Is My Pet Overweight?

I’m not a vet, and I don’t play one on TV. But I do work with cats, live with dogs and cats, and read and write a lot about animals. One question that comes up over and over is this: “Is my pet overweight?” I get asked that at least once a week at the cats-only boarding facility. And I worry about it for my own pets, too! My dog Lally regulates her eating well — she only eats when she’s hungry. If I left food out all the time, she probably wouldn’t gain a pound. My dog Moose, on … Continue reading

Prince Chunk and Other Plus-Sized Pets

I have extra-large pets on my mind, since we had a return visit from the biggest cat I ever saw at the cats-only boarding facility. Mr. Big-But-Lovable tipped the scale at a mind-boggling thirty-three pounds the first time we met in late spring. This time around, he’s down to twenty-nine pounds… and I can already see a difference. Mr. Big used to be very rigid through his torso, and nearly unable to flex at the waist. Now, with just four pounds gone, he’s already able to bend more. It’s really encouraging to see such improvement with such a small change! … Continue reading