Sometimes it may be hard to say “NO” to your pet. Still, you must gather the courage to say it to them, especially regarding food. Excessive feeding can make your fur baby overweight and obese before you even realize it.
Obesity can trigger several health issues like diabetes, osteoarthritis, respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and high blood pressure. This condition can reduce your pet’s overall quality of life, increase the risk of developing other chronic medical conditions, and shorten its lifespan.
It is precisely why you must watch what and how much you feed your fur baby. At the same time, consider being prepared with pet insurance NZ, so handling unanticipated health scenarios like the ones mentioned before and many others is comparatively easy.
You can quickly find the best and cheap pet insurance policies through an online search. So, start exploring. In the meantime, read this article to learn some common excuses pet parents give for overfeeding their pets.
1.This is how much my pet eats!
A sloth pet most likely puts on weight even when eating the right portions of nutritious meals. So, encourage your inactive pet to play, exercise, and get involved in physical activities to help burn those extra calories.
2.My pet is always hungry!
Some pets can be genuinely hungry, and other pets can act hungry. Your pet’s ancestors mostly lived in the wild, and they never knew when they would get their next meal, so they would splurge on whatever was available at that moment. These ingrained instincts can make your pet beg for food; however, as a pet owner, you must exercise some restraint and offer nothing more than needed.
3.Food makes my pet happy!
Perhaps that is the way you see it. Provide your fur baby with exciting diversions to help shift their focus from food to better activities.
4.My pet will starve!
Really? Maybe not! Giving your pet calculated food portions at scheduled times can keep them full and energetic throughout the day. Evenly distributed multiple short meals can minimize cravings and food begging behavior.
5.My pet suffers from hunger pangs!
Overfeeding can make your pet suffer more than eating at every opportunity. Would you like your pet to deal with joint issues or live comfortably eating half the usual calories?
6.Let my old pet live fat and happy!
Do you really want to imagine a future where you think: Probably my old pet wouldn’t seem so old if it weren’t prematurely diseased due to being overweight or obese.
7.My pet doesn’t like to walk!
Respect your pet’s discomfort, but slowly get them to move (incorporating your vet’s advice, of course). A gradual introduction of dietary changes, exercise, and lifestyle modifications are essential for your pet’s welfare.
8.Blame my family!
Call a family meeting, and let everyone in the household know how important it is not to feed your pet table scraps and food leftovers in the best interests of their health.
Having your pet sweet and chunky can adversely impact health in the long term. To avoid terrible health consequences from food indulgences, you should have a dietary plan. Also, you should consider having a medical financial backup in terms of pet insurance in NZ should your pet’s health go in the wrong direction, which can happen as life is unpredictable.
Cheap pet insurance policies provide basic health coverage and are affordable, which is why you should explore them thoroughly, along with other higher policies that comprehensively cover a pet.
