Managing Your Cat’s Weight
Ensuring your cat maintains a healthy weight will help them live a happier, longer life. Speak with your cat’s veterinarian to make sure there are no underlying health concerns to be aware of, then follow these weight management tips!
Follow Feeding Guidelines
First things first, you’ll want to replace your cat’s feeding system if it’s a self feeder or automatic cat feeder. Doing this will give you more control over their portion sizes and meal frequency.
Most pet food companies, including Stella & Chewy’s, provide recommended feeding guidelines on their packaging. These feeding guidelines should be taken seriously because they’ve been crafted by trusted professionals and are based on each specific product. Depending on your cat’s breed, gender, and size, these guidelines can differ drastically, so it’s important to ensure that you’re feeding your feline the correct portion size. Please be sure to refer to the feeding guidelines as an initial recommendation and adjust food amount as needed to reach desired weight goal. To take it a step further, you can try using a cat puzzle feeder to get them to slow down and properly digest all of their food.
Drown Out the Meows
Although it’s easy to give in, try to resist the temptation when your cat comes calling for extra food. As with any other species, cats will let you know if they’re still hungry or want a special treat. However, it’s essential to be strict with their feeding to ensure a healthy cat weight. A tasty treat is great every now and again, but don’t allow your cat to run the show. As the pet parent, you need to know what’s best for your cat even if they don’t. As a rule of thumb, treats should make up no more than 10% of your cat’s daily calorie intake.
Exercise When Possible
Whether it’s chasing a toy around the living room or climbing up their scratching post, cats need exercise to keep their hearts healthy. The first step to achieving a healthy cat weight starts in the kitchen, but it should be reinforced with exercise, when possible, to get the blood pumping! Cat enrichment activities are another great way to help your cat be more active (and prevent unwanted behaviors such as scratching your furniture).
If Needed, Try a Diet
If you’ve tried all that you can, including the helpful tips listed above, then it might be time to call your veterinarian for recommendations on a cat diet. Similar to other species and even humans, many feline diets are temporary situations to get them back on track. Once their healthy cat weight is achieved and they can transition back to their normal diet, pet parents should do everything they can to keep up healthy feeding and exercise habits with their cats.
Healthy Cat Food Options from Stella & Chewy’s
At Stella & Chewy’s, we have a wide range of different cat foods that are both healthy and delicious! If you need help finding the right food or treats for your feline, get in touch with our team by emailing info@stellaandchewys.com. And, for helpful insights, product information, and more, check out Our Blog: For the Pet Obsessed.
