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Frankie is suffering from "the swing." Carmen, the 4-year-old cat's owner, says Frankie has developed excess skin under her belly after being spayed three years ago. When Frankie walks or runs, her belly swings back and forth. Carmen wonders if something wasn't done correctly with Frankie's surgery.
Let me put Carmen's mind at ease: That "swing" is belly fat.
It is common for dogs and cats to gain weight after they have been neutered or spayed.
When a dog or cat is neutered, there are resultant metabolic changes that will ultimately reduce the metabolic needs of the animal. This means the dog or cat needs fewer calories to maintain body weight. What often happens is that owners continue to feed their pet the same amount as before the neutering. As a result, the animal's caloric intake is in excess of its newly reduced metabolic needs. This results in weight gain over time and the "swing."
Perhaps if you've been to a zoo and observed some of the captive big cats, you might have recognized the same fat deposits under their abdomens. This is because these animals are not exercising enough to justify their calorie intake, and not necessarily because they've been neutered. The excess body fat causes these big cats to demonstrate the "swing." Fortunately, zoos monitor nutritional needs and, as a result, the big cats are less likely to show excess body fat.
In Frankie's case, Carmen needs to reduce her cat's caloric intake, and Frankie will gradually lose the "swing." Schedule Frankie for a physical exam and weight consultation with her veterinarian and, from there, a diet program can be outlined that will allow Frankie to methodically lose her "pouch," and thus her swing. In the long term, she will be better for it.
(Jeff Kahler is a veterinarian in Modesto, Calif. Questions can be submitted to Your Pet, The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto, Calif. 95352.)
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