.• Lameness• Skin issues• Overall decreased quality of life

How To Detect Obesity In Your Cat?o Run your hands along your cat’s sides using gentle, yet firm pressure.  If you can feel Fluffy ribs then she is not obese. 

o Another way is to look at your cat from above and see if they have a defined waistline behind their ribs. If your cat does not have a waist or the area between the hips and ribs is wider than his hips or ribs your cat may be severely overweight.

o Look at your cat, if the belly sags or drags against the ground when they walk, there is a good chance your cat is overweight and their health could be at risk.

What You Can Do To Help

If you are concerned your cat’s weight could be negatively impacting their life the first thing you can do is make an appointment to visit your veterinarian. Your vet will be able to discuss nutrition as well as ways of increasing your cat’s activity level. Another thing you can do is evaluate yours and your pet’s habits to see where you may be able to make some healthy changes. When it comes to cats remember gradual changes are the best.

Add a Healthy Supplement into Your Cat’s DietIf you are worried about your cat’s diet take a step in the right direction by adding a nutritional supplement like NuVet Plus. NuVet Plus is a human-grade supplement specially designed for cats and their metabolism. If you would like to see what happy cat owners are saying about Nuvet Plus,  visit Nuvet Reviews. You won’t be disappointed.

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