Feline obesity has become epidemic in companion animal populations, with over half of cats in some countries classified as overweight or obese. This creates significant welfare costs through associated disease and reduced quality of life.
Obesity creates a chronic welfare burden through multiple pathways. Arthritis in obese cats causes pain with movement that progressively limits activity - a vicious cycle where pain reduces activity, which worsens obesity, which worsens pain. Diabetic cats require twice-daily insulin injections and regular blood glucose monitoring that represents significant medical intervention. The reduced mobility of obese cats limits natural hunting and play behaviors, reducing psychological as well as physical wellbeing. Owners who overfeed cats from a place of affection are inadvertently harming them - a form of well-intentioned neglect. Achieving weight loss in obese cats requires veterinary guidance because inappropriate dietary restriction can trigger life-threatening liver disease.