Pet Obesity: 10 Ways You Can Prevent Your Cat From Getting Fat In Houston, TX

Pet Obesity

A pet is said to be obese when his body weight is 20 percent higher than his ideal body weight. An alarming 59 percent of cats are reported to be obese in the U.S. Despite this statistic and the health challenges such as arthritis and kidney disease associated with obesity, many pet owners have not taken any action to ensure their pets stay fit and healthy. Our vets at Safari veterinary care center, some of the best veterinarians in Houston, TX, have outlined ten pointers to help pet parents prevent obesity in their cats.

• Feed the appropriate quantity.
  Feeding your cat the appropriate quantity of food is also called portion control. Overfeeding your cat to keep him happy is not an applaudable practice. A chart on your pet’s food pack states the required calorie your pet should consume during each meal. Ensure you measure the appropriate quantity of food before each feeding.

• Do not free feed.
  Free feeding refers to keeping your cat’s bowl filled with food so he can feed on it all day. This practice is one factor that leads to obesity in your cat. Do not indulge in this practice, and ensure you monitor all that your cat consumes.

• Do not feed your cat your food remains.
  As earlier stated, do not feed your cat just any food to keep him happy. Do not feed your cat human food as some of these foods are not healthy for your cat.

• Exercise regularly.
  The role of exercise in keeping your cat fit and healthy can not be overemphasized. Just as exercise is necessary to keep us fit as humans, exercise is necessary to keep our felines in shape. Engaging toys like laser pointers and dangling feathers can keep your cat on his feet and running.

• Feed wet food.
  Knowing your cat’s appropriate nutrition is another important way to stay fit. For felines, you should serve canned food rather than dry food. Canned food for the cat is more nutritious and reduces the tendency to obesity.

• Feed your cat high-quality treats.
  Whenever you buy your pet’s treat, ensure you check the treat’s ingredients. This will guide you in buying a healthy treat and not one high in calories.

• Be adequately prepared.
  Before you commence this journey or maintain weight or weight loss as the case may be, ensure you equip yourself with adequate knowledge regarding weight loss. Consult your vet before introducing anything new to your cat.

• Set aside time for fun activities.
  When your cat is bored, he tends to be in a position and move around. Staying in a particular place often could lead to obesity. Look for fun ways to engage your cat so he can move around and burn some calories.

• Ensure you keep track of your cat’s weight.
  It’s pretty easy for your cat’s weight to creep up and catch you unawares. Commit to weighing your cat every month to keep track of his weight and when he becomes overweight.

• Schedule regular backup.
  If you observe that your cat is overweight, quickly take him to see the vet. During the checkup, your vet would be able to properly diagnose your cat and tell you of any underlying cause of the weight increase.

If you do not have a vet and need one, a google search of the following terms, animal hospital Houston TX, affordable pet clinic Houston Texas, best veterinarians in Houston TX would help narrow your option. For the best medical attention and affordable pet clinic in Houston, Texas, contact us at Safari veterinary care center, also called stem cell safari, because we have perfected the art of Stem Cell Therapy in our Clinic In Texas.