Page 30 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

Monitoring feeding levels

From kittenhood to the senior years, nutritional requirements for cats vary
as their rates of growth and activity levels alter. By adjusting a cat’s diet
to suit its age and lifestyle, you can keep your pet at a healthy weight.

Good feeding habits cats are capable of packing away Packaged foods give some
Establishing a regular feeding enormous meals. Indoor cats guidelines on how much to feed,
routine helps you control the have the highest risk of obesity— but the amounts suggested are
amount of food your cat eats some types are naturally sedentary only approximate. If your pet is
and allows you to notice any and need to be encouraged becoming rotund, even though
changes in his appetite. Good to climb down from the sofa now you are careful with portion sizes,
hygiene is just as important as and then. Outdoor cats are more suspect that he is cadging meals
the food that is provided. Make likely to burn up the energy they elsewhere. A conversation with the
a few simple rules and stick get from food. neighbors may solve the mystery.
to them:
28 ■ Feed at regular times, if possible. Feeding a cat
■ Restrict treats to a minimum. It is good to see your cat showing enthusiasm
■ Never offer titbits from your for meals, but it can be hard to distinguish
hunger from greed. Some inactive cats
own meals.
pester for food out of boredom.
Everyday care ■ Offer new flavors and textures
occasionally to prevent boredom
with food.
■ If you need to make changes
to your cat’s diet, introduce
them gradually.
■ Throw away leftovers in the
bowl before food goes stale or
attracts flies.
■ Keep food and water bowls
scrupulously clean.
Maintaining an
ideal weight
By checking your cat’s weight
and girth regularly, you will
soon recognize if he is getting
fat or becoming too thin (see
box, opposite). If you have
any concerns, take your cat
to the vet to be weighed.
It is hard to refuse a cat who
appears to be ready for a second
helping, but overfeeding soon
leads to obesity. Being overweight
is just as unhealthy for cats as
it is for humans. Appetite is
not necessarily linked to a high-
energy lifestyle; many inactive

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