Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bodyweight and condition scores of Australian British Shorthair cats
By Murphy, B J et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Melbourne Veterinary School, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Bodyweight and body condition scores of Australian British shorthaired cats, 2008-2017.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that nearly half of Australian British Shorthair cats visiting vets from 2008 to 2017 were classified as overweight, which is a common issue in pets today. The research showed that kittens weighing more than 3.3 kg in their first year had a significantly shorter lifespan compared to those under that weight. Specifically, heavier kittens had a median lifespan of only about 6.6 years, while lighter ones lived around 12.3 years. Keeping your British Shorthair at a healthy weight is crucial for a longer, healthier life.
People also search for: British Shorthair cat weight management · how to help my cat lose weight · lifespan of overweight cats
Abstract
Obesity is the most common nutritional problem in companion animals today, and Australian British shorthair (BSH) cats have been shown to have a greater likelihood of being overweight relative to other cat breeds. The objectives of this research were to quantify bodyweight (BW) and body condition scores (BCSs) of BSH cats attending first opinion practice in Australia for the period 2008-2017 and to determine if: (1) being classified as overweight was associated with geographical location (urban versus rural and socio-economic index); and (2) BW recorded in the first 12 months of life was associated with length of life beyond 12 months. Electronic medical records from BSH cats were obtained from VetCompass Australia and used for BW and BCS analysis. Desexed males ( = 971) had the highest mean BW followed by entire males ( = 79), desexed females ( = 815), and entire females ( = 82). The desexed males, desexed females, and entire females had a mean BCS classified as overweight using a 1-to-9 point BCS scale. The entire male population was the only group with a mean BCS classified as ideal. No statistically significant association between BW and urban-rural status and no consistent trend between BW and socioeconomic deprivation was found. For cats with at least one BW measurement in the first 12 months of life that was ≤3.3 kg, the age when 20 percent of the group had died or were euthanised was 12.3 (95% CI 11.7 to 13.1) years. For cats with at least one BW measurement in the first 12 months of life that was ≥3.3 kg age, the age when 20 percent of the group had died or were euthanised was 6.6 (95% CI 5.2 to 6.6) years. This was a substantial clinical difference in survival. The study concluded that a large proportion of BSH cats attending first opinion veterinary clinics in Australia between 2008 and 2017 (48%) were classified as overweight. Cats less than 12 months of age that were greater than 3.3 kg had a shortened lifespan beyond 12 months of age compared with cats that were less than 3.3 kg.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37885615/