As a new pet owner, one of the hardest things to do is to not overfeed your animal! It can be so hard to do, when your dog or cat hovers over you as you eat, looking for any scrapings that it can get its paws on.
Deciding where, when, and how much to feed your cat is a serious factor to always consider. These decisions have an overall impact on the way your cat will eat and how it will digest its food. Keeping track of feeding time will also help provide information to your veterinarian in case a complication arises down the road.
Cats are facing high obesity rates nowadays. This is especially true for indoor cats, who have fewer distractions to worry about, resulting in them sleeping and laying around more than they really should. Cats should be running, jumping, and playing. They need exercise just as much as humans do! In a way, it’s ironic that our feline friends are facing the same issues that humans are facing today, as more and more people prefer to lay around instead of working out.
With that being said, is there a cat food for overweight cats? There are definitely much healthier cat food choices out there that, paired with exercise and playtime, can result in your cat losing much needed weight. Our team at Cat Food Insider has come up with some tips and cat food choices that you as a cat owner should try out with your feline friend.
Determining Portion Size And Caloric Intake
When it comes to measuring cat food for overweight cats, there are a few factors that you have to consider. Firstly, it’s best that you split up the cat food and feed your feline companion two to three times per day. Leaving their food out at all times, also known as free feeding, can lead to overeating, health problems, and external circumstances such as attracting ants, mice, or other critters. On top of this, free feeding makes it hard to identify your cat’s exact feeding schedule. If your pet were to get sick, your veterinarian may ask about your pet’s feeding habits. When you’re free feeding, this question is extremely difficult to answer.
The next thing to talk about is caloric intake. There are some strict caloric intake suggestions made by veterinarians around the world when it comes to how much your cat should be eating per day. These caloric ranges differ between indoor and outdoor cats. With that being said, let’s look at some of these caloric suggestions right now.
As with most animals (including us), caloric intake is dependent on your size and how much your weigh. With that being said, a four pound indoor cat needs approximately 125-130 calories per day in order to stay in tip-top shape. On the other hand, a four pound outdoor cat would need about 140-150 calories per day. This is because the constant running around outside requires more energy as opposed to hanging out indoors. As mentioned earlier, these numbers get higher as the cat’s weight increases. Talk with your veterinarian to get exact recommendations.
Cat Food Suggestion
A great cat food for overweight cats would have to be any recipe made by the people at Blue Buffalo. Their all-natural recipes allow for your overweight cats to get the quality nutrients they need, while allowing them to experience fullness quicker. The first five ingredients on all Blue Buffalo recipes include a named meat, as well as wholesome grains and hearty fruits. This includes deboned turkey, chicken meal, oats, peas, cranberries, and even blueberries; depending on what the exact recipe is. When determining the best cat food for overweight cats, you cannot go wrong with a Blue Buffalo recipe.
Take A Look Around Cat Food Insider For More Information
If Blue Buffalo doesn’t strike you fancy, our team at Cat Food Insider has compiled extensive reviews on other great cat food for overweight cats. Making sure your cat doesn’t get overweight is absolutely critical for their longterm health and longevity. Take a minute out of your day and figure out which cat food for overweight cats would be the best for your feline friend!
