Is your cat obese? Has your cat been drinking more water lately and you’re concerned that this is the cause of the weight gain?
An unusual increase in water intake, especially by an obese cat, may indicate a chronic disease, such as diabetes.
Water does not contain calories, carbohydrates or fats. Your cat has not become overhydrated by drinking water. Unless you’re adding a calorie-containing food to his water, this is the only way your cat can get heavy by drinking water. If you’re adding sugar to your overweight cat’s water, this could be the culprit. Adding sugar to your obese cat’s water will not only lead to weight gain, but also to more health problems.
Some cats are genetically “heavy”. No matter how much or how little food they eat, they end up weighing them down. Your obese cat may fall into one of these obese breeds. You can definitely find this out by checking with your vet or by doing some quick online searching.
One of the main reasons why your cat may be overweight is that you are probably feeding him an unbalanced, processed food made mostly of corn. You need to switch your fatty cat to a more balanced food that contains real meat protein, along with fats and carbohydrates in the ideal percentage range of ingredients. And don’t forget about vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients.
You may also overfeed your cat. Could he be eating too much food/calories he doesn’t need? If you’re in the habit of leaving his food (most likely dry food) out all day, he may be eating too much.
Have you recently changed his feeding pattern? Switching from canned or wet foods to more dry foods? Dry foods contain about 10% moisture while canned foods usually contain 70-80% moisture. If you have recently added or replaced wet canned foods with dry foods, the increase in dry foods is likely to cause you to drink more free water. In this case, drinking more free water would be a natural balance from taking in less moisture from his food.
Some cats just eat and eat regardless of whether they are hungry or not. I bet your cat eats when she’s bored. You can reduce his food intake by getting the right plate size. Try as much as possible not to put your obese cat on an unbalanced diet by simply cutting calories!
Does your overweight cat exercise frequently? A cat that snoozes and lolls around all day is at risk for obesity. If you recently added a new play toy, or if your chunky fluff ball has just discovered a new play toy, and his training has increased, then this is a good activity. However, he may need extra free water due to his exercise!
Water by itself will not cause weight gain. If your overweight cat is drinking a lot of water, this could be a sign of more serious problems. Drinking too much water can cause your cat’s kidneys to fail. Other serious problems such as hypothyroidism and diabetes may also be reasons why your heavy cat is drinking too much water. On the other hand, drinking more water may be a natural consequence of lifestyle changes.
If you notice any changes in your cat’s behavior especially eating habits, you should watch and monitor them carefully. Search online. Consult a veterinarian. Your vet will run the necessary tests to check if anything is wrong.
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