Is Your Cat Overeating? Here's How You Can Help!
How To Stop Your Cat Overeating
Have you noticed your cat is gaining weight? Do they always seem to be side-eyeing their food bowl or meowing for more? Are they a little… ‘rounder’ than they used to be?
Our feline friends have always had a remarkably good memory when it comes to feeding time and often like to manage their own food intake. But sometimes they can overeat or gain excess weight.
Our furry companions don’t naturally eat too much, so what has changed? How can you stop your cat overeating?
This article discusses everything you need to know about overeating in cats. It will also provide some actionable tips to ensure your cat has a purrrfect life!
Why is your cat overeating?
Cats don’t naturally overeat. Sure, rustle a bag of their favourite treats and they’ll appear in a (furry) flash.
But they seem to view meals differently – they seem to know exactly when enough is enough and generally have the willpower to stop there.
Until they don’t.
There are a few reasons why a cat might overeat. They include:
Stress
Our feline friends are incredibly sensitive and the smallest thing can stress them out.
Some cats lose their appetite altogether. Some will go the other way and will eat more because it’s familiar and comforting (we’ve all been there!).
Change in environment
Changing anything, from moving house to simply switching the wallpaper next to their food bowl, can cause pets to overeat. Anything out of the ordinary can cause a change in cat behaviour.
Boredom
Boredom affects everyone in different ways. One way for anyone to alleviate boredom is to eat something, just for something to do.
Cats do it, and – hands up! – their humans do it.
Medical issues
Medical issues such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes or certain medications can disrupt a cat’s appetite, so they eat too much.
But if your cat is overeating without an obvious cause, it may be worth looking into with your vet.
How to stop your cat from overeating
The good news is you can generally stop your cat from overeating using some simple tips.
As you’re providing the willpower on behalf of your kitty, there’s every reason that one or more of these tips could stop your cat overeating for good!
Food choice: Choose a high-quality cat food lower in calories
Cats are known for being picky eaters. Quality is everything – especially if you feed them ‘complete’ cat food with everything in it.
Meals made from better quality ingredients and fewer filler ingredients will not only taste better, but will also provide more nutrition from better quality sources. Win-win!
Stop free feeding: Switch to a regular feeding schedule
Cats are creatures of leisure, and some therefore love being able to eat graze whenever they like. Others prefer set mealtimes and a regular routine.
If you currently free feed your cat and let them lunch whenever they wish, try them on set mealtimes. This allows you to control their portions and monitor them.
If you’re not around during the day, use an automatic cat feeder. Divide the portions before you leave home, set the timer and the feeder will take care of the rest.
Some automatic cat feeders are designed specifically for wet food, so if your cat prefers wet to dry, you can still use this method to monitor their food intake.
If you have multiple cats, a microchip cat feeder might be the perfect solution. This ensures that only the cat with the correct microchip can access the food. It’s also a great method for cats who require weight management or medication at set times.
Minimise stress: Give them a life they understand
Minimising stress is essential for everyone – four legs or two. As cats are so susceptible to worry, we need to minimise it as much as possible.
Keep environmental changes modest, try to maintain a routine, introduce them to any changes you make so they understand it’s not a threat and provide somewhere safe and warm for them to hide or sleep.
Create a routine: Comfort in predictability
Have you noticed how cats like to sleep at the same time, wake at the same time, eat and drink at the same time and sit on your lap at the same time (usually during that important Teams call!)?
They’re creatures of habit. The comfort of routines and knowing exactly what will happen and when makes them feel comfortable. Work with that.
The routine can include when you/they wake up, your morning routine, mealtimes, when you play, when you have lap time and everything your cat does on an average day.
Water: Fresh, clean water at all times
Anything you can do to encourage your cat to drink more is a good thing. They’re incredibly smart, but sometimes even they miss the obvious.
The lack of water can lead to medical complications, which can add stress and can result in an overeating cat.
Nobody wants that, so make sure there is always fresh water around. If your cat turns their nose up at a water bowl, try a cat water fountain instead. That’s sure to work!
Make time for fun and exercise: Who doesn’t love to play?
Making time for fun and exercise will destress you as much as your feline companion.
You’ll both benefit from playing, chasing, hiding or watching your friend destroy their latest toy or hunt a feather on a string.
Play is one of the joys of having a cat in the family and taking time out each day to play is good for everyone.
Plus, it helps your little loved one burn off those excess calories and get back into a condition you’ll all be happy with!
Stop your cat overeating
In many ways, our cats are like us. They like routine, they like as much predictability in their life as they can manage and they like to minimise stress as much as possible.
Also, like their humans, cats can turn to food if they aren’t happy.
It’s our job as pet parents to ensure our cats have the healthiest life possible. The good news is that by following our top tips, your cat’s overeating should be a thing of the past!
And if mew need to refer back to any of the info, we'll be putting a purrmanent link on our Tops Tips for Cat Pawrents page, on the top menu.
We'll be back tomorrow with the Midweek News, so do join us then, and get ready to see Melvyn strutting his stuff on the BBHQ catwalk.
In the meantime...
Wing Commander Basil & The B Team
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