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How to increase cat's activity? To lose weight?
My cat is overweight, largely due to his long-term use of steroids (only effective treatment for his condition) which increased appetite. Another challenge is that another condition requires the use of a prescription diet, deviation from which could have fatal consequences in a short time (if he eats something else which lowers the pH of his urine and he develops a crystal, without treatment he could die a very painful death in 12-24 hours. Keep in mind that I am not always home to save him). So using a weight loss formula with reduced calories is not an option.
The only option is to get him more active. It is not to say that he is never active, but since we moved somewhere without mice there's much more inactivity (and he has become more of a watcher than a chaser of bugs). I try new toys, but that only works for about a day. I try playing with him, but he prefers solo play. As well, the only things we do together that gets him active kind of involves me chasing him and I've notice he doesn't always perceive it as a game, so that's just cruel.
Any suggestions to increase his activity? Remember that they cannot include treats as motivators/rewards, and shouldn't involve the outdoors (we're urban dwellers and he is agorahobic, allergic to certain bug bites, etc.).
While I appreciate people's thoughtful answers on alternatives to diet for his crystals, there are multiple considerations with his diet beyond what I have specified here (he's has kiver/kidney/pancreas damage from long-term steroid use for his autoimmune; he is a free-feeder for both health and convenience reasons - and you can covert to meal times but cannot go back, they then rely on your measurement; he won't touch certain forms of food, to the extent that even in 24-hour veterinary care they couldn't convert him; to name a few).
If it had been another cat, I might have considered it but these alternatives are just not right for him. Thank you for you suggestions though! And it's Yahoo Answers: they may help someone else one day!
32 Answers
- bloomorninggloryLv 79 years agoFavorite Answer
To answer your question directly, you can get him more active by hiding his food around the house so he has to look for it, or take an empty soda bottle, cut holes in it, and put his food in there so he has to roll it around to get the food out. Play often and rotate his toys so he has a fresh toy often. Install a bird feeder where he can watch it.
But.. I would recommend looking into other diet options. Most crystals can be prevented by feeding a canned food only diet. Those crystal prevention diets are generally not exactly highly nutritious foods. They're usually packed with carb fillers that cats don't need and lack a good amount of protein. Also canned food is a great option for cats in general (more meaty protein, more moisture, less carbs) - great for a carnivore. But if that's really not an option, then it's as simple as cutting back on the amount of food he eats. Sure he won't be happy with you, but sometimes that's how life goes. Just slowly cut back. If he gets to a point where he's eating the whole day's allotment at once, divide it into two or three small meals spread through the day. If you're not home to dole out meals, get an automatic feeder that dumps scheduled meals. The one I have dumps amounts as small as 1/4 cup, 1-3 times per day.
Getting more activity definitely doesn't hurt, but it's really hard to get a cat to move enough to aid in weight loss. Been there, done that :) At the end of the day we had to cut back on his food.. took my pudgy 18 pounder to a healthier 12 this way.
This site is by a veterinarian and talks about food options for cats with a history or urinary tract issues..among other things. Canned food (or a raw diet) also helps prevent such things as diabetes, kidney disease, etc
- NamelessLv 79 years ago
What kind of crystals? Struvite crystals can be prevented just be feeding a grain free canned food or raw. Im not sure about other types. Its been 2 years since switching to raw and my cat has not gotten crystals and hes dropped 13 pounds. Here is some info
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth
I suggest you do research on diet so you can get the cat off that horrible food. A better food will really help to get him to lose weight.
The best exercise for my cat is letting him run around outside on a harness. You can also try a lazer pointer. My other cat likes da brid. If he likes solo toys get him some that he likes.
- 5 years ago
try a pasta less spaghetti by mixing shredded zucchini veggie meatballs and raw tomato sauce seasoned with a dash of zesty oregano
- 5 years ago
fresh herbs can really zing up a healthy meal try growing some in the kitchen using a strawberry pot preserve the flavor by adding fresh herbs at the end of the cooking process
- 5 years ago
lift and lower a soy sauce bottle 170 times with your right hand and a wok 170 times with your left
- ?Lv 45 years ago
take a 30 second break in the middle of your meal evaluate just how hungry you still are before getting back to your food
