Tips to feeding your pets well, and treating them without overdoing it

With October 8 being Pet Obesity Awareness Day, Cream looks at how to ensure your pet’s health is on point.

For those of us who have pets, sometimes we become so infatuated with our fur-babies that we forget that spoiling them too much can be a bad thing – especially when it comes to feeding them.

Pet obesity is sadly a common issue, and often, what begins with good intentions can lead to health problems.

“We all need to shift the way we show love to our pets,” says Dr. Ilze Nel, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “Too often, I see affection getting confused with food. Love isn’t measured in mouthfuls.”

Dr Ilze says there are other ways in which we can show pets affection.

“A walk, a game, a scratch behind the ears, or simply sitting together can be just as rewarding and far healthier in the long run for your pet. By replacing food-based habits with connection, enrichment and quality time, we’re not only protecting our pet’s waistline, we’re supporting their whole wellbeing.”

belly up dog

To keep tabs on your pet’s weight, there is a a simple four-step test that goes by the acronym L.O.V.E. Basically, you should be able to feel your pet’s ribs without pressing hard, and they should have a visible waist without a sagging tummy.’

Here are the steps:

• L: Locate the ribs. You should be able to feel them without a thick layer of fat.
• O: Observe from above. Your pet should have a visible, defined waistline.
• V: View from the side. Their abdomen should be tucked up, not sagging.
• E: Evaluate feeding behaviour. Are you measuring meals and accounting for all treats?

While you don’t have to get too pedantic, it is good if you can measure meals in an easy and accurate way (you can weigh food on kitchen scales, for example); switch out fatty treats for healthier ones (my dog, Ringo, loves mushed peas so I give him this whenever there are some left over from dinner); or use puzzle feeders to allow your pet to ‘hunt’ for treats.

Breeder’s Choice make a great range of cat treats where quality meat bites are infused with healthy herbs. Duck with rosemary, anyone?

One more thing: if you happen to own a cat and a dog, be sure not to leave the cat’s food on the floor where the dog can sometimes get to it (Ringo loves Ziggy’s Purr chicken in particular). Perhaps put the cat’s food bowl at a higher level where the dog cannot get to it. As for the cat getting to the dog’s food – usually dogs lap up there food in one go, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Lisa Andrews

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