11 Facts About Pet Obesity

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1. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 53% of adult dogs and 55% of cats in the US are obese or overweight.^[The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. "Pet Obesity Rates Rise, Cats Heavier Than Ever." Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
2. 22% of dog owners and 15% of cat owners said their pet's weight was normal when it was actually overweight or obese.^[The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. "Pet Obesity Rates Rise, Cats Heavier Than Ever." Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
3. The "fat pet gap" is the normalization of obesity by pet owners. (Read: fat pets = the new normal.)^[Levs, Josh. "Obesity epidemic strikes U.S. pets." CNN, 2012. Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
4. Cats who are 10 to 20% over their ideal body weight are considered overweight. Cats 20% over their ideal weight are considered obese.^[VCA Animal Hospitals. "Obesity in Cats." Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
5. Veterinarians believe that there is a direct correlation between childhood and pet obesity.^[The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. "2012 National Pet Obesity Survey Results." Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
6. Obesity is the number one health problem in pet birds. Most birds have food available all the time, so they don't have to work for their dinner.^[Atlanta Humane Society. "Pet Obesity." 2013. Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
7. There are scientifically formulated nutritional products to help with healthy and safe weight reduction in dogs. It is not a good idea to simply reduce the volume of their current food. This will cause malnourishment over time.^[VCA Animal Hospitals. "Obesity in Cats." Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
8. If your pet is overweight or obese, it can cause arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, certain cancers, heart and respiratory disease, and other problems.^[The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. "Obesity Facts & Risks." Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
9. According to the Purina Lifespan Study, obesity takes almost two years off a dog's life.^[Nestlé Purina. "Canine Obesity." 2007. Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
10. To check if your pet is obese or overweight, you should be able to easily feel your pet's ribs without pressing on the pet and your pet’s stomach should be tucked in.^[Nestlé Purina. "Canine Obesity." 2007. Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]
11. Veterinarians determine if a pet is overweight or obese by its body condition score (BCS). Veterinarians assess the amount of stored fat and assign a number to score if a pet is underweight, overweight, or just right.^[Nestlé Purina. "Canine Obesity." 2007. Web Accessed March 28, 2015.]