It can be difficult to tell if your cat is starting to become overweight, so here are some top tips for recognising the signs of obesity.

From tubby tabbies to giant gingers, obesity is becoming a big problem for the UK’s cats.

It’s thought that almost half of the nation’s moggies are overweight, but with all that fluff padding them out, it can be difficult to notice how their bodies are changing.

To help you recognise the signs, we’ve put together this handy guide for checking if your puss has piled on the pounds:

If your cat is overweight, this can increase the risk of them developing many different health conditions, including diabetes, osteoarthritis and heart problems, so it’s important to tackle the problem as early as possible.

However, it’s also vital that they shed the pounds slowly as rapid weight loss can lead to further health issues. Speak to your vet to work out an appropriate feeding programme but be prepared that it could take up to a year for your cat to reach their ideal weight again!

A great way to help your moggy to shift some excess flab is to encourage exercise. This could involve spending more time playing with them or making feeding time a more active process. Check out our videos below for advice on how to play with your cat and ideas for simple and cheap food puzzles:

For more information about cats and their weight, visit https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/diet/cat-obesity