March Pet of the Month - Shoo

Weight loss in cats can seem impossible, especially as many cats seem to only want to sleep. However, Zhoo, a 7-year-old domestic long hair and RBAH’s pet of the month, is a great example of how understanding our cat’s natural behaviors can ultimately lead to a healthier lifestyle.
 
When Zhoo was first adopted 4 years ago, he weighed in at around 18 pounds. Despite having a larger frame for a cat, this was considered obese and unhealthy. His mom wanted the best for him and started feeding him two small meals a day to monitor his calorie intake. Although over the course of 3 years Zhoo had lost a significant amount of weight, he was still weighing in at an unhealthy weight for his frame of around 13 pounds. The last few pounds seemed impossible to shed, particularly because Zhoo loved to be lazy and was uninterested in toys. After learning more about cat behaviors through RBAH, his mom changed his feeding regime, ultimately changing the lifestyle of her cat.
 
If left to their own devices, cats will hunt for food around 8 times a day. Not only is this more often than the typical house cat is fed, but it also provides them with exercise and an energy outlet. By feeding our cats in the same bowl in the same place day after day, our cats learn that they do not have to work for their food and often become inactive. One way to curb this habit is to make our indoor kitties “hunt” for their food. This can be achieved by spreading out their food throughout a certain area. One way to do this is by measuring out their food, then taking small amounts and putting them in different bowls or hiding spaces. Maybe a few pieces can go in the bowl, while other pieces are hidden in accessible areas. It is also best to give our cats a high ground to hide food on and jump on- this can be shelves, cat trees, or anything else that can get them moving! Another way to encourage activity and mimic a cat’s natural behaviors is to use food puzzles. Food Puzzles For Cats is a great website that provides examples of puzzles for feeding our cats. You can also make your own puzzle by poking holes in an empty water bottles and putting some food inside!
 
Zhoo has been “hunting” for his food for roughly six months, and it has improved his quality of life drastically. His mom measures out his dry food every night and scatters in around her apartment; she hides a few pieces of food in his bowls, his cat tree, and in other random places. She changes where she hides the food every night to help encourage continued movement. Now, when Zhoo eats, he will look around his apartment for around an hour every night to ensure he has found all his food. Not only has he started moving more at feeding time, but he also initiates play time with his mom more- something he had almost never done before. Encouraging Zhoo to hunt has changed his life, and his mom could not be happier. Weight loss in cats can be slow and challenging, but with a better understanding of how our fur babies were meant to eat, and a lot of patience, it is ultimately achievable. This method of feeding is something worth trying- it could potentially improve your cat’s life too!
 
Written by Mackenzie G.