Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is imperative to their overall well-being. Like all creatures, an obese cat can experience serious health complications due to their weight, like heart disease and arthritis. However, determining if your cat is eating too much can be complicated for the average cat owner. Here are some things to consider if you're trying to figure out what amount of food will generate a healthy weight for your cat.

Some Behaviors of Concern

First off, before you start to consider your cat's weight and daily intake of food, consider that there are some signs of over-eating that should never be ignored. These are signs that can manifest even if you're already feeding your cat too much, so don't ignore them.

If your cat is constantly begging for food, that means there's a problem. Cats can develop diabetes and other illnesses that alter their blood sugar levels, which may generate constant hunger. Alternatively, a cat could have a problem like an intestinal parasite that reduces how much of the food they actually get to break down and absorb. If your cat is regularly begging for food after meals and even treats don't subside them, you should get them to a vet right away to determine the cause of their cravings.

Feed by Weight

If your cat seems to be behaving normally, then you don't have to worry about their immediate health. However, in order to maintain long-term health, you have to get them to a healthy weight. So, how do you do it?

First off, take a look at the type of cat food you're giving your cat. Every bag and can of cat food will have feeding directions on the back. These directions are based on your cat's weight, so if you don't know what it is, you'll need to find out. You can have your cat weighed at the vet's office easily, or if you don't want to make the trip, weigh yourself holding your cat, then just yourself, and subtract your solo weight from the combined weight.

Once you know your cat's weight, you'll know how much you should feed them to maintain that weight. However, it still leaves the question of whether or not said weight is healthy!

Ideal Weight

Unfortunately, there is no catch-all answer for how much a cat should weigh. This is simply because there are so many different kinds of cat breeds, including mixed breeds. A Siamese cat, for example, may be lithe and low in body fat, whereas a Maine Coon may be massive and therefore weigh many more pounds naturally.

The best way to find out what an ideal weight for your cat is is to ask your vet. They'll be able to give you a precise range to shoot for based on your cat's height, girth, age, and breed.

Keeping your kitty's weight healthy is easy enough if you just get help from an expert. Talk to your veterinarian and find out what's right for your cat, and then follow your cat food's feeding directions to achieve that weight.

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