Can someone help me with a cat problem?

Question

My cat is begining to get on the "fat" side and i was wandering if that would cause her health problems later on in life? She is now 4 or 5 years old. Ive tried catnip sprey, catnip toys, catnip palnts, cantnip bubbles, and catnip leaves, but nothing seems to work. She is very loving but lazy and does not put up an effort to play? How can i make her lose a few pounds?

Answer 1

Yes, being overweight can cause health problems in cats.
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=016

Here's a body condition chart to tell if your cat is overweight:
http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/clinicalnutrition/bcscat.htm

The simplest way to get a cat to lose weight is to include more canned food in her diet. Dry food is very high in carbohydrates, which forces cats (who are carnivores and need a high-protein diet) to eat too many calories and carbohydrates to get the amount of protein their body needs. Diet dry foods are usually just higher in fiber and carbohydrates, and still don't satisfy the cat's need for protein, so it's still a constant battle to keep the cat satisfied with a diet food. But a high-quality canned food will satisfy a cat's needs for protein, and fill it up, so it will lose weight without being too hungry.
See these links for more information: http://www.catinfo.org
http://www.catnutrition.org/obesity.html

Make any diet change gradually, including just a small amount of the new food in with mostly the original food at first, and then gradually increasing the amount of new food as you reduce the amount of old food. If you have any concerns about your cat's health, or if your cat suddenly stops eating, see your vet ASAP.

Also, try to include some interactive play sessions with your cat every day - 'da bird' (http://www.go-cat.com/order.htm) is a great toy to help cats get active (you can find it at most pet stores), and laser toys are great too if your cat is interested in them (some of my cats love them, but some of them really don't care about that red dot). Homemade toys will work too - a long shoestring is usually a big hit with cats. Try buying or building some nice tall cat trees for your cat to climb & play on, too. This link has great ideas for keeping your cat entertained:
http://www.catclinicofroswell.com/faq/detail.aspx?faqid=3

Best wishes!

Answer 2

Yes, it most definitely can lead to health problems. Just like in humans, overweight and obese animals are becoming very common, and they are prone to diabetes, joint problems, even organ dysfunction (such as hepatic lipidosis, or 'fatty liver' disease, seen in fat cats).
First, if you leave food out all day, don't. Feed your cat a measured amount twice a day (once is okay, but I think twice a day is much more satisfying for them). Follow the recommended amount on the bag, and switch to a 'light' food.
BTW, did you know that attraction to catnip is genetic? Some cats just don't have the interest in catnip, and it sounds like yours may be one. I have 4 cats, and 2 absolutely go nuts for it and the other 2 just don't get it. But they all love to play with me, at least a little. Try things like feathers on a wand or even just a piece of string, or a laser light. Even just a few minutes a day of activity is better than none.
Good luck!

Answer 3

You are right to be concerned. Overweight cats like overweight people have more health problems as they get older. Some cats "tranq out" on catnip rather than being more active. Most have a burst of activity followed by a much longer time of relaxation. So catnip is probably not a good cat weight loss product.

Cats loose weight the same way people do, eating less, eating foods that are less fattening, and exercizing more. You can buy special foods for overweight cats. You can also cut back a little at a time on how much you feed the cat. This should be a greadula cut back not cutting out a meal. Cut back on treats and table scraps too. If your cat is used to treats don't stop them all togetehr. Your intention is to not tom make the cat unhappy and depressed which will make it miserable and less active not thinner.

To interest the cat in exercizing more get toys that motivate action....a "cat teaser is one that many cats like. It is a flexible rod with a string or cord attatched with feathers attatched to that. You can use it for interactive play as well as mounting it with the attatched suction cup so cat can ammuse itself. Another toy a lot of cats like is made of 2 open rings with a ball between them....The cat can get its paw in to bat at the ball but can't get the ball out. Another possibility is a treat ball, a small ball that has a few treats inside and holes that the treats will come out of when the ball is rolled around. Because the ball requires active play before releasing the treat it leads the cat to put out more energy than the callories in the treat provide. The best exercise is when you take time to play with your cat. This can be as simple as moving a pencil around for cat to pounce on or a string with a paper tied on the end and moved like a bug or butterfly. Your cat will let you know which toys it likes.

Answer 4

fat cats can get arthritis and other joint problems, as well as a shorter life expectancy. sometimes catnip calms cats down and some cats are completly immune. Try a light diet and encourage her to move around more.

Answer 5

I'm a cat person and honestly, if your cat is generally lazy you can either choose to let it be fat and sassy or get Science diet weight control. It's expensive but it works. As long as the cat isn't too horribly over weight I wouldn't worry too much thou. Both of my cats are a little chunky but they seem generally happier that way and their overall health is absolutely flawless.

Answer 6

Yes, her being overweight will cause her to have health problems later on-Diabetes for one. Friskies make a indoor cat food formula, as does Purina. Purina is a particular good food for overweight cats. It has high calcium and very little corn like some catfoods do. (have you ever seen a cat run out into the cornfield to gorge himself?)

Answer 7

cut back the amount you feed her.