As a result of a study undertaken by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention in 2018, it is estimated that around 57 percent of cats are deemed overweight or obese. Pet owners like spoiling their animals, showering them with care and goodies regularly.
One of the most effective methods to keep your cat healthy is to make wise choices when it comes to snacks and treats you give them. Here are some healthy tips to help you along the way.
Avoid Harmful Foods
Even though we like fruits and vegetables like grapes and onions, alcohol, salt, and tea, these and other typical delicacies may be toxic to cats. If you have any doubts about the safety of a treat, consult your veterinarian before feeding it to your cat.
Offer Catnip or Cat Grass
Catnip is an excellent cat treat that is low in calories. Cat grass is a kind of cereal grass, similar to wheat or oats. Both treats are simple to cultivate and dry, and fresh greens are also available in pet shops. Always check to ensure that the plant you're providing your pet is cat-safe.
If you're unsure if a plant is cat-safe, see the ASPCA's list of plants that are harmful to cats. If you suspect your cat has eaten a poisonous plant, contact your veterinarian immediately or the Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
Make Organic Cat Treats
You may supplement your cat's usual food with small quantities of liver, fish, or eggs. You can even prepare organic cat snacks at home. However, keep in mind that these treats should make up a modest portion of your cat's total diet.
Offer “People Food” Occasionally
"People food" should account for a minimal portion of your cat's diet. Consider little pieces of cheese or cooked tuna, chicken, fish, or liver as an occasional treat. You may also sometimes offer your cat a spoonful of milk, although this may induce diarrhea in cats that are lactose intolerant.
Give Treats in Moderation
When cats acquire a taste for treats, they may opt to forgo their meals in favor of the ones they like most. For this reason, limit the number of times you give your cat a treat each week to two or three times.
Do Not Encourage Begging
Rewarding your cat should not be done at the dinner table or the cat's demand. Make it clear that you will not reward begging.
Use Cat Treats to Train and Soothe Your Cat
Try rewarding your cat after doing an unpleasant task that they dislike, such as claw trimming, dental cleaning, or administering medicine. A combination of praise and caressing may go a long way toward comforting a kitty who has been coerced into doing an unpalatable task.
Develop a Diet Plan for Overweight Cats
There is no escaping the fact that snacks for cats are high in calories. But if your cat is overweight, merely taking off treats isn't going to help. Consult a veterinarian about your cat's weight, and they will devise a healthy diet plan to aid in the gradual and controlled loss of weight. Hepatic lipidosis, a potentially fatal liver illness, may result from rapid weight reduction in an overweight cat.
Conclusion
You may maintain your cat’s health and the amount of food it consumes by regularly seeing the veterinarian. In addition to regular health examinations, your cat's veterinarian will discuss your pet's ideal weight and address any concerns you may have regarding your cat's nutrition.
Additionally, even minor changes to your pet's nutrition or lifestyle may have a significant impact on their well-being. It's important to consider how many additional calories we're giving our cats in the form of treats since it may have long-term consequences.
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