Feline obesity is a common problem in domestic cats and it can lead to a number of serious health issues that can be a huge problem for your cat. A few extra pounds on a cat is like 50 extra pounds on a human and even those few extra pounds can be problematic. Unfortunately, your cat can’t decide to just go on a diet, you have to decide for them. Knowing how to scale things back and trim your kitty back to their fabulous feline shape is essential to them living out a happy healthy life.

Cats are grazers, so often we leave a bowl of food down and don’t pay close attention to how much they are eating. If your cat needs to shed some unwanted weight you need to be more careful about the portions you are offering them daily. Follow the recommended guidelines on your cat food bag daily and when the food is gone don’t refill their bowl until the next day. Additionally, you can break up their recommended daily allowance into two portions offered in the evening and morning to spread their food out.

It is also important to not over indulge your cat with treats. Cat food brands do not count the fact that you will be feeding your cat treats into their recommendations, so any treats you give your cat is above what they need nutritionally. [Using] low-calorie treats are a great option for people who are trying to slim down their cats. Additionally, give your cat treats at times of the day when you know they will be active so that they burn the calories from the treat after they eat it.

If necessary you can try to feed your cat a weight management formula of cat food. However, if you follow proper feeding guidelines this usually isn’t necessary.