Over 60% of cats in the United States are overweight or obese, making feline obesity the most common preventable health condition in companion cats with wide-ranging welfare consequences.
Obese cats experience a constellation of welfare harms that accumulate gradually and insidiously. The excess weight strains joints, causing mobility limitation and pain that owners often attribute to 'normal aging.' The inability to groom normally - obese cats cannot reach parts of their body - causes skin problems and discomfort. Fat cats are more prone to urinary blockages, diabetes requiring insulin injections, and the terrifying risk of hepatic lipidosis during any period of illness. The quality of life reduction from obesity is measurable: obese cats play less, interact less, and show behavioral patterns consistent with chronic discomfort. Prevention through measured feeding and appropriate diet is far more effective than weight loss once established.