Tag Archives: obesity in pets

Is My Pet Overweight?

I’m not a vet, and I don’t play one on TV. But I do work with cats, live with dogs and cats, and read and write a lot about animals. One question that comes up over and over is this: “Is my pet overweight?” I get asked that at least once a week at the cats-only boarding facility. And I worry about it for my own pets, too! My dog Lally regulates her eating well — she only eats when she’s hungry. If I left food out all the time, she probably wouldn’t gain a pound. My dog Moose, on … Continue reading →

Prince Chunk and Other Plus-Sized Pets

I have extra-large pets on my mind, since we had a return visit from the biggest cat I ever saw at the cats-only boarding facility. Mr. Big-But-Lovable tipped the scale at a mind-boggling thirty-three pounds the first time we met in late spring. This time around, he’s down to twenty-nine pounds… and I can already see a difference. Mr. Big used to be very rigid through his torso, and nearly unable to flex at the waist. Now, with just four pounds gone, he’s already able to bend more. It’s really encouraging to see such improvement with such a small change! … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: the Biggest Cat Ever

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We have a very unusual guest at the cats-only boarding facility right now — the biggest cat I have ever seen. We’ve had some large guests before — I can think of at least one who weighed more than twenty pounds and a few who came very close to the twenty pound mark. But this cat tops them all. He tipped the scale at a whopping thirty-three pounds when he arrived. Everyone who comes in can’t help but notice the big guy in the isolation room. This poor cat was too big for our regular condos — he couldn’t even … Continue reading →

Why Is My Pet Fat?

Good question, right? As I’ve confessed (repeatedly), I am the owner of a fat dog! You may not want to hear it, but humans are the main cause of obesity in pets. It is the owner’s responsibility to watch caloric intake and use. This doesn’t mean you are overfeeding your fat pet. Overfeeding is only one possible cause of obesity in pets. Let’s look at some others! The pet’s particular eating habits. Some animals will only eat what they need, and no more. My other dog Lally is like this. My Moose is another story — he’ll eat whatever’s available … Continue reading →