Happy, Healthy & On Track - Tips for Improving Your Cat's Health

Place your hands loosely on your cat's chest, then move them slowly up and down. If you can easily feel your cat's ribs, then everything is fine weight-wise. However, if you have to press to feel the ribs, your cat is probably overweight.

Your cat's silhouette can also give you a good idea of whether it is overweight. If there is no longer a clearly defined waist or your cat is looking in any way 'round', then it is highly likely your cat has a weight problem that needs addressing.

The most common causes of weight gain in cats are simple - too little exercise or too much high-energy food! However, advanced age, certain illnesses, sterilisation or neutering, genetic factors and psychological stress are just some of the other reasons that can all also lead to weight gain in cats. Therefore, it is important that you consult your vet about any weight-related issues, in order to rule out any possible illnesses.

The consequences of weight gain in cats vary hugely. The more severe the problem, the greater number of health concerns you would expect to find. That is why it is so important to confront the issue as soon as you notice it and before your cat becomes obese.

As well as offering a lower quality of life and reducing mobility, being overweight or obese can also put your cat at risk of joint damage, cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, diabetes and even a reduced life expectancy of up to 2 years less than a cat that is a healthy weight.

1. The most important thing to remember is that a feed change must always be done gradually. A slow, careful approach helps to ensure your cat accepts its new food and is a great way to check it will not suffer any adverse reactions from the change in diet.
2. Always follow the feeding guidelines or the recommendation given by your vet. Every pack of cat food will come with recommended daily servings depending on your cat's target weight - even a few grams more than your cat needs per day can prevent successful weight loss.
3. Make sure no-one is feeding your cat titbits or leftovers - this includes checking no neighbours are being conned by your cat into handing out extra dinners! Of course you can factor treats into your cat's diet, but they should be in moderation and you should be sure to reduce main meal quantities to allow for it. You can also look into choosing healthier treat options.

A really important point to note is that you should never put your cat on a 'half-rations' diet if it is overweight. Rather than supporting healthy weight loss, this could simply mean that your cat is missing out on vital nutrients. If you reduce your cat's fat intake too drastically it can also be dangerous, with the worst-case-scenario outcome seeing your cat suffering from acute fatty liver disease.

For tips on how to change your cat's food properly or work out exactly how much food your cat should be eating, have a look at the zooplus Magazine!

As well as having a reduced calorie content, a good light cat food should offer three key features. Firstly, it should have a consistently high crude protein content to ensure your cat's muscles are supplied with the nutrients they need. This can help to ensure your cat is losing excess fat rather than essential muscle. A light food should also have a lower crude fat content and a higher crude fibre (dietary fibre) content than a standard cat food.

Find out more about nutrition for overweight cats in the zooplus Magazine.

Unfortunately, unlike dogs, cats are slightly more difficult to take outside on long walks to help shift those pounds! This is especially true if you have an indoor cat, with a limited 'territory' in which it can roam.

You can still increase your cat's activity levels with the following handy tips:

• Take a few minutes every day to play with your cat in an active way.
• Get some helpful accessories! Catnip cushions, balls, toy mice, dangler toys and intelligence toys are all great options, but you can also use everyday options such as rustling paper, cardboard boxes or a bottle cork to arouse your cat's curiosity.
• Small torches or laser pointers can also encourage your cat to run around and hunt!
• Create climbing opportunities for your cat and offer rewards as an incentive to climb.
• Hide food or treats in other places around the house or, if possible, build obstacles that your cat has to get around or over to get to its food bowl.
• You can also use food toys to make your cat work for its food, whether that be a treat ball or an intelligence feeder.

Find out more about exercise for cats in the zooplus Magazine!

For healthy cats, agility can be a great idea! By training different obstacles and courses, you are providing your cat with variety and excitement as well as plenty of exercise. However, this sort of training is much more difficult if your cat is overweight.

Certain exercises can put too much pressure on your cat's joints, especially if your cat is obese. There is also the risk of quickly overtaxing your cat, particularly if you are aiming for speed over the obstacles. Overweight cats can also be prone to lethargy and may need more encouragement to be animated and active!

This means that agility is less suitable for overweight cats. This sort of training also requires a lot of time and patience, but it is not completely out of the question! You should introduce your cat slowly to the individual exercises, paying attention to the correct form rather than the time.

You can find out more about whether agility training is something that you and your cat would enjoy with a few simple exercises and some clicker training. Read all about it in the zooplus Magazine!