Unlike chubby babies, chubby cats are in trouble. Chubby cats are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome, diabetes, arthritis, etc.
Sometimes our cats plump up because they don’t have anything more fun in life than to eat. Other times, our cats are eating but not getting any exercise; or they have metabolic problems that predispose them to obesity. What can we do to help our chubby cats? Lots! Try at least one idea from each of the following to make significant change in your chubby cat’s life:
diet, play, herbs, acupuncture, moxa, and arthritis medications.
Diet
Transition your cat from dry kibble to a home-cooked or raw diet. Offer high amounts of protein (sardines, pork, beef, tofu); veggies cooked and run through a blender (sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, etc): some fruits (blueberries, cantaloupe). Use doll dishes so you’re not tempted to feed too much. Avoid buying canned foods with fancy labels & preposterous claims; instead, feed your cat the inner organs from chickens (heart, liver, kidneys). Find chicken gizzards and offer your cat a whole gizzard or slices of gizzard for something fun to chew. Pour boiling water over the gizzards to remove bacteria before feeding. In addition to giving cats something to eat that won’t put on calories, chewing rubbery ole gizzards is good for your cat’s teeth and gums.
Play
Make everything, especially eating, an adventure: rather than leave the food in the same place all the time, move it around so your pet has the pleasure of the hunt with her supper. Provide new toys and see how many you can make yourself. Give your cat a fish bowl with a goldfish to watch. Position a window seat so she can see birds. Carve 15 minutes from your morning and evening schedule to play chase & other cat games. Tie toys to doorknobs with bungee cords. Leave Animal Planet on the tele when you’re out of the house.
Herbs
Many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas can be used for cats. For example, chubby cats that cannot metabolize and utilize food properly (Spleen Chi-deficient) benefit from the TCM formula, Wei Ling Tang. Wei Ling Tang also helps with diabetes, hepatitis, urinary crystals, anal sac inflammation, and diarrhea. It’s is safe to use long term, has a bland taste, and is readily accepted by most cats.
If a cat is plumping up because it has arthritis, we use Wei Di Huang Wan. Liu Wei also helps with cystitis, restless behavior, chronic kidney disease, and constipation. If a cat is chubby and has a greasy coat, occasional eye & ear discharge, asthma and a moist cough, constipation, or chronic vomiting, then use San Ren Tang. Like Wei Ling Tang, San Ren Tang has a bland taste and is easily accepted.
Acupuncture
For a chubby cat, massage the acupuncture points St 40, SP 3, ST 36. Stomach 40 is on the outside of the hind legs, half way between the knee and ankle. It helps with mobilizing fat. Spleen 3 is on the inside of the back foot just where the first toe joins the long bones (metatarsals) of the foot. This point helps with metabolism. Stomach 36 is about two finger widths below the knees of the back legs. This is the single most useful point for all things digestive, including constipation.
Moxa
Moxa is a rolled up herbal cigar that we light and use to warm acupuncture points. Moxa is held close to the skin, taking care not to touch the skin or hair. Use moxa to warm acupuncture points such as those described above, areas of arthritis (hips, shoulders, elbows, knees), and the muscles along the spine.
Treat for Arthritis
If your cat is cubby because its joints hurt so that it cannot jump, spring, scoot, or race, request medication for arthritis. Two of the fastest, most effective arthritis meds are given by injection: Adequan & Cartrophen. Adequan (used in the US) and Cartrophen (used in Canada) are injected once a week for four weeks, then once a month. The injections can be given with a tiny needle and are not painful. And, we don’t need to struggle with trying to pill our cats.
So many ways to help our chubby cats return to their svelte selves.
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Sometimes our cats plump up because they don’t have anything more fun in life than to eat. Other times, our cats are eating but not getting any exercise; or they have metabolic problems that predispose them to obesity. What can we do to help our chubby cats? Lots! Try at least one idea from each of the following to make significant change in your chubby cat’s life:
diet, play, herbs, acupuncture, moxa, and arthritis medications.
Diet
Transition your cat from dry kibble to a home-cooked or raw diet. Offer high amounts of protein (sardines, pork, beef, tofu); veggies cooked and run through a blender (sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, etc): some fruits (blueberries, cantaloupe). Use doll dishes so you’re not tempted to feed too much. Avoid buying canned foods with fancy labels & preposterous claims; instead, feed your cat the inner organs from chickens (heart, liver, kidneys). Find chicken gizzards and offer your cat a whole gizzard or slices of gizzard for something fun to chew. Pour boiling water over the gizzards to remove bacteria before feeding. In addition to giving cats something to eat that won’t put on calories, chewing rubbery ole gizzards is good for your cat’s teeth and gums.
Play
Make everything, especially eating, an adventure: rather than leave the food in the same place all the time, move it around so your pet has the pleasure of the hunt with her supper. Provide new toys and see how many you can make yourself. Give your cat a fish bowl with a goldfish to watch. Position a window seat so she can see birds. Carve 15 minutes from your morning and evening schedule to play chase & other cat games. Tie toys to doorknobs with bungee cords. Leave Animal Planet on the tele when you’re out of the house.
Herbs
Many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas can be used for cats. For example, chubby cats that cannot metabolize and utilize food properly (Spleen Chi-deficient) benefit from the TCM formula, Wei Ling Tang. Wei Ling Tang also helps with diabetes, hepatitis, urinary crystals, anal sac inflammation, and diarrhea. It’s is safe to use long term, has a bland taste, and is readily accepted by most cats.
If a cat is plumping up because it has arthritis, we use Wei Di Huang Wan. Liu Wei also helps with cystitis, restless behavior, chronic kidney disease, and constipation. If a cat is chubby and has a greasy coat, occasional eye & ear discharge, asthma and a moist cough, constipation, or chronic vomiting, then use San Ren Tang. Like Wei Ling Tang, San Ren Tang has a bland taste and is easily accepted.
Acupuncture
For a chubby cat, massage the acupuncture points St 40, SP 3, ST 36. Stomach 40 is on the outside of the hind legs, half way between the knee and ankle. It helps with mobilizing fat. Spleen 3 is on the inside of the back foot just where the first toe joins the long bones (metatarsals) of the foot. This point helps with metabolism. Stomach 36 is about two finger widths below the knees of the back legs. This is the single most useful point for all things digestive, including constipation.
Moxa
Moxa is a rolled up herbal cigar that we light and use to warm acupuncture points. Moxa is held close to the skin, taking care not to touch the skin or hair. Use moxa to warm acupuncture points such as those described above, areas of arthritis (hips, shoulders, elbows, knees), and the muscles along the spine.
Treat for Arthritis
If your cat is cubby because its joints hurt so that it cannot jump, spring, scoot, or race, request medication for arthritis. Two of the fastest, most effective arthritis meds are given by injection: Adequan & Cartrophen. Adequan (used in the US) and Cartrophen (used in Canada) are injected once a week for four weeks, then once a month. The injections can be given with a tiny needle and are not painful. And, we don’t need to struggle with trying to pill our cats.
So many ways to help our chubby cats return to their svelte selves.
