NEWS AND COMMENT: There is an online craze on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram for pet owners to show off their fat cats and dogs, or other pets. It’s a dangerous craze because it’s promoting ill health … Continue reading →
If you can feel your cat’s spine when you pet him, he might be underweight. I say “might” because it depends on how pronounced the spine is and how firmly you push into the skin covering the vetebrae. I consider … Continue reading →
The following health problems are linked to cat obesity. The information comes from a study by Hand et al 2000 as published in The Welfare of Cats and excellent reference book on domestic and feral cats edited by Irene Rochlitz … Continue reading →
For a cat of ideal weight, there is a layer of subcutaneous fat over their ribs which provides padding and insulation. But the fat should not so thick that you can’t feel her ribs as individual bones. So it is … Continue reading →
The question is asking whether your cat is underweight if you can feel the vertebrae running down the spine. I think this is quite a tricky question to answer on the internet in the written word only and I’ll tell … Continue reading →
To be on the safe side check that your cat is not obese for medical reasons and that it is safe to reduce weight. Using a weight-loss diet provided by your veterinarian older cats should lose weight at no more … Continue reading →
The NBC News author F. Diane Barth asks why fat animals such as cats are called ‘chonky’ and discussed with amusement on social media but fat people are often ridiculed or criticised. Fat animals can be celebrities on social media, … Continue reading →
A lot has been written on how to help your cat lose weight. You can overcomplicate it or you can keep it simple. I believe in the simple approach because there’s two ways any living creature can lose weight: you … Continue reading →
Although this is a complicated subject and there are many reasons why some cat owners allow their cats to become overweight, a very useful study published online on the Oxford Academic websiteA tells me that probably the biggest reason why … Continue reading →
The pet obesity crisis in the UK is a constant source of news. It is worrying. I was surprised to read in today’s Times newspaper that nearly two-thirds of UK veterinarians said that they had sustained an injury when treating … Continue reading →
