Recently, a 44-pound stray cat, who was dubbed "Princess Chunky" (even though he was really a male cat), made world news after he was discovered at an animal shelter in New Jersey, USA. The feline was just a couple of pounds shy of the Guinness World Record for overweight cats. His near-record size may have put him on the map, but his obesity was the real issue for veterinarians. Pets who carry excess pounds, especially dogs, could have musculoskeletal problems, leading to joint disorders or arthritis. And for cats, being overweight could mean diabetes. "Dogs and cats that are obese have more stress on their bones and joints and may develop arthritis," said Robert Poteet, a veterinarian at Cedarwood Veterinary Clinic based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "That is a situation that needs to be watched carefully because arthritic animals are limited in activity." How much pets are fed must be relative to how active they are, which isn’t always easy for pet owners to measure. But thanks to a scoring system developed by Purina — called the Body Condition System — veterinarians and pet owners can visibly tell whether a dog or cat is overweight by looking at an illustrated chart. It’s kind of like a pet equivalent to the body mass index, but much simpler, said Suzanne Caruso, a veterinarian at Veterinary Associates. "It works on a one to nine scoring index, where a ‘one’ is when the ribs are visible and there’s no fat, to a ‘nine,’ when there are massive fat deposits," she said. "It lets people know where their pet is. It helps you tell what silhouette or outline of the animal should look like. You wouldn’t expect an English bulldog to have the same silhouette as a greyhound. Then, if they’re outside their weight and body condition score is abnormal, either cut back on food or increase their exercise." Obesity in cats seems to be a trend Poteet has seen more of in the last 40 years, something he attributes to lifestyle choices. "Back in the ’60s, cats hung around the house and had to catch a few mice and may have gotten an occasional handout. Now, they’re more part of the family lifestyle and are kept indoors," he said. Plus, they’re heavy sleepers, so getting them to exercise can be tough, thus some overweight cats can become diabetic. "Cats don’t do as well with a lot of processed carbohydrates that are frequently added to their diets," Poteet said. "Many cats that do become diabetic, once their obesity is under control, can revert back to normal." A low-carb, high-protein diet for cats is a good solution, he said.
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