caring for your house cat

A fat cat may look cute, but all that excess weight is not good for his health. If your cat is currently overweight, he has an increased risk of developing diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. Creating a weight loss plan for your cat can help him live a longer life. Here are five helpful tips for helping your cat lose weight:

Avoid Free Feeding

While it is simpler just to keep refilling your cat's food bowl when it gets low, doing so will just encourage your furry friend to eat when he's not hungry. Instead, put food in your cat's bowl at specific times of the day so that he does not eat out of boredom.

Exercise Your Cat

Your cat might not like going for walks or playing Frisbee in the yard, but you can still make sure he gets plenty of exercise indoors. For example, you could throw a piece of yarn around in the living room for 20 minutes a day. This will entertain your cat and help him burn some calories.

Do Not Give Treats

Cat treats might get your furry friend's taste buds excited, but they are usually high in calories and have little nutritional value. Instead, try giving your cat vegetables as a snack. There are several veggies your cat can eat, including carrots, green beans, peas and zucchini.

Reduce Dry Food

Another way to help your cat drop some weight is to reduce the amount of dry food you feed him. Dry food doesn't contain much water and is packed with calories. If you feed your cat canned food more often, he will consume fewer calories every day.

Don't Rely on Food Labels for Portion Sizes

If you want your cat to lose weight, it's very important to reduce his portion sizes. However, you shouldn't depend on food labels to give you the correct portion sizes because their measurements can sometimes be off. It is a better idea to ask your veterinarian how much food you should feed your cat every day. The veterinarian can assess your cat's body makeup and exercise levels to determine how much food he should eat.

Following these helpful tips can help your cat lose weight and get healthy. However, if your cat is still having trouble losing weight, take him to see a veterinarian, like those at Metropolitan Cat Hospital Limited, soon. It's possible that an underlying health condition may be hindering your cat's weight loss.