How to Know If Your Cat is Overweight

Is your cat overweight? An overweight cat can become depressed, lethargic, and may even succumb to serious physical illnesses.

Although many cats are energetic and get plenty of exercise jumping and running around, there are exceptions. If the cat's living area (perhaps a small apartment) is not sufficiently large, it may not be getting enough exercise.

Similarly, your cat may not be receiving adequate stimulation and play time to motivate it into regular exertion.

How can you quickly determine if your favorite feline friend is overweight, or even obese? Consider these guidelines:

-- According to CatsPlay.com, you should be able to feel your cat's ribs with ease. You should not, however, see them sticking out -- that would be the sign of a very skinny kitty!

-- CatsPlay.com also suggests that you feel your cat's hips to determine if it is overweight. "Anything more than light fleshiness indicates that your cat is above normal weight," according to the site. This is not an exact science; it's more of a ballpark estimate. You should get a gut feeling from this test as to whether your cat is overweight.

-- Do your cat's legs appear greatly burdened by the weight of its body? A cat that slowly lumbers around the house might be overweight.

-- Is there excess fat around the cat's neck, and behind the ears?

If you suspect your cat has become overweight, don't freak out. You can likely solve the problem by improving your pet's exercise options and watching its diet. A cat nip ball and new play step structure may be all you need to jumpstart your cat's exercise routine.

Also consider switching your cat to a less fattening diet: ask your local pet store which cat foods are the "leanest" and try using those formulas instead. Or reduce portions by 20% until the cat returns to normal weight; do not reduce its meal intake by more than this -- you don't want to starve or harm your cat with a radical reduction in calorie intake.

Don't expect overnight results. Chances are, your cat did not become overweight overnight -- and just as with human diet plans, you cannot expect it to become skinny overnight. Be patient, and if you have any suspicions of an underlying health condition, take your feline friend to the veterinarian.

You should also call your vet and let him or her know about any diet changes or exercise regimens you plan to impose. They will be able to provide further guidance -- and let you know if your diet plan is too drastic, or too lenient.