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Do
you
have
a
fat
cat?
Dog
and
cat
obesity
is
the
number
one
pet
health
problem
that
vets
see
today.
Our
pets
are
as
susceptible
to
obesity
as
humans
are.
Of
course,
you
love
your
cat
and
want
the
best
for
it.
You
make
sure
to
treat
it
well
and
provide
for
its
needs.
You
may
be
treating
your
cat
a
little
too
well.
If
your
cat
is
obese,
it
is
at
risk
for
diseases
such
as
diabetes,
Hepatic
Lipidosis
(fat
seeping
into
the
liver
cells),
and
arthritis.
Just
like
humans,
if
a
cat
(or
any
other
mammal
for
that
matter)
takes
in
more
calories
than
its
body
can
burn,
the
cat
will
gain
weight.
Forty
percent
of
all
cats
in
the
United
States
today
have
a
diagnosis
of
sedentary
obesity
and
that
percentage
is
growing.
In
the
wild,
a
cat
expends
a
lot
of
energy
to
hunt
down
and
catch
its
prey.
Cat's
bodies
are
designed
to
store
nutrients
when
hunting
is
slim.
A
domestic
cat
that
lives
indoors
doesn't
have
to
hunt.
Food
is
right
there
waiting
for
felines
any
time
they
want
it
-
the
perfect
environment
for
a
fat
cat.
Many
people
refuse
to
see
the
fact
that
too
much
food
i
A
cat
that
gets
food
once
a
day
tends
to
gorge
in
case
there
won't
be
a
next
meal.
Veterinarians
suggest
that
you
serve
your
cat
two
to
four
meals
a
day
-
and
think
in
ounces,
not
cups.
0.6
to
1.0
ounces
per
serving
is
plenty.
Cats
were
never
made
to
digest
carbohydrates.
Humans
and
dogs
have
special
enzymes
in
their
saliva
to
break
down
carbohydrates
in
the
mouth.
Researchers
have
found
that
cats
have
considerably
less
of
these
enzymes
than
we
do.
Dry
pet
food
can
have
high
amounts
of
carbohydrates
(usually
in
the
form
of
flour
or
sugar).
Dry
cat
food
diets
are
not
always
the
best
for
your
cat's
metabolism.
The
carbohydrates
are
immediately
converted
to
fat
and
the
result
is
a
fat
cat.
Cats
need
a
meat-based
diet
with
high
levels
of
protein.
Research
shows
that
diets
high
in
fat
and
protein
are
best
for
carnivores
such
as
cats
-
combined
with
plenty
of
exercise.
A
lot
of
pet
foods
claim
to
be
"perfectly
balanced".
The
only
way
your
cat
is
going
to
get
its
true,
proper
diet
is
if
it
was
living
in
the
wild.
Popular
brands
of
canned
food
use
many
fillers,
such
as
grain,
to
make
the
food
more
visually
appealing
to
the
owners.
Yes,
that's
right;
the
food
is
produced
to
be
appealing
to
you
and
not
the
cat.
Grain
is
a
replacement
for
real
meat
that
your
cat
needs
more
than
the
carbohydrates
grains
provide.
Pre-packaged
treats
are
another
problem
that
create
a
fat
cat.
A
treat
once
in
a
while
is
fine.
However,
owners
make
a
habit
of
doling
out
treats
far
too
much
when
they
think
the
cat
is
restless
or
want
to
reward
it
for
being
cute.
Never
give
your
cat
a
treat
to
stop
it
from
meowing,
as
this
will
only
encourage
your
cat
to
vocalize
more.
In
effect,
you're
telling
your
cat
"Good
kitty!
Keep
talking
and
I'll
give
you
another
one
of
these
treats!"
If
you
must
give
your
cat
a
treat,
try
giving
it
a
small
piece
of
cooked
fish
or
chicken,
something
that
is
high
in
protein
and
better
for
the
cat.
Of
course,
exercise
is
important
to
avoid
a
fat
cat.
If
you
can't
change
what
your
cat
eats,
you
can
at
least
try
to
help
your
cat
burn
extra
calories.
Unfortunately,
you
can't
go
for
walks
with
your
cat
like
you
would
a
dog.
Some
cats
might
take
to
leash
training,
but
it's
rare.
A
typical
domestic
cat's
day
consists
of
sleeping,
eating,
sleeping,
and
then
waking
up
to
sleep
some
more.
If
you
have
a
fat
cat,
those
habits
will
only
increase
as
its
weight
slows
it
down.
You
need
to
provide
your
cat
with
toys
and
interesting
things
to
do.
A
cat
needs
to
chase
things,
play
hide
and
seek,
stalk,
and
do
something
other
than
take
naps
in
its
favorite
sunny
window!
If
you
can,
get
a
second
cat.
The
two
cats
will
keep
each
other
busy
during
the
day
while
you're
away
at
work.
Before
starting
any
diet
plan
for
your
fat
cat,
bring
the
cat
to
a
veterinarian.
Your
vet
will
give
your
cat
a
thorough
physical
exam
and
discuss
with
you
exactly
what
options
you
have
at
hand
to
help
your
cat
lose
weight.
About
the
Author Mike
Selvon
owns
a
number
of
niche
portal.
Please
visit
our
cats
portal
for
more
great
tips
on
treating
a
fat
cat,
and
leave
a
comment
at
our
cats
blog. |
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