Obesity is the most common preventable disease in companion animals, affecting 25-40% of dogs and cats. Understanding its welfare implications motivates effective weight management for animal health and quality of life.
Obesity causes chronic suffering in companion animals through joint pain, reduced mobility, exercise intolerance, and associated disease burden. An obese cat struggling to groom or an obese dog unable to walk comfortably is experiencing ongoing quality of life impairment. The welfare improvement achievable through weight loss is dramatic and often rapid - owners regularly report transformed quality of life in successfully slimmed pets. The welfare case for preventing obesity is therefore compelling: managing food intake carefully, using appropriate exercise, and resisting the impulse to equate food with love makes animals healthier and happier over their lifetimes. Veterinary body condition scoring at every visit provides objective monitoring that helps identify problems early.