A fat cat that weighs more than double his healthy size has been thrown into the deep end on a mission to lose weight by swimming.
Moses, who weighs as much as a French bulldog, started the unusual hydrotherapy sessions in a bid to slim down in much the same way that people with bad knees, a bad back, bad hips, or too great a body mass index use pools to start exercising.
The nine-year-old cat piled on the pounds after refusing to go outside or exercise despite his owner putting him on countless diets.
At Avonvale Veterinary Centre in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, staff say that his weight loss mission is going ‘swimmingly.’
“When he first came to us, Moses was nearly 10kg in weight,” said Olivia Stokes, veterinary hydrotherapist, meaning 22 pounds. “His owner said he had been on diets and been encouraged to exercise before but had still not been able to lose weight.”
“So, we decided to try a different approach with hydrotherapy. I have been in the industry for five years and a qualified hydrotherapist for almost two years, and I have never experienced hydro with a cat before, so Moses was a first for me.”
Obviously this was because Moses didn’t like water, as is true for so many cats. Stokes tried a variety of toys and treats to get Moses started but eventually switched to tougher methods, including starting him on a moving treadmill before adding water.
Now she says that Moses sits and waits on the treadmill for the water level to come up before starting.
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“Once he has been walking for 13 minutes, I then lift him up, raise the water level further, and swim him for a couple of minutes to give him a full body workout,” she added.
Moses is now starting to shape up, and as well as losing weight has become far more active and livelier at home. He is already down 2.2 pounds, and the vets see an increase in muscle tissue as well.
“That’s a loss in body weight of almost four percent in about six weeks, which is perfect as we don’t want to lose the weight too quickly,” said Stokes. “The important thing is that his body shape is clearly changing as he loses the fat and builds back muscle.”
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“I am very proud of Moses’ progression; he’s even walking with the incline on the treadmill now.”
Moses’ owner Jenna Joshi is thrilled with her pet’s progress.
“I could see a difference almost straight away,” she remembers. “After his first hydro session, he came through the cat flap, which he hadn’t done in a long time.”
“We are still having regular weight checks, still doing hydrotherapy, and making good progress. It was difficult at first but now he doesn’t complain and knows exactly what he needs to do when he goes for his sessions.”
The best treatment for overweight animals is to monitor their food intake and don’t let them get fat in the first place. It can take far more time for a housepet to lose weight than even a semi-determined human being, but fortunately Moses has a strong will and a determined human.
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