Obesity affects over 50% of dogs and cats in some estimates, causing chronic pain, reduced mobility, and shortened lifespan — and is almost entirely preventable through appropriate feeding.
Pet obesity is a welfare crisis that is largely invisible because overweight animals appear comfortable and even content to their owners. But a dog or cat carrying 20% excess body weight is experiencing joint strain, reduced thermoregulatory capacity, laboured breathing, and early onset of arthritis and metabolic disease. The primary cause is overfeeding combined with insufficient exercise, often rationalised as expressing love through food. Preventing obesity requires accurate portion measurement, regular weight monitoring at veterinary visits, and willingness to maintain appropriate feeding amounts even when a pet begs for more.