A prospective study attempted to identify early life risk factors for cats to become overweight or obese. Results largely agreed with previously reported investigations of obesity risk factors. At two years of age, 25.3 percent of the study population was overweight or obese according to owners. The proportion was 36.8 percent when body condition score was measured by a veterinarian.
Source: Clinician’s Brief, November 2017.
Positive associations were found for cats being overweight/obese at around 2 years of age. The 6 factors considered significant included:
- Owner reporting cat as overweight/obese at 1 year of age
- Use of treat rewards at 18 months of age
- Feeding greater than or equal to 250 g per day of wet food at 2 to 6 months of age
- Feeding dry food as the only or major part of the diet (>50%) at 2 years of age
- Previous veterinary recommendation for weight loss or no previous veterinary comment on BCS
- Owner belief that overweight BCS was ideal or lack of concern that it was too high