o ensure good health and a long life, pets depend on their caregivers for appropriate healthcare, proper nutrition and love. This is the bond—the unspoken love and affection between people and pets. But, what happens when the bond leads to health issues such as obesity? Pet care professionals understand that pet owners love their pets; however, too often, it’s obvious that they are loving their pets too much…with food.

One study found that pet owners show affection toward their dog or cat with food, with 71% of dog owners stating they showed affection by giving treats and 42% stating they show affection by giving human food. Additionally, 44% of cat owners said they gave treats and 25% gave human food to their cat as a way of showing affection,¹ thus proving owners believe that to show their pets love is to give them food, especially treats.

The Pet Obesity Epidemic

Pet obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. and other industrialized countries, which parallels the epidemic in the human population. The 2022 U.S. Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey found a staggering 61% of cats and 59% of dogs are overweight or have obesity, indicating a widespread problem with pet health.²

Obesity can be defined as an increase in fat tissue mass sufficient to contribute to disease. Dogs and cats weighing 10-19% more than the optimal weight for their breed are considered overweight; those weighing 20% or more above the optimum weight are considered obese.³

A combination of excessive caloric intake, decreased physical activity and genetic susceptibility are associated with most cases of obesity. The primary treatment for obesity is reduced caloric intake and increased physical activity.

Health Risks Associated with Obesity

Obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of illness/death, and with the rise in pet obesity, weight management and obesity prevention should be among the top health issues addressed by a pet’s veterinarian. Some of the many health conditions associated with obesity in pets include arthritis, diabetes mellitus (DM), cancer, skin diseases, lower urinary tract problems, hepatic lipidosis and heart disease.

Obesity also affects quality of life and leads to reduced life expectancy. In dogs, lifespan was increased by nearly two years in those that were maintained at an optimal body condition.⁴

Alternatives for Showing Pets Love

Pet owners should continue to strengthen the bond they have with their pets, but should instead use non-food habits to show them love. There are numerous ways for an owner to love their pet without treats. Simply spending one-on-one time with a pet has many benefits. Petting a dog or cat decreases blood pressure and increases the feel good hormones—for both the human and the pet.

Physical activity is the most variable component of energy expenditure, and it allows for the owner and pet to exercise together. It’s been shown that when owners participate in an exercise program with their dog, they are more likely to continue participating in the program.⁵ An exercise program can and should start simply. For example, throwing a ball a couple of times or walking the dog to the end of the driveway and back.

For cats, playing with interactive toys for a few minutes a day would be a great way for owners to start spending more time with their cat. A recent study showed significant connections between cat playfulness and the number of games played with the cat’s improved quality of life.⁶ Again, time spent playing or exercising should be gradually increased.

Pets share a special bond with their owners, just as pet owners share a special bond with their pets. And there are many ways to strengthen this bond while not increasing potential health risks associated with lavishly offering food and treats!

References:

1. Marcellin-Little, DJ. (2011). Therapeutic Exercises. Practical Weight Management in Dogs and Cats. Pp 308-357. Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA.
2. 2022 Pet Obesity U.S. Prevalence Survey. (2022). Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. https://www.petobesityprevention.org/2022
3. Toll, PW., Yamka, RN., Schoenherr, WD., Hand, MS. (2010). Obesity. Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th ed., MMI, KS, 501-542.
4. Roudebush, P., Schoenherr, WD., Delaney, SJ. (2008). An evidence-based review of the use of therapeutic foods, owner education, exercise, and drugs for the management of obese and overweight pets. J Am Vet Med Assoc 233:717–725.
5. Kushner, RF., Blatner, DJ., Jewell, DE., et al. (2006). The PPET Study: People and pets exercising together. Obesity (Silver Spring) 14:1762–1770.
6. Henning, J., Nielsen, T., Fernandez, E., Hazel, S. (2023). Cats just want to have fun: Associations between play and welfare in domestic cats. Animal Welfare, 32, e9, 1–11

Kara Burns is a licensed veterinary technician with a master’s in physiology and in counseling psychology. She is also Founder and Past President of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians, and teaches nutrition courses around the world, is an independent nutritional consultant, the Director of Veterinary Nurse Development for WellHaven Pet Health, and Editor in Chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. Ms. Burns has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters. She was also named the North American Veterinary Conference Technician Speaker of the Year in 2013, 2016, and in 2021, and was granted an honorary VTS (Internal Medicine) in 2011 and an honorary VTS (Dentistry) in 2012.