how can i get my lazy indoor cat to loose weight?

Question

i cant let him outside as my neighbour has a vicous dog and i live on a very busy road.

i try to get him to play with toys but after a minute he isnt bothered.

so how else can he loose weight?

Answer 1

Contact your vets and ask them if there's any special diet you can put him on because he doesn't get enough excersise round the house and needs to lose weight, they should be able to help you.

Answer 2

I had an indoor pudgy puss as well, the vet recommended Hills Science diet weight loss plan. It is about £12 a small bag but it lasts for absolutely ages if you follow the dosage instructions. My last bag lasted me two and a half months, which works out much, much cheaper than supermarket cat food. It will prolong your cats life, and you can switch to a different one when the cat has lost enough weight. My vet also suggested feeding her half the amount she was getting, then he halved that again, in the end she was getting half a tablespoon or granules morning and night, she was fine, it doesn't look a lot but they have absolutely miniscule stomachs, some of them are just totally greedy. My cat did lose weight, she is still a little heavy now, but in a cute fluff ball kind of way, she is right for her build. We moved and she does have access to outside, but the lazy little minx spends no time hunting or running, just sitting on the doorstep or in the garden thinking about dinner. I know it sounds expensive, but the Hills stuff really isn't when you work it out over a period of a month or two, it is available from large pet stores, animal homes and vets and is the same difference to shop bought food as humans face between junk food and home cooked balanced meals. Good luck.

Answer 3

Hi, I'm a vet nurse and I run weight clinics for animals so hopefully I can help you.

Generally of course less food and more exercise = weight loss, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear your cat doesn't eat much. Most of the overweight cats I see are not big eaters - the quality of food being fed is the number 1 cause of overweight animals. Even small amounts of foods like Whiskas or Meow Mix can cause cats to put on weight.

What food are you feeding your cat on? Depending on how overweight your cat is, I would suggest finding a diet food - I use Hills r/d and Royal Canine Obesity, they both come in dry and weight form, both of which work great. Ask your vet if they can supply you with either of these and give you tips, preferably fortnightly weighing.

The trick with these diets is to feed the required daily amount for the weight you want your cat to be - which is 7.7-8.8lb for the average cat. These diets have very specific feeding guidelines on them, and should of course be fed to the exclusion of other foods. A good weekly weight loss for animals is 1% of their bodyweight - you don't want it to happen too quickly because this is unhealthy, it's hard work for the body to metabolise lots of excess fat!

Also perservere with the daily playing - I find that cats get more enthusiastic about playing, more active and generally happier the more weight they lose - cats like to be slim!

Here also is a link with a diagram about body condition scoring, to help you decide if your cat is obese or overweight - that is if you can't get a vet to help you assess just how much weight the cat needs to lose:
http://www.hillspetslimmer.co.uk/overweight/diagnosis_bodycondition.html

Feel free to email me for any further advice/support - always happy to help.

Chalice

Answer 4

Well i have a house cat and she was getting fat so we let her have the whole house and she seemed to like the stairs even if he plays for a min during that min throw a toy mouse down the stairs so it bounces or a slinky and he will run down the stairs and gradually he will get fitter and more interested in playing. I would say use treats but if he is overweight...?
BLESS HIM HEHE!!!!

Answer 5

You can get your cat exercise by putting a body harness and leash on it and going for aerobic walks. If you're not into walking your cat for exercise than reduce it's food intake and no free feeding. Most weight problems are from animals being fed too much.

Answer 6

Cats love lasers. Get a laser pen or a digital laser measuring thing, anything with a bright light. Mine just chase it all over the house, enthusiasm only lasts about ten minutes but its still ten minutes of excersise! does them good

Answer 7

Put a catnip toy inside a small wiffle ball, just cut an area big enough to put it inside,the cat can smell it but not eat it.Your cat will chase it longer therefore exercise more.This worked for mine.

Answer 8

dont free feed him if thats what you are doing. feed him once in the morning and once at night but talk to your vet about how much to give him. try getting new toys something that is fun and interactive, get one of those laser pens that they sell at pet stores, my cats usually go nuts over those. try to do anything to get your cat to move around, dont give up so soon on getting him to play .

Answer 9

Play with him!! Like the crinkly balls they LOVE! Get him to run around and how about switching him over to a weight control cat food?

Good luck!

Answer 10

Get a thick glove. Wear it and try to get him to play rough with you. The glove should protect you from his biting and claws. This will give him a good workout. I used to do this with my cat once a day and she loved it. It gave her a chance to really let loose.