Meowza!! Those holidays were lots of fun! Hopefully my furry friends didn’t have too much fun by adding extra weight to their purrfect bodies.
Believe me I know, everyone is bringing in treats for us and our pet parents are feeling generous by giving us “just a little” snack from their plate. Did you know that if a ten-pound cat ate just one ounce of cheddar cheese, it would be the same as if your pet parent ate three and a half hamburgers or four chocolate bars.
Being overweight, or that ugly word “obese”, is the leading medical problem in furry family members. When we are chubby, we just don’t want to play or walk as much and studies have shown that overweight furry family members actually have a shortened life span.
When we fluffy kitties are overweight, it can lead to diabetes and liver disease. Having just a few extra pounds hinders our amazing hunting skills which lets the dust bunny population explode! We also cannot jump up into our kitty tree to escape the crazy drooling doggie beast that we awoke from their crazy dream infused sleep.
When those crazy drooling doggie beasts carry extra pounds, it can lead to the same diseases as us kitties. Arthritis is the main culprit for doggies. All of that extra weight puts such strain on our doggies friends joints and bones, causing them to struggle with day to day activities. In the end, some doggies cannot even get up after laying down.
Our pet parents see us every day. So sometimes they cannot see the extra pounds piling on. That’s why it is so important to see your favorite veterinarian at least once a year. Some furry family members should be seen twice a year due to their age or if they have a chronic condition. Once you see your favorite veterinarian, they will make sure you are at your purrfect weight. If you are found to have gained some weight, they will point you on your way with exercise and possibly a special diet.
Sometimes when the pounds pack on, it can be from metabolic disorders. Your veterinarian may want to run some blood work to rule those out for the cause of your weight gain.
With some changes in your diet, activity level and possibly medication, you will be back to fitting into your harness or able to escape that crazy drooling doggie beast in no time.
Macchi
Animal MD Veterinary Clinic
