The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention held their fifth annual veterinary study in Oct 2011. It got together with 41 veterinary clinics in the U.S. to classify adult cats on a scale of one to five. With one being underweight, three being normal, four being overweight and five being obese.

It was really a wake up call for cat owners. Out of the survey, 21.6 percent were obese in 2010. In 2011 the number of cats that were obese jumped to 24.8 percent. When it came to being overweight, cats were 53.7 percent in 2010 and rose to 54.7 percent in 2011. That is a big increase in the amount of overweight cats that are in need of some care. Time to look at the food you are giving your cat. For the cat owner themself, 15 percent said that their cat was normal.

It was also reported that among cat owners, 49 percent reported that their veterinarian had talked to them about their cat being overweight or obese. It was also talked about different food choices and nutrition for the cat. It also found thru an online poll that 93 percent of cat owners gave their cat a treat. It also said that 26 percent of cat owners gave their cat three or more treats a day.

In my opinion, I have to say that I can see why there are so many overweight or obese cats. The cat is a very lovable and soft pet to have around. They do not move around much though. They just lay here and there and take it easy. They do very little to lose the weight that they gain by eating all those treats that are given to them every day. It is up to the cat owner to take charge of the situation when it come to the weight of your cat.

When it comes to buying your cat food, it reported that 61.1 percent got it from a pet store. Grocery stores were next with 22.2 percent and then veterinary clinics came in last with 16.8 percent. It was also reported that 76 percent of pet owner learn about nutrition from their veterinarian, 71.5 percent learn from the internet and 22 percent from the pet stores. Breeders and groomers total in at 7.5 percent.

Now, with that being said, 69.4 percent trusted what their veterinarian said, while 36.3 percent went to the internet for advise and 20.6 percent decide right at the pet store what to buy. Cat owners believed the breeder at 4.4 percent and 1.3 percent trusted the groomer.

With all the figures above I would have to think that most cat owners do not believe what they were told. They look to buy the cheapest food they can afford and throw in some treats to make it good. Is that what we want for our cat. He is your pet. They calm us down, make us feel good and most of all, they relax us. Isn't that the reason we got a cat to begin with. So get the right cat food and treats so our cat will be around for a long to come. Look for low fat or diet cat food after you talk to your veterinarian. See which one they would recommend for your cat. Also, do not give your cat too many treats.