Page 31 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

◁ Weight-watching
Almost overflowing the veterinary scales,
this overindulged cat could be heading for
serious health problems unless his weight
is reduced by adjustments to his diet.

“It is hard to refuse
a cat who appears
to be ready for a

second helping, but
overfeeding soon
leads to obesity.”

29 29
Weight loss without a change in protein diet to sustain their kitten food, which can lead
diet should never be ignored, as rapid development. There are to kidney malfunction. As a
it can be an early warning sign many commercial brands of cat ages, his appetite often
of illness. Very elderly cats do food specially formulated for diminishes and you may need
tend to become thinner with age, them. In their first few months, to revert to feeding him little
but you should ensure that there kittens should be fed smaller and often again. The commercial
are no underlying problems such amounts at more frequent intervals cat food market caters for seniors
as loose teeth. Have your cat than adult cats; four to six tiny just as it does for kittens. Monitoring feeding levels
checked by the vet if he is refusing meals a day would be the average If cats need special diets,
food or has difficulty chewing. for a kitten that has just started such as during pregnancy
on solids. Later, you can increase and when nursing kittens, or
Dietary changes the portions and reduce the to control weight or a medical
throughout life number of meals. condition, a vet’s advice is
Cats have different nutritional Most adult cats in good health essential. Introduce any new
needs at different times of life in do well on two meals a day. Even feeding regime in easy stages,
terms of both type and quantity the most hyperactive adult should because a rapid change can cause
of food. Kittens need a high- never be fed on high-protein digestive upsets.

Assessing
condition
You cannot always judge
by appearance alone
whether a cat is too fat
or too thin, especially if
he is longhaired. Learn △ Underweight △ Ideal weight △ Overweight
The ribs and spine cannot
The ribs can be felt through
There is little or no fat
to assess his weight by over the ribs, spine, a thin layer of fat, and there be felt through a thick layer
the feel of his body, and hipbones. The cat’s is a slight narrowing of the of fat. Heavy pads of fat
gently running your belly is “tucked up,” and body behind the ribcage. cover the belly and there is
hands around his back, there is a noticeable The belly has only a small no discernible “waistline”
ribs, and belly. hollow behind the ribcage. covering of fat. behind the ribcage.

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