Preparing A Nutrition Diet To Feed Your Neutered & Overweight Cat

Though healthy, Bixie has a bit of belly bulge, not quite down to the ground but getting close!

Bixie’s owner says she doesn’t understand it. She doesn’t feed him any treats. Her system for Bixie’s dietary needs is thus: a plate full of dry food in the morning before she leaves for work. When she comes home in the evening, she refills his plate so he doesn’t wake her up in the middle of the night to be fed. As a lone cat, Bixie’s activity level revolves around which window seat in the apartment gives him a better view of the birds outside.

Bixie’s owner needs to understand a few things about her cats dietary needs and then she’ll see why Bixie is overweight and also how to rectify the situation.

As a neutered male, Bixie is in the risk group for being overweight. Other risk factors contributing to obesity is apartment living (with little exercise) and dry food, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, December 1998.

A quick review of Bixie’s lifestyle shows us that he doesn’t get much exercise and doesn’t have much room to roam. He is also home alone much of the day and probably sleeps and eats in that time. Cats living in apartments are two times more likely to become obese when compared with cats living in houses or outside, according to an article in Cornell University Science News, March 1997.

Bixie’s owner can make a few easy adjustments that can help her cat maintain a healthier weight:

1. Dump the free feeding program and instead feed Bixie twice a day, morning and night.

2. Feed foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates and reduce the amount of food fed in each meal.

3. Get Bixie a friend! There are plenty of cats in shelters that need homes, and a new friend can help give Bixie someone to play with, something to do or at least someone interesting at home with him instead of being alone.

4. Make an effort to play with Bixie. Experiment with different types of toys. Some cats love catnip toys, others love honeysuckle stuffed toys or teasers. Some like fake mice, others bird-like toys with feathers. Scratching posts and door-hanging teasers give him something to do. Bixie’s favorite toy turned out to be a laser pointer, which his owner circles on the ceiling while she’s watching television.

5. Consider feeding wet food instead of dry. Some experts believe that the high carbohydrates and grains in dry foods contribute to obesity.

If Bixie’s owner makes these few changes, she’ll be helping Bixie to lose weight before he develops other health problems resulting from obesity.

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