VIDEO. Cat Obesity: A Vet’s Solutions to Maintain Her Cat’s Health

Is your cat overweight? Very well possible. Indeed, as explained by Charlotte Devaux, veterinary nutritionist interviewed by our colleagues at Brut, three to four in ten cats are overweight. And the main cause is denial of the owner.

Big cats everywhere

It’s a growing phenomenon. In the past, cats lived on farms, hunted mice and spent all day. Today it is just the opposite. Many people live in apartments and never leave the house.

“From 6 kg to 6.5 kg, a cat is overweight and above that it tends to be obese”, says the expert. After a year, the cat has reached adulthood and its “final” weight. When he gains weight after that, he gets bigger, explains the vet.

The Dangers of Obesity in Cats

One third of cats are overweight. This is a very serious subject that Charlotte, a nutritionist-veterinarian, is studying. This is the risk of obese cats…

Posted by Brut on Monday 24 January 2022

However, obesity in animals is not without consequences. Obese cats see their life expectancy shortened by two years. They are also more prone to skin problems, urinary tract disorders, urinary stones or diabetes.

“We want something big and a little soft! »

“Denial is one of the first components of being overweight, emphasizes Charlotte Devaux, because if you don’t see it, you can’t treat it. We don’t see our cat getting fat. And worse, we’re almost happy it’s getting bigger. »

It must be said that chubby cats are popular, especially on social networks. The vet explains this very simply: all the cats we see in our images are obese. In Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella or Garfield, the tomcats have it under their fur. “We see the cat as a stuffed animal or a safety blanket,” adds the nutritionist. A plush is rarely thin. We want something big and soft! »

However, getting cats to lose weight is very complicated, so you need to focus on the fight against weight gain from the start. To combat feline obesity, the first thing to do is train owners to bring them out of denial.

The specialist also offers concrete solutions such as adopting an anti-gluttonous bowl, offering puree to the most greedy cats, but also playing with your cat every day or taking him outside as much as possible.

“Eat-move” isn’t just for humans. The health of our pets should also be taken seriously.

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