A Simple Way to Help Cats: Reducing Your Cat’s Weight

By: Karen Glass

If you think your cat has put on weight, the first step is to check with your vet to rule out any underlying health issues that could be causing the problem. Also, your vet can provide you with guidelines for how much your cat should weigh and a plan to get her back to a healthy weight.

The most common causes of cat weight gain are overfeeding and not enough exercise, so ways to help your cat lose those unhealthy pounds include:

• Eliminate “free feeding” or leaving food out all day so you can control the amount your cat is eating. 
• The type of food you give your cat may need to change. Your vet may recommend weight control food or even a prescription food if your cat is obese.
• Get your cat moving! You don’t need to get her a gym membership, but interactive play with your kitty or getting her an indoor cat tree to provide more opportunities for jumping and climbing will help her metabolism.

Through careful monitoring of your cat’s food intake and exercise, you can reduce your cat’s weight and improve her health and quality of life!