Sophie's World

This story comes out of New Jersey about a 44 pound cat found wandering the streets.  Now I may be carrying a few extra pounds myself, but I wouldn’t consider myself fat.  This cat though is just plain fat.  The story didn’t carry a picture, unfortunately, but maybe just as well.  It’s terrible when those old photos get out.  Princess Chunk’s after picture will certainly be something to see.

Just as with people, obesity in pets is unhealthy and can seriously impact life expectancy.  Some estimates put the percentage of obese pets at just under 50%.  Owner intervention is vital.

Photo by basykes

It’s hard being a cat, especially an indoor cat.  When you compare the 15 year life span of an indoor pet versus the 2 to 3 years of an outdoor cat, it’s easy to see why Tiger doesn’t venture out at night.  So how does a cat manage?  It’s not like there’s a lot of running around to do inside unless you’re fleeing the kids or the family dog.  Exercise can be difficult.  Here are some tips:

• Invest in a laser pointer.  Chasing that red dot around can be quite entertaining.
• Feed a weight loss diet.  Some diets are high in fiber, low in fat.  It’s an option, but maybe a better option is a diet high in protein, low in carbs, a "Catkins" diet if you will.
• Watch the treats.  While we love them, they can be just that bit of extra to put us over the top.
• Catnip.  Sure, we’ll fall asleep afterwards, but while the catnip is working its magic, I’m tearing around the house.

A healthy pet is a happy pet.