How might obesity affect the behaviour of a cat?

Obesity is an accumulation of excess body fat which can negatively impact a cat’s health and longevity. Many of us sadly do not realise when our cat is overweight, often both feeding too much at mealtimes and giving too many treats (possibly to alleviate the guilt associated with leaving the cats all day whilst going to work). Obese cats are those that are at least 20 percent heavier than their optimum weight, with a cat who is 10-19 percent heavier being classed as overweight. Long-term studies suggest that obesity may shorten a cats life expectancy and makes them more susceptible to disease.

Some cats may be more predisposed to obesity, these being:

Middle age or senior cats – when their activity levels naturally decline
Domestic cats – over purebred cats
Male cat’s vs females
Anxious, nervous, or living with emotional or physical stress
Spayed/castrated cats – this reduces their energy requirement, but their appetite may increase
Indoor cats
Cats suffering from stress – emotional, physical or both

Obesity puts pressure on the cat’s joints and internal system, leading to a variety of health risks, including arthritis. Obese cats are at a greater risk of developing diabetes and have a compromised immune system; they are more prone to urinary stones. Cardiovascular and respiratory systems are also affected by obesity, leading to heart problems, and breathing complications. They may become glucose intolerant and develop non-allergic skin conditions. Feline urinary disease is another condition that may develop in obese cats along with hepatic lipidosis (which comes with a fatal risk).

All these health implications naturally impact upon the behaviour of the cat. As we will know from when we ourselves feel unwell, cats also become more ill-tempered, snappy, and irritable when they are not in good health; they may also become withdrawn, bored, and depressed. Obesity will make it harder for them to groom themselves, so they may develop skin conditions which will further compromise their wellbeing. As they will also not be able to play and move around in an agile way when overweight, this can impact on their emotional health as an overweight cat is unable to react as quickly when they need to, leaving them feeling anxious and distressed. Physical inactivity, indoor confinement (which may lead to depression and extended periods of sleeping) can all lead to an increase in obesity, with the main contributing factor being over-feeding combined with a lack of mental and physical stimulation (Martin, G., Rand, J.S., 2004).

Reference:

Martin, G., Rand, J.S., (2004) ‘Feline Obesity: Causes, Consequences and Management’ Available from: https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?meta=&pId=11181&id=3852204

Article, Cat, Health, News

Is your cat’s eyesight failing? Here are some behaviour changes you may notice.

The behaviour of a cat losing their vision might take place over a few weeks or months, they may present as confused, fearful, and lost – as if they recognise that something has changed or gone wrong. They may freeze more and have a fearful expression on their face. This tends to be the case with cats who have lost their vision suddenly. With cats who have suffered with a condition whereby their sight has gradually reduced over time, they will present in a more relaxed manner as they have had the opportunity to get used to the changes. What is termed ‘sudden blindness’ can be seen in elderly cats with hypertension, a condition which causes eventual detachment of the retina and bleeding in the back of the eyes. It is, in fact, a progressive condition so there is nothing so ‘sudden’ about it really, more so that owners become aware of it suddenly. This condition is rarely seen in young cats, although it can occur (Cornell Feline Health Centre, 2016).

Several feline diseases may lead to blindness, but a common one to be aware of is inflammation of the uvea: the middle part of the eye that is made up of the iris, the ciliary body and the choroid. Some of the symptoms of inflammation in the eye include enlarged eyes, squinting and a swollen third eyelid. This disease is associated most frequently with cats who are FeLV, FIV or FIP positive.

Cats’ eyes are also highly susceptible to damage, they are very large in proportion to the size of their face and thus extra vulnerable to traumatic injuries which may lead to partial or full blindness.

A cat losing its vision might behave in the following ways:

Move more cautiously
Bump into things more
Have trouble finding its food bowl
Present more withdrawn and reclusive (increased desire to hide away)
Increasingly fearful of dangers that might be ‘lurking’ in its environment (despite nothing having changed within or around the home)
Disoriented and distressed (especially if the blindness was sudden)
They will rely more on their sense of scent and memory to find their way around
There will be a reluctance to go out as much, especially at night
They may walk slower and more cautiously, with their legs wider apart than normal (some cats may stay close to the wall as if they are using it to guide them)
There could be increased vocalisations (possibly more so at night when the house is quiet and dark)
A reluctance to jump or misjudging distances when jumping off furniture or cat tree
They may seem confused and disoriented when looking for their food and water bowls or litter tray
A squinting of the eyes
As always, if you notice any changes in behaviour which are new or unusual for your cat then we always recommend you book a visit with your vet for a full health check-up.

Reference:

Cornell Feline Health Centre, (2016), ‘Feline Vision Problems: A Host of Possible Causes’ Available from: https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-vision-problems-host-possible-causes

Article, Cat, Health, News

Is your cat excessively hungry and eating all the time?

The scientific term of excess intake of food beyond a cat’s caloric need is polyphagia. Primary causes of this condition can either be psychogenic or behavioural, but it is important to note that some drugs can also stimulate the appetite centres in the brain; as can the aging process which also may cause some cats to overeat, because as they get older their ability to properly digest proteins and fats can decrease while their energy requirements increase. Poor food quality (for instance, those high in carbs/sugars/salts and low in protein) may cause a cat to increase its food consumption as their body is struggling to get what it needs from the food provided. Pregnancy is one ‘normal’ cause of an increased metabolic rate which may lead the cat to needing more calories (thus an increase in appetite), as is cold temperatures and an increase in activity levels; but several diseases can also be the cause and these include a digestion and absorption system which is not working correctly, diabetes and hyperthyroidism.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease – this is a condition where the cat’s GI tract becomes chronically inflamed and irritated. Inflammatory cells invade the walls of the stomach and/or intestines, thickening the GI tract and disrupting the cat’s ability to properly digest food and absorb the nutrients from it. There are several causes of IBD in cats such as environmental factors, bacteria in the cat’s intestines / a bacterial infection, a poor diet (including an intolerance to a specific protein), a compromised immune system, autoimmune diseases or parasites (Williams, K., n.d.).

Signs that a cat has IBD include:

Defecating outside the litter box (cats with soft stools may have discomfort when passing them and associate the litter box with this pain)
Diarrhoea
Vomiting (this might be because of overeating but also a symptom of IBD itself)
Vomiting hairballs more than once a month
Weight loss despite an increase in appetite (poor appetite can also be seen)
A ravenous appetite as the cat is unable to absorb the food it is taking in

Parasites – an infestation of worms can cause increased hunger because they are eating the nutrients ingested by the cat, instead of the cat itself. The most common parasites affecting cats are tapeworms, hookworms and roundworms.

A couple signs to look out for include:

Constant hunger – the worms are eating the food which the cat ingests so it will feel hungry all the time as the nutrients are simply not making it into its system
Weight loss – associated with the above
Lack of appetite – not all worms cause a cat to overeat, sometimes it can go the opposite way
Anaemia – if the cat has hookworms, they may be feeding on the animal’s blood
Worms or blood detected in the cat’s stool
Lethargy – not always easy to detect, especially in cat’s who are naturally lethargic (due to breed or age) and may also be indicative of a wide range of other health issues

Polyphagia is a sign of an underlying issue which should not be ignored, regardless of the cause, because obese cats are at an increased risk of a wide range of health issues associated with carrying this excess weight. Veterinary advice and guidance must be sought to identify the cause of the overeating and to treat it accordingly, along with a concerted effort to help the cat lose its weight (if it has gained any) through a combination of increased exercise and a change to diet – both in terms of quantity and quality. Using activity centres where the cat has to work for their food is one way of increasing movement during mealtimes but also is a form of feeding enrichment which will serve another purpose: simultaneously boosting the cat’s wellbeing and confidence through mental stimulation.

Reference:

Williams, K., n.d.), ‘Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Cats’ Available from: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-cats Accessed 9th January 2022

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