Eukanuba BREEDSmart: Dangers of Obesity

Periodic Newsletter from The IAMS Company:
From: “Eukanuba SeniorCat”
To: hart (at) petlvr.com
Subject: Eukanuba BREEDSmart: Dangers of Obesity

From the Expert – The Dangers of Feline Obesity

Brought To You By Laura, Breed Expert

The start of another year brings new beginnings and fresh opportunities. Perhaps your adult or senior cat could use a fresh start too. She can’t make a New Year’s resolution to get healthy, but you have the power to help make it happen. The health issues of an overweight cat can be significant, so read this article to understand, identify and resolve any weight issues your cat may have.

Health Risks

Cats gain weight much like humans do. Sometimes they eat more calories than they use. This can be due to being overfed, not exercising enough or a combination of both. Also, their metabolism may be slowing down.

A few extra pounds may not seem to be a serious threat, but over time being overweight will affect the health of your cat. Obesity not only affects the outside appearance of your cat, it could also strongly impact what happens inside her body. Overweight cats are more prone to diabetes, Hepatic Lipidosis and even arthritis! That’s because the extra weight puts stress on your cat’s skeletal structure.

A healthy cat has a defined waist and ribs you can feel individually, but don’t protrude. Proper Weight
Looking at your cat’s ribs can be an easy way to determine if your cat is at an ideal weight. If her ribs are protruding, it’s quite probable she’s too thin. Conversely, if you can’t discern her ribs easily, she lacks a waist and her belly sticks out, your cat is likely overweight. You should be able to feel each rib individually. A cat at an ideal weight will have a defined waist, rather than a bulge, between her ribs and hips.

Steps You Can Take

To help your overweight cat get back to a healthy weight, there are a number of techniques you can use. Try cutting back on the treats, because after all, every calorie counts. As a reminder, don’t feed table scraps or reward your cat with something off your plate. Human food is meant for humans and can easily cause a healthy cat to gain weight.

Increase her exercise routine so she burns more calories. This helps her heart become stronger. Exercising a cat may be a challenge, but there are easy ways to keep her active. Set up play dates with other cats. Through their interactions they’ll both burn calories as they play. If you leave your cat alone for a large part of the day, try buying new toys that can help occupy her time and keep her from sitting on the couch until you return.

Aside from exercise, you should also feed your cat a healthy formula that’s specially made for the needs of overweight cats. For adult cats, Eukanuba has an Adult Weight Control Formula that’s made with our Feline Fat Burner SystemTM. For senior cats, try our Mature Care Formula that’s specially made for the slowing metabolism of an aging cat. They both contain chicken as the #1 ingredient. This is in line with Eukanuba’s philosophy that cats should be fed as carnivores, just like nature intended.

Your cat won’t drop to an ideal weight overnight, nor should she. It’s important for the safety of your cat that the process be gradual. For more information about overweight cats, read this article.

Breed Spotlight – Persians

Eukanuba presents a brand-new section to our BREEDSmart Bulletin called the Breed Spotlight. Every two months, we’ll take a closer look at one of the world’s most interesting breeds. From popular pets to rare ones, every breed of cat has something special to learn about. This month, we explore the sweet-natured Persian.

Persian Cat Breed Story

The Persian cat is a beautiful and docile breed that has warmed the hearts of people around the world with its sweet and affectionate nature. But where did the breed begin? The exact answer is still a mystery, but researchers believe that Persians originated in Turkey and neighboring countries such as Iran. Strangely enough, however, hieroglyphics have been found on pyramid walls in Egypt that strongly resemble the Persian. Around the 16th century, Persians began arriving in Europe. Their long coat made them a sought-after breed.

Characteristics

The following behaviors and physical attributes are part of what makes the Persian so friendly and popular.

* Sweet temperament
* Laid back
* Long, thick coat
* Straight, short tail
* Large, round eyes
* Small, flat nose
* Generally good with kids
* Short legs
* Large, round head
* Small, forward-tilting ears

Good to Know

Before you consider getting a Persian as a pet, there are some things to keep in mind. Their demeanor is calm and serene so don’t expect too much activity. And while their coats are beautiful, they require a good deal of maintenance. Due to the nature of their coat, you might want to keep your Persian inside as much as possible. Feeding Eukanuba’s Indoor Cat Formula is specially formulated for this type of cat and can help keep her at a healthy weight. Your reward for keeping up with all the brushing and nutrition needs will be a very attractive and appreciative friend.

If you’re still on board with owning a Persian, contact a breeder and be sure you get all the proper documentation when you make your purchase.

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