Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is obesity in pet cats and what raises the risk
By Courcier, Emily A et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2010·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence and risk factors for feline obesity in a first opinion practice in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 39% of cats in a veterinary practice in Glasgow were overweight or obese, which can lead to health issues. Factors like how often cats are fed and whether they are neutered were linked to their weight. Many cat owners misjudged their pet's body condition, especially with longhaired cats or when their cats were very thin or overweight. This highlights the importance of educating pet owners about proper cat nutrition and helping them understand how to assess their cat's weight correctly.
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Abstract
A cross-sectional questionnaire study of cat owners registered with a first opinion veterinary practice was undertaken in July 2008. The body condition score (BCS) of the cats was assessed by the interviewer using a validated five point scale. Owners also rated their cat's BCS using five word descriptions. In total, 118 questionnaires were collected. The prevalence of overweight or obese cats (BCS 4 or 5) was 39% (30.2-47.8%, n=61). Risk factors associated with overweight or obesity were frequency of feeding and neutered status. There was moderate agreement between owner and interviewer rating of BCS. Owner misperception was more likely when owners rated cats with BCS 1 (very thin) and 4 (overweight) and in longhaired cats. The study highlights the continuing need for owner education in feline nutrition and specifically the requirement for veterinarians to develop strategies to help owners correct their assessment of their cat's BCS.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20685143/