Overweight and/or Diabetic
As few as 5 pounds above the ideal body weight can put your cat at risk for developing some serious medical conditions. Unfortunately, when a cat is overweight or obese it no longer is a question of if your cat will develop a condition secondary to the excess weight but how soon and how serious. Some of the common disorders associated with excess weight include:
- diabetes
- heart disease and respiratory disease
- osteoarthritis (arthritis)
- increased frequency of joint injuries
- high blood pressure
- some forms of cancer - especially intra-abdominal cancers
- infections
Overweight and obese cats usually have shorter lives than their fitter, normal weight counterparts. Heavy cats tend to physically interact less with their families and are less energetic and playful.
There is good evidence that cats who are a healthy weight live significantly longer than cats who are overweight. This section provides dietary options that work in different ways to help your cat get to a healthier body condition score. Some of these diets work via their ingredients ie. are high protein, low carbohydrate, others work to increase satiety with added fibre, while still others use specific nutrients that can promote increased metabolism, helping cats burn calories more quickly.
