Pet obesity has reached epidemic proportions in high-income countries, with over half of dogs and cats in some surveys classified as overweight or obese, causing significant health and welfare costs.
Pet obesity is a welfare problem that receives less public attention than it deserves because overweight animals often appear comfortable and well-loved. However, the pain, reduced mobility, and shortened lifespan associated with obesity represent genuine and preventable suffering. Veterinary communication about body condition scoring, owner education about appropriate caloric intake, and the social normalisation of healthy weight as caring rather than deprivation are the key intervention points. Vets are often reluctant to raise obesity with owners out of concern about damaging the relationship.