What causes pets to be overweight or obese?
Excessive body weight develops when calorie consumption is greater than calorie expenditure, resulting in a “positive” energy balance. Simply put, the animal is eating too much for its individual needs. Owners overfeed for a variety of reasons. Many owners interpret a good appetite as a sign of health and they get a good feeling from giving their pet food and snacks. Some give too many treats out of a sense of guilt for leaving the pet alone during the day. And many owners feed the same quantity of food regardless of the pet’s changing needs. Pets that live in multiple-person families may eat too much because each family member feels a need to give the pet a snack or treat. Often times one owner will try to give the pet a sensible amount of food while another family member indulges the pet with all sorts of goodies. Although overfeeding is the primary cause of a pet becoming overweight, other factors beyond the owner’s control also play an important role. Genetics, age, gender, activit
