Feline obesity: clinical recognition and management

Obesity is one of the most common clinical problems in cats presenting to veterinary practitioners. Because it is a risk factor for other conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hepatic lipidosis, it not only increases the morbidity of affected cats but may also shorten their life span. In cats, a body weight of greater than 20% over the ideal weight of the animal is generally accepted as obese. The goal of this article is to help all members of the health care team understand how to prevent the development of obesity in young cats and, when confronted with an obese adult cat, how to develop a safe and effective weight-loss program.