I was listening to some on-line continuing education material today and thought I'd share some of my personal experiences with pet obesity prevention (particularly relating to cats).
I am currently a proud owner of five cats who have only two goals in life - eat and sleep. I'm sure the majority of my readers who own cats will agree that their cats have similar goals. Those goals are not very conducive to weight loss. So how do I keep my cats as trim as possible? Ultimately it's the same for humans as it is for pets. Eat less and exercise more!
Feed a quality food
If you know me or you're following my blog, you know my first choice is Science Diet. Feeding a canned food, especially when weight loss is the goal, can make your cat feel most satisfied, and it is easier to accurately measure calories.
Just keep in mind that you want to find a food that allows your cat to feel full while limiting calories.
Portion Control and Meal Times
If you don't measure out the amount of food you feed your cat, start now! (Yes, with a true measuring cup - one from your kitchen, pet store, or vet office.) If your goal is weight loss, you'll either need to feed a smaller quantity of the current food or switch to a lower calorie food. Talk to your vet about the best food for your pet! (*wink, wink*)
Start feeding your cat multiple meals instead of simply filling up the food bowl and allowing him to "eat until he's full." Two feedings are easiest, but three, four, or five meals could work for your household. Consider an automatic timed feeder, which allows you to choose the number of feedings (up to six that I've seen) and when they are scheduled.
For the food-obsessed
So I feel like I'm an expert in this area since all five cats are obsessed with eating. Here are some tips to handle those especially food-obsessed cats.
- Measure out the total amount of food you will feed during the day, and split it evenly into several meals. Set aside a few kibbles (from that total amount) to use as treats or in between meals when they will not stop pestering you for food.
- Use a food cube instead of a food bowl. (No, they're not just for dogs!) This is an excellent tool that serves two purposes - slows their eating and makes them exercise! Every cat that has used this figures out how it works within their first feeding.
- Place the food in several different spots in the house. Again, same principle - slows their eating and makes them exercise.
For multiple Cat Households
Every cat is just as unique as every human, with his own metabolic requirements, activity level, stage of life, and health status. So, it's no wonder that when you have a multiple cat household, you may have to feed multiple cat diets. Of my four cats, only two eat the same type of food. (May I remind you, that's four different kinds of cat food!)
It really isn't hard to do, but it requires two things:
- Feed meals (vs. free choice).
- Feed the cats in separate food bowls, separate rooms, and behind closed doors if needed.
Play Time
Sometimes people don't realize that cats can do something other than eat and sleep! Spend time devoted to playing and you'll really increase your bond with them. (And play off a few calories at the same time.) Here are some tips:
- Try a couple different types of toys to find out what your cat enjoys most (balls, mice, feather toys, catnip, etc.).
- Rotate the toys out every couple weeks or months so that when they see it again after a period of absence, they'll get even more excited.
- The toys don't have to be fancy. Low-cost choices could include:
Rolled-up pieces of paper
Paper bags with holes cut in the sides
Empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls
Ping pong balls
Card board boxes
Tissue paper/wrapping paper/newspaper simply laid down on the floor
Forts made out of a whatever you have in your house - boxes, tables, chairs, or
cat trees, covered with old sheets or blanket
Train Your Cat
I absolutely believe that all cats can learn tricks. The easiest trick in the book (and really quite useful) is "sit." Simply place a treat in your hand and move it slowly up and over their head until it forces them to sit down. Say "sit" as soon as they get into position. Repeat. Depending on your cat's IQ, it may take 1 - 1000 repetitions, but I promise you, he'll figure it out!
Why would you want to train your cat? Well, it puts them into the super cool cat category, stimulates their mind, gets them up and moving (and burning some calories), and increases the bond between you and him.
I had a lot of success with clicker training. If you're interested, get started here: http://www.clickertraining.com/whatis
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For great information about pet obesity prevention, check out this site.
(Click on the cat to follow the link.)
For specific information about weight, calories, and your pet, check out this site.
(Click on the dog to follow the link.)
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Did you realize that an average 10 pound cat that is 1 pound overweight is equivalent to an average woman who is overweight by 10 pounds? Check out this Human Parallel site by Hill's for more info.
(Click the logo to follow the link.)
And how about a potato chip snack for your cat? That's equal to to about half a hamburger! Check out this Treat Translator site by Hill's for more info.
(Click the logo to follow the link.)
