Your Kitten and It's Weight

Your Kitten and its Weight

A kitten, just like humans, need to keep fit and ensure they do not put on too much weight. If your kitten goes outside then the chances are she will keep herself exercised by jumping, climbing etc. However, as she gets older you will need to keep an eye on her weight, as she is likely to become less active.

If you decide, for whatever reason, that your kitten is going to live indoors, it is likely to fall on you to keep her mentally stimulated and physically active. There are lots of great toys available to encourage your cat to stalk, pounce and chase. Cardboard boxes also make fascinating cheap toys for cats where they can hide, sleep etc. Cats are clever and therefore can get bored easily so only have a few toys out at a time and switch them around regularly to keep your cat interested.

Remember that your cat is naturally going to scratch her claws- outside, this is likely to be trees, but indoors you will need to provide something otherwise your furniture will suffer! Scratching posts come in all shapes and sizes but you will need to encourage your cat to use this rather than the furniture.

As well as exercise, while your kitten is young, it is important to get into the habit of healthy feeding. Cats, like humans, are getting fatter. If your cat becomes overweight, they are at greater risk of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. To stop your kitten becoming overweight, follow some simple guidelines:

1. Feed your kitten a complete kitten food and change to adult food only when they are old enough. Feed according to the pack guidelines for your cats ideal weight – weigh out their daily allowance and stick to this.

2. Do not give your kitten titbits, if you do want to give your cat treats then feed proper cat treats and take these into account as part of their daily calorie intake and hence feed less at meal time.

3. Make sure your cat gets plenty of exercise. If they continue to put on weight and they are clinically well then they are eating more calories than they are burning off so reduce the food intake or switch to a calorie controlled diet.

Being strict and getting into a good regime now will reduce the risk of your kitten growing into a fat cat and hence increase their life expectancy and help keep them fit and healthy.