Obesity in animals is not expressed with one body mass index (BMI), but via body condition score (BCS). The vet senses the dog or cat and his or her fat reserves and gives a body condition score between 1 and 9. In addition, 4 and 5 represent a normal weight. A score of 6 or 7 means obese and 8 or 9 is obese. Every point more on that scale is associated with 10 to 15% extra body weight. “The fattest cat I’ve seen weighed 13 kilos,” says animal nutrition professor Myriam Hesta (UGent). “And some pets weigh twice their ideal weight.” In Belgium, 54% of dogs and almost 51% of cats appear to be overweight. That is a worrying evolution compared to five years ago. One hundred Belgian veterinarians, who were surveyed by the Royal Canin animal feed brand, now mainly see more fat cats in their cabinet, up to 55% more than before.
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