First there was Scruffy, a very hefty and round kitty that up until Little Bit arrived, was the biggest cat I've ever seen. I would always marvel at his big size and thought to myself, how in the world does this cat even move? Pfft little did I know that an even bigger cat would come into the shelter not too long after Scruffy arrived.
Meet the star of this post, Little Bit. This 8 year old girl was brought into the shelter because her previous family was moving and the new apartment didn't allow cats. Ironically, her name would fool anyone because she is ANYTHING but little. She weighed in at a whopping 30 pounds and after testing her urine and having the vet check her, besides her weight, she is relatively healthy. We wanted to rule out any thyroid or other health issues that might explain her weight problem. Turns out it was clear negligence from her owners who fed her constantly and probably had no room for her to run around.
So now, Little Bit is our current fat camper and is not up for adoption until she loses some weight. She is such a sweet cat that purrs like crazy whenever you pet her and give her some love. Also, because of her humongous size, she can barely walk and has to army crawl her way around. It's a miracle that she can even use the litter box! Little Bit also can't groom herself properly because she can't reach most of her body to lick it clean...as a result she is a bit stinky. Anytime I have some free time, I head back to the room she is at and wipe her down with this waterless shampoo for cats and brush her fur. Someone's gotta do it!
Like I said in my previous Fat Camper's post, it is crucial for us as owners to monitor our animals' food intake and make sure they don't overeat. It is easy to let that happen since many people just leave out food all day and continue to refill when it is empty. People are "killing them with kindness" and it is not necessary to refill! Limit the food to a certain amount either once or twice a day; or better yet ask your Vet to see what the proper caloric intake your pet needs.
Overweight cats end up having a much shorter life span than cats at their normal weight (just like people). They are in high risk of diabetes, lameness, liver disease, dental diseases, and chronic skin conditions. The overall wellness of our pets can sometimes be tricky and even the best of pet owners can let their cat or dogs gain weight. That is why going to the Vet and making sure you are taking the appropriate steps to keeping your pet healthy is very important.
VIDEO
Here is a video I took of the pudgy Little Bit when I was in the back grooming her. I was able to capture her trying to walk so you can see for yourself how real the problem is. Our goal is to reduce her weight by upping her daily physical activity and limiting her food intake.
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