But just like us humans, some cats seem to hang on to weight more than others. I have 3 cats and one can eat all day and is naturally slim, the other one is borderline and the oldest one is plain old FAT. (my old fat cat is the one laying on her side!)
Cat obesity is a problem, especially with indoor cats.
I Tried Everything to Control the Cat Obesity in My House... Nothing Worked Until Now!
I tried interactive toys, they grew tired of them. I tried climbing trees, they slept on the shelves. I tried restricting their food, they nagged me until I fed them. But with these two steps, I changed it all.
✅Step 1 - Get a measuring Cup and go by the suggested servings on the packages of food (I use Whiskas dry) and try to stay within that limit the best you can. Don't super restrict, just play with the suggested amounts then slowly cut it back to the suggested amount for what your cat is supposed to weigh.
✅Step 2 - LASER POINTER TOY - I know you have seen them, but they will chase it until they tire, then will chase it again and again lots of times per day.
This toy actually burns calories.
You can sit on a chair and shine this on the floor and they will chase it everywhere. Even older cats will get moving a little bit.
Obviously gear it to the age and health of your cat. I don't shine it up the wall for my older cat because her back legs are stiff, but she will chase it around on the carpet floor.
My other two cats are younger and will chase it up the wall, under tables, they will simply not take their eye off of it.
When I notice they are tiring, I stop. Then the next day or even later that day I will start it up again. Anytime we sit down to relax we will get the cats moving and we are slowly working it up to a good few times per day.
Not only does this burn calories, but it is totally entertaining.
You can also get ones that are on a timer. Bit more of an investment but can keep they happy and active while you are not home.
✅Cat Exercise Totally Helps to Burn off that Fat
The family have been enjoying getting the cats moving. The part that totally intrigues me is that they don't seem to tire of this toy.
Their toy mouses get knocked around once in a while, but I really do think they need more stimulation and this laser toy does the trick.
✅Weigh Your Cats First for this Experiment
Stand on the bathroom scale without the cat and then pickup your cat. Record the difference in weight. This is a good starting point.
Try to stay within the expected food range by measuring your food out for the day instead of just free feeding. I spread it out over the day.
✅Smaller Cat Bowls
I also went to the dollar store and found smaller cat bowls that are more rounded on the bottom so that any kibble left looks like more in the bottom of the bowl.
In our house, as soon as the cats could see the bottom of the bowl they were looking for more food.
A little bit of a trick, but this does help.
✅Fresh Water
Many cats are picky and when they are thirsty and don't like the stale water they will eat instead.I found if you make sure their water is changed daily or even more, they will drink more and eat less.
They are super picky if the water is stale or full of chlorine.
✅Get Them Moving with this Laser Toy
Get them moving a few times a day. If they are totally sedentary, go slowly at first. It turned my older cat Muffin into a happy kitty again.
At my cats' last checkup, I was advised I was going to run into trouble. I tried weight control food, which costs more, but actually made them gain weight as they just didn't seem to fill up.
So I stuck with my regular food and measured out their daily feeding. I would always leave a little in the bottom of the bowl because cats seem to get worried when it is empty.
✅Obese Cats Equals Ilness
Obese cats run the risk of diabetes, heart disease and all the fat related issues us humans can get. So, for under 20 bucks I found this laser and my cats are moving every day. Muffin has already begun to lose weight.
As I was researching different ways to get my cat's health on the right track. I came across this cat exercise wheel. Now that would be a totally different way to get them moving, but might be a great idea for a super active cat!
✅The laser toy was the best idea for my 3 cats.
I find with toy mice, they simply don't get stimulated. They have to create the play themselves, whereas a laser pointer will have them moving in different directions and they just love chasing that red dot!
I hope this helps, and you can get started on the path to a healthy cat. They are family members and it is up to us to help them enjoy life to the fullest.
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