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Guide for owners with overweight cats
How do I know if my cat is overweight?
If you are concerned that your cat is overweight, it's important
to visit your vet for a proper diagnosis. Our Cat Body Condition Guide can be a helpful
tool in assessing your cat's weight at home.
How do cats become overweight?
A combination of over eating and lack of
exercise is usually the cause of excess
weight in cats - as the additional calories consumed are not
used for daily acitivities, they are stored as fat.
Why do overweight and obese cats need to lose
weight?
If your cat is overweight it's likely they'll be
uncomfortable and less able to play and exercise. On a more serious
note, cats with excess weight are four times more likely to develop
obesity and three times more likely to develop mobility problems
and suffer lameness. In addition they can experience difficulty
grooming - leading to dry skin, feline acne and fur shedding.
Ultimately an overweight cat will probably visit the vet more
often and have a shorter life expectancy.
What can I do to help my cat lose weight?
If your cat has been diagnosed as either overweight or obese by
your vet it's important that you ensure your cat does not lead a
sedentary lifestyle. Encourage your cat to be active with a few
minutes of fun games to get them moving every day - try to find a
toy they'll enjoy chasing and playing with.
Changing your cat's diet to Satiety
Support - available in pre-measured portion controlled sachets
- is a safe solution for gradual weight loss. Satiety support
is specially formulated to help your cat feel full up - with a
combination of special fibres, chicory pulp and psyllium - yet
still provides an extremelly palatable balanced diet, full of
proteins, vitamins and minerals with additional nutrients to help
support healthy joints.
Ask your vet about Royal Canin Feline Satiety
Support.
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