A big cat who weighs more than twice his size has been thrown into the deep end to lose weight by swimming.
Moses, who weighs as much as a French bulldog, began undergoing unusual hydrotherapy sessions to try to lose weight, in the same way as people with knee, back or hip discomfort, or whose index body mass is too high, use swimming pools to start exercising.
The nine-year-old cat piled on the pounds after refusing to go out or exercise despite the countless diets imposed on him by his owner.
At the Avonvale Veterinary Center in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, staff say their weight loss mission is going wonderfully.
“When he arrived at our home, Moses weighed almost 20 pounds,” says veterinary hydrotherapist Olivia Stokes, which translates to 22 pounds. “His owner told us that he had been on diets in the past and had been encouraged to exercise, but had still not been able to lose weight.
“So we decided to try a different approach with hydrotherapy. I have been in this industry for five years and have been a qualified hydrotherapist for almost two years, but I have never done hydrotherapy with a cat before.
Obviously, Moses didn’t like water, as many cats do. Ms Stokes tried a variety of toys and treats to get Moses going, but eventually moved on to harsher methods, including making him walk on a treadmill before adding water.
Today, she says Moses sits and waits on the treadmill for the water level to rise before he begins.
“Once he has walked for 13 minutes, I pick him up, increase the water level and swim him for a few minutes to give him a complete workout,” she adds.
Moses is now starting to get back into shape and, while losing weight, he has become much more active and lively at home. He has already lost 2.2 pounds and vets are seeing an increase in muscle tissue.
The best treatment for overweight pets is to monitor their diet and not let them gain weight. It takes a lot longer for a domestic cat to lose weight than it does for even a half-determined human being, but fortunately Moses is a strong will and a determined human being.
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