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We absolutely adore cats, may they be small or big. We love them to our fullest. Reason? Very simple! Just because they are too cute and endearing to us that we can’t leave their side at any time. Seeing these big cats we wonder, how much big is too big a size for a cat? On Reddit, there’s a thriving community of nearly 13k feline-loving Redditors called the ‘Illegally Big Cats’ subreddit where people post pictures of their big cats and gather praise from people.
While we may all adore big cats, being overweight is detrimental to the cat’s health. Cats who weigh more than they should tend to live shorter as compared to healthy cats. Though do remember that some cat breeds, like Maine Coons, are naturally bigger without being overweight. PDSA Vet Nurse Nina Downing was interviewed regarding this matter of cats being overweight and let’s see what she had to say: “It’s important to remember that when a cat is overweight the excess pounds puts additional strain on the normal functioning of the body,” Vet Nurse Downing explained. “The same may be true for some larger breeds of cat, especially amongst the pedigrees, where gene pools can be smaller.”
Today, we’ve compiled some images for you of these huge cats that not only play an important role in the household but are darlings to their owners too. Sit back and enjoy!
“S**t! How do I get out of this?” – Raine Soo
“Draw me like one of your French girls” – Angela B
“Some habits never change.” – Raine Soo
Downy was of the view that overweight problems are the same for cats as they are for us, humans. Increased weight means increased health problems as well for the cats. “As with us, carrying excess weight puts extra strain on joints, makes organs work harder, and can interfere with the normal functioning of the body,” she said.
“Toe beans! My cats don’t like it when I fuss over their feet. They think that I have some sort of creepy foot fetish. LOL” – Raine Soo
“His fur exploded. In the cutest way.” – Elaine Mattingly
“FLOOF ALERT” – Just a person eating a potato
“Look at that floofy belly! I just want to pet it. I like the Japanese kitty partition as well.” – Raine Soo
“Overweight cats are at risk of developing diabetes, bladder problems, including painful blocked bladders, liver disease, arthritis, breathing problems, and even cancer. As well as these directly associated conditions, it’s worth remembering that once your cat’s health begins to deteriorate additional problems can start to develop as their body weakens.” Downy said in an interview.
“I wonder if the owners have to go to the gym and work out. This woman looks strong” – grey galah
“Long Kitten! ♡” – Kirbi
“His harness matches his nose” – Julia Atkinson
“Cat: “Mommy’s holding me. I’m special.” – engineer_nope.avi
It is essential that the weight of cats should be monitored and regular checks must be made on their diets. PDSA Vet Nurse Downing mentioned that: “It’s vital that if your cat may have underlying health conditions, you do everything possible to keep them healthy so the condition isn’t made worse or brought forward early on in life. You can achieve this by feeding your cat the right amount of a good quality complete food, and by encouraging exercise, so that your cat can maintain a healthy lifestyle. The additional strain of any excess weight on top of underlying health conditions will only make things worse.” She imposed that cats having excess weight tend to be lethargic and lazy. So proper care should be taken of giant cats.
“Sup human? Now go away I want to take my nap in peace.” – Bella, Your Kitty-Loving Queen
Excessive weight on the body affects every aspect of your pet’s daily life. An overweight cat is less active, sleeps more, and is less interested in the world. “Although cats sleep a lot naturally, when they’re awake they should be alert and active—cats are athletic and agile creatures, so disinterest in life is an unnatural behavior for them to develop,” Vet Nurse Downing warned us to keep an eye out on for any changes in our tabbies’ behavior.
“But, seriously, this Maine C**n has the cutest mittens. You can actually shake paws with them.” – Raine Soo
“That cat is pure awesomeness!” – Mark Berry
Vet Nurse Downing explained that due to the fact that cats were not fed well in their previous homes, people take it upon themselves to feed their cats more and more. “These are both very understandable emotional responses. However, we need to change our mindset so that we don’t see food as the only way to express our love. Our pets of course need to be fed, but it’s important to understand that feeding is to meet the nutritional requirements for your pets’ good health and wellbeing”, Downy said.
“Whatta beautiful cat! Fits right in with that wintry scenery
” – Miss Melanie
Downing continued: “By overfeeding pets, we are actually harming their health and shortening their lives. It’s important to recognize as well that many owners don’t even realize that their pet is carrying too much weight. We can become blind to our pets’ physical shape, as we see them every day.”
“But remember, time, play, and activity are gifts that enrich our pets’ lives just as much as food does. By playing with our cats, we can keep their mind sharp and their body active, as well as the benefit they gain from the time we are spending with them. This will help them stay healthy and avoid any health problems associated with weight gain from developing. If owners can replace the treats and extra food with more playtime and snuggles, this is a much healthier way to show them how much you love them.”
“Obesity in cats is a serious disease with many severe consequences such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and many forms of cancer. The worst part of feline obesity is that it reduces their life expectancy and dramatically reduces their quality of life. Cats with obesity desperately need our help,” Dr. Ward told in an interview.
Dr. Ward also explained to us that when it comes to cats, 90% of their weight results from overfeeding.
“That’s why it’s so important that cat owners precisely feed the correct number of calories each day. I recommend having your veterinarian assess your cat’s current Body Condition Score (BCS), setting a target of an ideal weight, and calculating the number of calories you should feed each meal,” Dr. Ward said.
“Just hold me and everything will be alright.” – Elaine Mattingly
“It would be hilarious if her/his name were ‘Tiny’.” – Raine Soo
Dr. Ward said that he’s seen too many cats being fed the same cat feed over and over again. “When I ask them why, the pet parent shrugs, ‘I’m feeding the special food my vet prescribed.’ Weight loss is a journey with many unexpected turns and hills; you must stay alert and be willing to take a different path if you’re not reaching your objective.” he said.
As for exercise, Dr. Ward said that 5-minute play sessions are enough for cats.
“I also like using ‘hunter feeders’ and food puzzles to engage a cat’s ‘inner predator.’ Use vertical surfaces, climbing towers, and other perches to allow your cat to climb and ‘stalk’ as much as possible. Environmental enrichment and exercise are essential for emotional and behavioral health as well as maintaining a lean body mass.” he said in an interview.
“That cat is an absolute unit.” – Raine Soo
“Whether cats or dogs, big or small, the human lap will always be their favorite place to sit.” – engineer_nope.avi
“Lives up to his name!!” – troufaki13
How did you like our list of big cats? We hope you enjoyed this article because we definitely did work on it! Do you have a cat at home that’s big? Would you like to share his picture and add it to this ever-growing list? Hurry up and comment below because can’t wait to see them!
