This Halloween, don’t let a fat cat cross your path

We’ve all heard its bad luck for a black cat to cross yourpath, but maybe its fat cats that should really frighten usthis Halloween. Sure, they may seem cute and cuddly, by fatcats are at risk for illnesses, such as diabetes, arthritisand hepatic lipodosis. Yikes! That’s even scarier than ghostsand goblins.
The good news is your cat doesn’t have to stay fat! MY FAT CAT(Hatherleigh Press, $11.95) by Martha Garvey, explainseverything you need to know to keep your cat at a healthyweight. Just like people, the most important elements areexercise and healthy eating. But decoding cat food ingredientsseems even more difficult than counting the calories of yourHalloween treats! Martha Garvey says it doesn’t have to be,and spells out a few mysteries to make feeding your cat aseasy as saying trick or treat!

- To thrive, all cats require animal protein in theirdiets. There is no such thing as a completely vegetarian cat.
- The primary building blocks of complete cat foodsinclude protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.The easiest way to be sure your cat is getting a balanced dietis to select from brands that have met the AAFCO (Associationof American Feed Control Officials) trials.

- Cat food comes in three different forms: dry,semimoist, and canned. Many cat food companies also offer“lite” or “reduced calorie” versions with similar nutritionalvalues.

- Most healthy cats do NOT need a specialized cat foodformula, but cats suffering from some illnesses such asdiabetes or kidney disease may proper with a specialized diet.
With these few simple facts from MY FAT CAT, available inbookstores everywhere, you can make sure that no fat catscross your path this Halloween. Black cats? Well that’sanother story.
MY Fat CAT can be found online or at leading bookstores.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Martha Garvey has been guardian to two cute but compulsivelyfeasting felines, and has volunteered at the Hudson CountySPCA/Assisi Center and the Liberty Humane Society. Founder ofMoving Stories, Martha has written for The New York Times,Salon, and numerous websites. She is also author of the sisterof MY FAT CAT, MY FAT DOG (Hatherleigh Press, $11.95). Shelives in Hoboken, NJ.