Can you resist the pleading eyes of a cat keen on the piece of ham youre just about to eat? I cant, and this is bad news for my cat Freddy. He is getting very fat.
More than 18 million of the UKs pets could have a premature1 death because of their diet, the vet2 charity PDSA warns. Owners like me, wanting to please their animals by giving them fast food, crisps and cakes end up doing them more harm than good.
Like people, animals can suffer from obesity-related conditions such as arthritis3, diabetes4 and heart disease. Breathing difficulties made Phillip Howse take his mothers fat cat Jesse to the PDSA clinic in South London. He said the animal sounded as if snoring when awake.
According to Howse, his elderly mother is too soft with her pet, which keeps meowing in the kitchen till it gets its treats. He tells his mother she has to be cruel to be kind if she wants to keep the cat for a long time.
But theres hope for poor Jesse. Last year, the charity chose 16 obese5 pets to try its six-month diet and fitness regime. In total, the pets lost a combined weight of 57kg. The slimming champion was a dog, Ruby6. It went from 9.1kg to a healthier 6.2kg.
The way we treat our animals may be a reflection of the way we treat ourselves. According to the PDSAs Elaine Pendlebury, studies have suggested that overweight owners are twice as likely to feed their pets table scraps7. And they end up with overweight animals.
Regular exercise is good for humans and pets. The charitys website suggests that dog owners run and play games like fetch with their pets, but advises against throwing sticks as these might end up hurting the dogs mouth.
Cat owners should set time aside to play with their pets regularly and encourage them to work for their meals, by using toys that release food when pushed around.
My own cat Freddys diet and exercise plan starts on Monday and so does mine. Because its not really the pet who opens the tin of biscuits. Both of us have to learn how to feel like the cat that got the cream - without really getting any cream.
