Winter Weight Gain in Cats: Tips to Keep Your Feline Fit and Healthy

2023-12-22 18:00:00

In winter, it is normal to gain a little weight, even for our pets. Less dynamic than in summer, the domestic cat naturally gains weight during the low season. However, we must avoid becoming overweight or even overweight. obesity, which predisposes him to many serious illnesses.

Is your cat gaining a few hundred grams as winter approaches? Due to the storage of fat necessary to maintain its body temperature, they would go almost unnoticed under its bushier fur. We give you tips to limit this weight gain within reason.

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Tip #1: Maintain your cat’s food rations

Domestic cats are less active during the winter. Already very economical with their energy consumption all year round, they sleep more and enjoy the warmth of the house. It is therefore not necessary to increase their daily caloric intake, unless the cat is very athletic, which is rare! In fact, the excess food would immediately be converted into fat mass. Even if the cat needs it to protect itself from the cold in nature, this is not really the case for our indoor domestic felines.

To help you, modern kibble dispensers can deliver food rations to the nearest gram. It is a practical solution for measuring your diet precisely.

Tip #2: Encourage the cat to exercise

Even if it is necessary to respect its fifteen to eighteen hours of daily sleep, the cat needs exercise, particularly during the winter season, conducive to relaxing in front of the fireplace or on the radiator. So don’t hesitate to ask your four-legged companion several times a day to make him play, run, jump, etc. If you have time, set up an agility course and reward his successes with affectionate caresses (no treats). ). For his moments of solitude, you can hang a cork on the end of a string hanging from a doorknob and provide him with toys that roll easily on the floor. Does he need to lose a little weight? Opt for a kibble dispenser that stimulates their cognitive abilities such as a food maze, an interactive feeder or a hiding mat!

Tip #3: don’t change your habits with the outside world

Although it is more difficult to let the cat come and go as it pleases between indoors and outdoors during the winter, it should not be prevented from going out. However, he must then have the possibility of getting warm easily whenever he wants. In the garage, the garden shed or on the terrace, create a cozy space sheltered from the cold. By maintaining its winter outings, the cat consumes calories and continues its outdoor activities. So encourage him to go outside to counter his desire to laze around on the sofa all day! He will thus benefit from the benefits of natural light, essential to combat seasonal depression.

Finally, if your animal gains excessive weight in winter, ask your veterinarian for advice! Weight gain can be correlated with a serious but still silent illness (diabetes, kidney failure, etc.).

Coline GRASSET for TF1 INFO

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