Content
- feline obesity
- Causes of obesity in cats
- Diseases associated with feline obesity
- Treatment of obesity in cats
Cats are truly genuine companion animals and have characteristics that clearly differentiate them from any other type of pet, among them we can mention that despite not having 7 lives, they have surprising agility and are excellent jumpers.
Agility in cats is synonymous with health and the loss of this physical ability can warn us about a problem. If the loss of agility comes together with the increase in weight, we must understand this situation as harmful and remedy it as soon as possible.
In this PeritoAnimal article we show you the causes and treatment of obesity in cats.
feline obesity
Obesity is a pathological condition that affects approximately 40% of dogs and cats, it is a serious situation since its appearance acts as a trigger for other diseases, such as diabetes or joint problems.
Obesity can be defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. A cat is considered overweight when it exceeds its ideal body weight by 10% and that it can be considered obese when it exceeds its ideal weight by 20%.
The risk of suffering this disorder is especially important in adult cats whose age is between 5 and 11 years old, however, on numerous occasions the owner is not able to assess the suitability of his cat's body weight, for this reason, proper and periodic veterinary care will be a key factor in preventing obesity in cats.
Causes of obesity in cats
Obesity in cats does not have certain causes, it has what we should call risk factors that can act negatively on our pet's body, even triggering excess weight that is highly dangerous to health.
Let's see below what are the risk factors that act as Feline Obesity Triggers:
- Age: The greatest risk of obesity is taken by cats between 5 and 11 years old, so preventive measures should start to be adopted when the cat is around 2 years old.
- Sex: Male cats have a greater risk of suffering obesity, a risk that is seen to increase even more in cases of spaying. Many experts consider feline sterilization as the main factor associated with obesity.
- endocrine problems: The use of chemical contraceptives can alter the cat's hormonal profile, which decreases insulin sensitivity and predisposes the body to the accumulation of fat. Other illnesses such as hypothyroidism can also be present in an obese cat.
- Breed: Mutts or common cats are at twice the risk of obesity compared to purebred cats, with the exception of the Manx breed which has the same risk as any other common cat.
- environmental factors: A cat that lives with dogs is more protected against obesity, on the other hand, cats that do not live with other animals and also stay in an apartment have a higher risk of being obese.
- Activity: Cats that cannot engage in outdoor physical activity are at increased risk of being overweight.
- food: Some studies link the use of high-end foods with an increased risk of obesity. The cat's food will also be one of the main factors you should act on to treat this condition.
- Owner behavior: Do you tend to humanize your cat? Don't play with him and mainly use food as positive reinforcement? This behavior is associated with an increased risk of obesity in the feline.
Diseases associated with feline obesity
As previously stated, one of the dangers of obesity lies in the fact that this condition acts as a trigger of various disorders and pathologies. Studies carried out so far link obesity in cats with the onset of the following diseases:
- Cholesterol
- Diabetes
- fatty liver
- Hypertension
- respiratory failure
- Urinary Tract Infectious Diseases
- joint disease
- exercise intolerance
- Decreased immune system response
Treatment of obesity in cats
The treatment of obesity in cats requires veterinary assistance and a firm commitment from owners. In the treatment proposed by specialists in feline nutrition, we can distinguish the following steps:
- initial assessment: The veterinarian must individually assess the degree of overweight the animal presents, its health status and the risk factors that acted on the animal.
- weight loss phase: This is the first phase of treatment and can last for many months. At this stage it will be essential to change the cat's life habits, introducing a diet for obese cats and a more active lifestyle. In some cases the veterinarian may decide to prescribe a pharmacological treatment as well.
- Consolidation Phase: This phase must be maintained throughout the cat's life as its aim is to maintain the cat at a healthy weight. Generally, in this phase, the physical activity is not modified, but the diet is modified, therefore, in order to do it correctly, veterinary supervision is essential.
Many owners feel more satisfied and reassured when their cat starts to lose a lot of weight very quickly, however, blood tests carried out afterwards indicate that this is not always healthy.
THE owner implication it is essential but this should always take into account the indications given by the veterinarian.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.