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 Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:42 am
I've heard a lot of people express how cute they think fat cats are or even the desire to have a fat cat of their own, and I'm perplexed by this view.
Just like in humans, being obese can cause a host of health problems. For a cat this can include diabetes, increased susceptibility to hepatic lipidosis, kidney failure, lethargy, mobility issues, heart problems, inability to properly clean themselves (which can result in nasty infections of the genitals, dandruff, a matted coat, skin problems, stress etc) and more.
Our culture recognizes that being obese is a problem and certainly doesn't consider excess fat on humans attractive (let's not even get into unhealthy body images that are promoted in the media, since that's getting off topic.)
So why is obesity in cats considered "cute" by so many people, instead of being recognized as the potentially catastrophic health problem that is truly is?
Where does this attitude come from?
- Is it the happy fat cat image that is portrayed in the media (Garfield et al)?
- Is it lack of education by veterinarians and organizations that adopt out cats (shelters, pet stores, breeders etc) to new owners?
- Do cat owners lack the ability or education to distinguish between muscle mass (healthy weight) and fat mass (unhealthy weight)? Or even between a cat looking "fat" because of dense fur, vs a cat being fat because it is carrying excess weight?
- Do people just fail to make the connection that obesity is a health issue that crosses species lines? (Certainly we tend to anthropomorphize our cats in other ways - assigning them human emotions and motivations for behaviour, assuming that a balanced diet for a cat contains the same types of food as for a human etc.)
- Have pet food manufacturers provided misinformation about cat health related to obesity?
- Are cat owners, unable to manage their cats weight, assuaging their guilt and negative feelings about this failure by attributing positive traits to obesity, thereby making it seem "not as bad"?
And what can be done to change attitudes and improve education about feline obesity?
Do veterinarians need to take a stronger stance on this condition?
Do shelters, pet stores, breeders etc need to take a bigger role in educating adopters when the new owner is getting a cat?
Do owners need more information and a better support network for educating themselves and dealing with the challenges of managing their cats' weight?
Should we be calling on pet food manufacturers be taking more responsibility for marketing only foods that are appropriate for cats and that promote good health and a healthy weight?
Do we need to do more ourselves to educate other cat owners about the dangers of feline obesity and discourage the attitude that obese is cute?
What do you think?
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:41 pm
I know my guidence counsler wanted a cat that was genetically fat but I think (or hope) he knows that they do need excercise regardless. I think people need to be more aware about the fact that obese pets can cause trouble like diabetes. I'm sure the cats can't be too happy about not really being able to move around and have the agility a normal cat has. I don't really see anything warning people about their cat's weight and it should be addressed to owners. Maybe possibly going to local vets or shelters and asking if they provide that information and if not suggest it or come up with a paper and give them one showing the risks to give to owners even adding to one they might have can help owners learn more about their cat's health. I just looked at pictures of fat cats and they are not cute. http://www.catnutrition.org/obesity.php
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:15 pm
NightWolvesCry I know my guidence counsler wanted a cat that was genetically fat but I think (or hope) he knows that they do need excercise regardless. I have to wonder if there are cats that are "genetically fat" and also healthy. Seems like maybe she's mistaking "fat" for the cobby body type, which can certainly look fat. I've seen some long hair cats with cobby bodies that look like chunky little pyramids when they sit down, but it's all fur and muscle and bone structure. Quote: I think people need to be more aware about the fact that obese pets can cause trouble like diabetes. I'm sure the cats can't be too happy about not really being able to move around and have the agility a normal cat has. Most definitely. Plus there's the cleaning issue. If you scroll down to the case studies on Molly and Bennie the pictures of their bottoms are just horrific. I couldn't even imagine how uncomfortable and awful that would be for a cat when they are so obsessed with cleanliness: http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesity.htm Quote: I don't really see anything warning people about their cat's weight and it should be addressed to owners. Maybe possibly going to local vets or shelters and asking if they provide that information and if not suggest it or come up with a paper and give them one showing the risks to give to owners even adding to one they might have can help owners learn more about their cat's health. That's a really good idea. While it might not galvanize cat owners into fixing their cats' weight problems it'd be a start to raising awareness. I've seen some posters at my vet about proper weight for dogs and cats and how to determine where your pet falls on the scale, but I don't really think healthy weight is emphasized enough, nor are the dangers of obesity really clearly outlined. Quote: I just looked at pictures of fat cats and they are not cute. http://www.catnutrition.org/obesity.php It's sad, not cute. sad
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Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:18 pm
yes, it does seem like people fail to realize that like with humans, it's not good for cats to be fat.
i came across several people who proudly indicate how heavy their cats are, and i am surprised at how light my cats are by comparison. i guess i should be asking these people, "is your cat big-boned, or did he come from a big cat breed?" the assumption seems to be that heavy cats = big cats. perhaps the desire to have a fat cat stems from the desire to have big cats. a number of people seem to fantasize about having big cats, like tigers and jaguars, which is not possible. and house cats are the smallest members of the cat family.
i'm all for big-boned cats whose body weight is proportional to their frames, and i like to think that mitts and grumbles are like that. i'll probably jump at the opportunity to have a maine coon if i didn't have mitts and grumbles. i've seen cats who are too fat for their frames, and it ain't pretty.
another possible reason why people may view fatness as desirable in cats is that fat = healthy. there are many homeless cats, and they may often appear to be skin and bones. so cats who have homes should be... fat because they are well-fed.
alright, rambling over.
all vets mitts and grumbles have had so far fiercely monitor their weight. one even yelled at me when mitts gained weight rather quickly.
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Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:41 pm
It is also really sad to have to see someone so happy with their cat go to the vet for some problem only to find out they have diabetes and they can't deal with it or the cost and have to put them down.
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:18 pm
I dont want an obese cat, what i want is a healthy cat.. the one who can live with for a long time
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:20 am
Well with my cats, I just make sure to not fill up their food dish every single time it's empty. That does help to keep their weights under control. (I fill it up once every day in the afternoon, so it's not like I'm starving them. sweatdrop ) But I agree that portraying a fat cat as being adorable is not cute at all. Even if it's an indoor kitty, it should be getting some exercise (i.e. playing with it) and it shouldn't be eating all the time.
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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:28 am
My brother owns two fat cats who are jolly and pretty healthy.
Though, I owned a fat cat, but she didn't eat alot. She just expanded oneday.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 5:27 pm
Agent Crab My brother owns two fat cats who are jolly and pretty healthy.
Though, I owned a fat cat, but she didn't eat alot. She just expanded oneday. I call my cat fat, but my mother says she's perfectly healthy. It's just that she eats a lot. P.S., many people comment on how beautiful she is. I totally agree with them on that. ;3
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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:32 am
And I think another reason why she is fat is because she's lazy. She's fixed, so that might explain why. But she does get exercise from running around the house. Not really even fat anymore from running from our doggies. owo
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:25 pm
none of my cats are fat fiona- is our oldest cat and she doesnt eat to much
cianamon-our second cat she a ragdoll and has the wierd obsession of crieing at me
gizmo- hes prety big but i dont think its fat he goes out a lot hes our biggest cat
little bit- this cat is my grandpas but i consider my own shes a runt of the litter so shes reeeaaaallly small
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