Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in companion animals, causing chronic pain, reduced mobility, and shortened lifespan, yet it is highly preventable through appropriate feeding and exercise.
Obesity causes chronic, progressive suffering that owners frequently do not recognize because the changes are gradual and because overweight animals are culturally normalized in many countries. An obese cat that no longer jumps onto furniture is not relaxed — it is experiencing joint pain that makes movement aversive. An overweight dog that falls behind on walks is not lazy — it is struggling with a cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system stressed beyond healthy capacity. The welfare cost of obesity is substantial and lifelong. The primary driver is owner behavior — excess feeding and insufficient exercise — making obesity a largely preventable welfare problem that responds well to simple interventions when owners are motivated and supported.