According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, common reasons for pet owners to visit a veterinarian include an injured pet, routine vaccination, to be spayed or neutered, and flea or tick medications. In 2012, Banfield Pet Hospital’s State of Pet Health report stated that cat obesity has risen over 90 percent since 2007 and people are beginning to look at their pet food as the source of health problems.
“The number of overweight cats has risen exponentially over the last couple of years, but what people don’t realize is that the cat food they are feeding their pet can play a major role in your pet’s health problems,” affirms Will Post, founder and CEO of Hound & Gatos Pet Food. “Cat’s bodies don’t know how to process fillers and byproducts, which leads to health problems down the road.”
Here are five of the most common cat health problems:
- Obesity. Excess weight is a common condition in cats today, but the amount of pet food isn’t to blame. Cat food that contains carbohydrates such as corn and wheat are fattening for your cat.
- Hyperthyroidism. The most common glandular disorder in cats, hyperthyroidism includes symptoms such as a weight loss or an increased appetite. It is most common in older cats, but treatable if diagnosed.
- Dental disease. It’s important to keep your cat’s mouth clean; damage to a cat’s gums, teeth, and tongue can led to many health risks. Some pet foods create plaque build-up due to the unnatural, foreign ingredients.
- Skin problems. Some pet food contain known allergens, such as corn and any type of gluten which can cause skin rashes, redness, bald spots and/or dry, flaky skin. Vets recommend feeding your cats a healthy, balanced food without fillers or artificial ingredients to prevent skin problems.
- Feline lower urinary tract disease. Cats can develop FLUTD from stress, bladder infections, hyperthyroidism, or diabetes mellitus. Ingredients in your pet food such as fish, which is high in calcium, can cause urinary tract disease in cats. To treat FLUTD, your vet may recommend dietary changes or antibiotics.
“Products like corn and soy aren’t a natural part of a cat’s diet and the presence of these fillers is causing serious harm to our pets,” added Post, “We need to switch to a Paleolithic diet, which is all-natural meat without unnecessary preservatives to increase pet’s longevity and keep them happier and healthier.”