Why Did Your Cat Gain Weight

You have noticed that your cat has been gaining weight. You think you have been feeding him right and maybe you are. However, there may be many reasons why your cat is fat.

Food, most likely is the number one culprit. Like human, when cats eat more calories than they burn off, they will gain weight. Even if your cat appears to be a picky eater like Morris, he may be nibbling his food all day.
If your cat is an indoor one, you are protecting him from getting hit by a car and attacks from other animals. However, he may not be as active as an outdoor cat and does not get enough exercise.

When you are sitting down to your favorite meal, your cat may be looking up at you with those sweet eyes of his begging you for that delicious food. His kibble is just too bland for his wants and desires. Feeding table scraps is not healthy for your cat. While it does not have the nutrition that your cat needs, it also can cause him to gain weight. Even the pouches of cat treats the pet stores sell do not contain the nutrition your cat needs.

The cat food itself may be what is causing the weight problem in your cat. Check the label. Does it contain grain and meat by-products? If it does, you are feeding him the wrong food. You cat needs to eat meat and needs about 40% of protein with each meal. If he does not get enough, he will eat more to make up for lost nutrition.

While it is more convenient and cheaper to give your cat dry food rather than wet food, dry food is high in carbohydrates since it contains flour and sugar.

If you are the responsible cat owner, you will make that appointment to get your cat spayed or neutered. However, fixed animals tend to be not as active.

If you are a Good Samaritan, you may find a stray cat or kitten. You notice that he is awfully thin and you do what any kind-hearted person would do. You adopt him, take him into your house and begin feeding him back to health. It appears that many rescued cats then to get weight problems later on. The loving owners are so determined to get their new pet back to a healthy weight that they tend to forget when enough is enough.

Just like in humans, stress is a major factor in weight gain in cats. When they are in a new environment, cats can get upset. This causes cat to eat more.

Another cause for your cat's weight gain is that he may have a slow metabolic rate. A rare medical condition, called Hypothyroidism causes the cat to gain weight even when he does not eat much.
Now that you have determined the root cause of your cat's weight gain, call your vet. He can recommend food and changes to your cat's diet and even prescribe medicines that will help him get back down to a healthy weight.