Fatty Liver Disease In Cats

Life does your cat polish your floor with his belly while walking? Is his food bowl bigger than your head??? Do you grunt when you try to pick it up??? Will he bounce when he lands on the ground? Do you spend more on his food bill than your own? People see big cats as subjects of humor. They make cartoons with cute captions, manipulate photos into amusing cards, and make jokes about their mates round. As harmless as it seems, obesity in our feline companions is not a joke. The health risks are real. Since nearly 40% of American cats, their lives will be shortened by years due to this preventable problem. All cat owners should know if their cat is obese, what are the problems associated with obesity, what causes obesity and how to solve the problem. So how do I know if my cat is obese? Obesity is generally defined as more than 20% above ideal weight. How this ideal weight is determined, however, is not always cut and dried. Unlike humans, who have body mass index and other different maps to guide them, there is no established list of acceptable weights for cats due to the large variations between different races. A Maine Coon will be much heavier than a Siamese. For this reason, obesity in cats is determined using body condition scoring. body condition generally varies from 1 to 9, with 5 being best and 9 being severely obese. So how can you tell if your cat is too fat? Feel his sides. Can you feel his ribs? A little fat covering is ideal. You should be able to feel his ribs if you put a little pressure on him, but you should not be able to count them just by running your hand over his body. Watch it while you're standing above him. Can you see his size??? Yes, cats should have a size. Look at it sideways. Did you see his stomach by getting a little? It should not be wobbling around in the breeze (in neutered animals, a small pocket of loose skin is normal). For long-haired cats, it may be useful to wet their fur in the bathtub to judge their body condition. All that fur can give the illusion that the cat is much heavier than it really is, or provide an excellent excuse for the owner to explain why her cat looks fat. (See links below this article for an illustrated chart to help you.) So he's fat. It is that dangerous? The short answer: YES. The long answer: a list of known risks. Obese cats have a much higher risk of developing: * diabetes (diabetes mellitus) * hepatic lipidosis / FSL (a form of liver disease) * arthritis or other skeletal problems * lower urinary tract disease (cystitis " ) * breathing difficulties * heart failure * renal disease * problems with anesthesia, surgical complications, but he does not eat that much ... Excess weight is to eat all the calories the body needs. If your cat is sterilized, it uses less calories. If it is a barn cat, it uses a lot more calories. The more active he is, the more calories he needs. Most of us have indoor cats that was in most of the time. They are not using energy to stay warm, they are not hunting for food. They do not need to have a big bowl of food laying around to munch 24 hours a day. When the diet of humans, it is often advisable to keep a food diary because we lose track of what we are really eating. You can lose track of how your cat is really eating if you free feed dry and toss treats to him several times a day. Be more aware of what you would remember that food and an animal that weighs 12 pounds does not need to eat that much. No more than he thinks you do not like it more if you stop throwing treats every time you think he is being cute. If you want to show your love, play with him. Give him catnip. Spend time interacting with him. Do not assimilate the food of love. Get off if your cat is more than a little overweight, the first thing you should do is make an appointment with your vet ... There are a few.