Cat lovers know that the health of our kitties can weigh heavily on our minds. If you’ve noticed that your cat has started to gain weight, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day is a designed to ‘get the skinny’ on ways to help your furry friend go from flab to fit.
When is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day?
In 2023, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day is observed on October 11. It is always held the second Wednesday in October. This pet holiday was launched in 2007 by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP).
Have a Fat Cat? How to Help Your Cat Lose Weight
According to Banfield Pet Hospital’s State of Pet Health Report, the rate of overweight and obese pets has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, with one out of every four cats and dogs combating the problem.
We have some tips from petMD contributor and veterinarian Dr. Patrick Mahaney about how to make sure your cat remains a healthy weight:
- Schedule an examination with your pet’s veterinarian – Various diseases can cause a pet to become overweight, you will want to rule those out as well as make sure your pet is healthy enough to begin an exercise program.
- Employ calorie restriction and portion control.
- Reduce dry food and increase whole foods – Add steamed or pureed vegetables to make up for volume while reducing commercial cat food.
- Increase feeding frequency – Feed your pet at least once every 12 hours. More frequent feeding makes for a consistent metabolism.
- Commit to daily exercise.
According to Dr. Mahaney, “Pet obesity is a preventable condition that is primarily the result of pet owner negligence and may lead to irreversible health problems.”
Your Pet Obesity Resource
To help tip the scales in your pet’s favor, The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention’s website provides cat lovers with an arsenal of knowledge to help your cat wage a battle of the bulge, including:
- the daily caloric needs for indoor cats.
- a downloadable daily feeding and exercise log.
- how to determine if your pet is overweight (Are their ribs difficult to detect beneath their fat? Is Mitten’s stomach sagging? Is your purring pal’s back broad and flat?)
- the calorie count of those tasty treats.
- a weight loss program chart.
- a list of the health risks (such as type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and high blood pressure) associated with weight gain in cats
- creative exercise ideas to encourage weight loss, such as moving your pet’s food goal to different parts of the house to promote walking.
Facts about Cat Obesity
- Fewer than 12 percent of cat owners know that their cat may have a weight issue.
- 42 percent of pet owners do not know what a healthy weight looks like for their pet.
- 3 extra pounds on a 10-pound cat is the equivalent of 45 extra pounds on a 150-pound human.
- Cats who put on extra pounds are 4.5 times more likely to develop diabetes.
- Corpulent kitties are seven times more likely to experience joint pain.
How are Cat Parents Doing?
Well, an online survey of cat guardians conducted by Harris Poll revealed cat guardians’ thoughts and perceptions about the weight and health of their cats–and showed that there’s room for improvement:
- 57 percent of pet parents do not measure their cat’s food at feeding time
- 28 percent admit that they do not know the proper amount to feed their cat
- 34 percent think a few extra pounds won’t hurt their cat’s health
- 37 percent consider it cute if a cat carries a few extra pounds as that means that there’s “more to love”
- 27 percent confess that they do not know how to help their cat lose weight
- 23 percent believe that kitties get all the exercise they need on their own
More Cat Holidays
National Pet Obesity Prevention Day is just one of many health-oriented cat awareness holidays here on CatTipper. You also might enjoy these:
National Heartworm Awareness Month
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