Over the years, we have been seeing an increase in obesity among our beloved felines and it is becoming difficult to avoid it. As pet owners, we get into the mindset that food = love, and we have a hard time controlling their portions, especially when they continuously beg for those few extra treats. As cute as those extra pounds might look, excess weight can lead to serious health issues including increased anesthetic risk, respiratory issues, early arthritis, diabetes and more.
This is where Theodore comes in, my beloved 6 year old kitty. He started off as all kittens do, rambunctious and always eating to maintain his growing needs. We had a household of three cats, and they were all free fed. We would fill up their bowl, and throughout the day, they would eat what they wanted. However, as Theo got older and he became an only cat – whenever his food bowl became empty, he would saunter upstairs and start this annoying meow-fest until his bowl was filled. This started happening more and frequently as he started to learn that he would get whatever he wanted if he complained enough. Due to the household’s different work/school schedules – no one would really know if he got his meal for the day.
Now… I didn’t realize how big he got until we brought him in for his annual check-up, and I popped him on the scale. This cat was 8kg! Needless to say, a change had to be made. The veterinarian and I discussed a weight loss plan and together we came up with how much he should be eating. We switched to the Royal Canin Calorie Control diet, and I started measuring out his food twice a day. Unfortunately, the begging DID NOT STOP. The frustration with any weight loss plan is not seeing results fast enough and feeling as though we are starving the cat. After another consult with my veterinarian, we discussed trying multiple feedings, but smaller portions throughout the day to trick Theo into thinking he was getting fed more. GENIUS! I went out and bought an automatic feeder and programmed it to dispense the necessary amount of kibble over 4 meals per day.
It was a long progress, but Theo has already lost 1.5kg over the last year and we are over the moon. It may not seem like such a big drop, but 1kg to our pets is more substantial than 1kg to a human. It is so important that our pets go through a slow, gradual weigh loss to avoid shocking their systems.
If you are going through a weight loss plan with your pets, don’t get discouraged! Visit your veterinarian and find a plan that works best for you and your pet!
