Is Your Pet Overweight?
There is a lot in the media and at veterinary clinics about weight management for your pet, mainly for cats and dogs. Being overweight can cause a number of serious health issues for both dogs and cats. These can include type 2 diabetes, osteo-arthritis, respiratory problems and non-allergic skin conditions.
How to tell if your pet is overweight
An average domestic short hair cat should weigh between 8 and 10 pounds, and although you can attempt to your cat on a set of scales, there are other ways to check his fitness:
- Gently squeeze the sides of your cat’s rib cage. If you can easily feel the ribs, he’s probably not overweight. If you have to press to get at the ribs, he may be heavier than he should be.
- Look at your cat’s waistline. His body should become more slender from the belly to hindquarters.
- A swinging pouch between your cat’s hind legs is an indication your cat is overweight
This is a poster issued by Hill’s Prescription Diet Pet Food about other ways to tell if your cat or dog is overweight.
How many calories are in your pet treats?
We all give our pets the odd tit bit from our plates at some time, but do you know how many calories are in these small bits? I found these posters quite surprising and thought I would share to make other pet owners more aware.
Cat Treat Information
Dog Treat Information
If you love your pet, please read this and remember it. Feed them treats for either cats or dogs and not human food, then our beloved companion will be with us and be healthy for longer.
