Francesca the cat looking very pretty
Prevention is better than cure…
SimplyCats Vet Clinic advocate a proactive approach when maintaining feline health…we focus on preventative care to avoid major illness. With feline obesity on the rise, we wanted to advise our clients that in January we are offering a complimentary visit with one of our nurses so that they can give your cat a full head to tail assessment and body condition score. Our nurses Kelly, Lucy and Tanya are trained nutritionists, so there isn’t much they don’t know about what makes a balanced diet and what are key species-specific dietary requirements. Your consult will be performed on-site using our “drop and go” service… you will not be present during the consult, however, your nurse will speak to you via video call to detail the findings from your cat’s assessment.
How do we assess your cat’s body condition and weight?
The 3 main areas we evaluate on a body condition score are the ribs, waist and abdomen. We want to ensure your cat has a perfect amount of coverage over their ribs, an obvious waistline and minimal amount of abdominal fat. The image of our body condition scorecards has been sourced from Royal_Canin_-_Body_Conditioning_Score_-_Cat.pdf
For us to accurately body condition your cat we recommend a 30-minute consultation. This will include time to discuss our recommendations and diet selection if applicable. The Royal Canin Weight Management programmes are tailored to the individual… this is determined by a cat’s lifestyle, shape, lineage, conditions and breed. We always see our cats back every 2-4 weeks depending on their dietary needs. Sometimes a diet change is required but isn’t always appropriate… especially if a cat is prescribed a diet for a certain condition. In these scenarios, it may be enough to look into how much a cat is fed and reducing the quantity.
How do we maintain a healthy weight for our cats?
By maintaining your cat’s weight you prevent them from going on to later develop cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and osteoarthritis… with three easy steps you can manage your cat’s weight:
1. Weigh out your daily portion
2. Encourage your cat to exercise
3. Prevent your cat from eating their food quickly. Puzzle feeders can help to slow down eating and can mimic “foraging” behaviour. Click the link to see an example of our Bamboo Fibre Puzzle feeder / Slow Feed Bowl.
For more information on how you can get involved in our January “Healthy, happy pets” weight programme…give our practice a call on 0191 385 9696 to book a slot. Or use our contact form
Our nurses are on hand to assist your weight management plan.