Author: Krista Seraydar, DVM

Prior to starting your cat’s weight loss journey, talk to your veterinarian about how to do this safely. Cat dieting is not as simple as restricting food, and rapid weight loss can be very dangerous. Any cat weight loss plan should be a collaboration between you and your vet. Here are a few ways that you can help your cat lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. How to Help Your Cat Lose Weight Safely First, speak with your veterinarian before putting your cat on a diet. They will help you establish a cat dieting plan that supports gradual, healthy weight loss without restricting food intake too drastically. Severe cat food restriction and rapid weight loss can actually make your pet very sick, causing a serious disease in cats called hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease. Calculating Your Cat’s Body Condition Score The ideal weight for a cat is determined by their body condition score. This is an objective measurement of your cat’s body composition based on the visibility of their ribs, presence of a “waist,” and how easily their vertebrae can be felt. Once a body condition score has been assigned, your veterinarian can help you establish your pet’s target weight and daily calorie intake goal using the following formula for resting energy requirement (RER): 70 x (body weight in kg)0.75=RER

If you ever notice your cat sneering or making a “stinky face,” that’s the flehmen response. Also called the flehmen reaction or flehmen grimace, the flehmen response is a behavioral response seen in cats (and other animals such as goats, tigers, and horses) that helps them process interesting smells, such as pheromones—chemical compounds secreted to help relay messages to other members of their species regarding territory, breeding, and identification. Here’s everything to know about your cat’s “stinky face” and what it means.

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Make sure your cat is microchipped and that your contact info is up to date in the database. It also helps to have a tag with your contact info on their harness in case they happen to get away. You can also create a catio, an enclosed and stimulating outdoor environment. This gives your cat an opportunity to explore the outdoors while remaining active and—most importantly—safe. Before you take them outside, make sure your cat is current on flea and tick prevention.,Even though cats sleep much of the day, exercising is important to their wellbeing. When cats are exercising, they’re helping maintain a healthy weight and also getting mental stimulation to keep them emotionally and behaviorally healthy. Here are some tips on how to exercise and mentally stimulate your cats so you can maximize your play sessions.