Companion Animal Obesity: A Growing Welfare Crisis

Over 50% of dogs and cats in developed countries are overweight or obese - obesity causes suffering through joint disease, diabetes, and reduced quality of life.

Key Facts

Estimated 54% of US dogs and 59% of cats are overweight or obese
Obesity in cats is strongly linked to diabetes, urinary disease, and hepatic lipidosis
Joint disease and reduced mobility cause chronic pain in overweight pets
Owners often struggle to recognise overweight body condition in their pets
Dietary management and exercise are effective, but require owner education and veterinary support

Welfare Considerations

Companion animal obesity is a welfare crisis that causes genuine chronic suffering. Overweight pets experience joint pain, breathing difficulties, reduced thermoregulation, and a shortened lifespan. The welfare challenge is compounded by owners finding it difficult to resist feeding requests and struggling to identify healthy body condition. Veterinary practices that use validated body condition scoring and provide structured weight management plans achieve better outcomes than advice alone.

What You Can Do

Learn to body condition score your pet using vet-validated charts
Ask your vet to assess body condition at every visit and discuss weight management if needed
Measure food portions and use appropriate feeding guides for your pet's ideal weight
Advocate for obesity screening to be standard in all companion animal veterinary consultations