Obesity affects over 40% of UK pet cats and causes significant chronic welfare harm. Understanding causes, consequences, and effective management is essential for cat owners.
Obese cats suffer chronic pain from arthritis, difficulty grooming, and breathing discomfort. Diabetes causes physiological suffering and requires daily insulin injections. The welfare costs of obesity are cumulative and largely irreversible once established. Prevention through appropriate diet, measured feeding, and environmental enrichment that encourages movement is far more effective than treatment. Veterinary monitoring of body condition should be routine from kittenhood.