As loving pet parents, we strive to ensure our animals are happy and healthy. Sharing playtime, extra cuddles, and occasional treats are all ways to show dogs and cats we care. However, overfeeding pets isn’t good for them – or the environment.
Cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals must rely on their human family members to meet their dietary and nutritional needs. In doing so, we must also be responsible for how much and how often we feed them.
Ensuring that we stick to proper dietary guidelines for our pets reduces their waistline, helps prevent illness, and decreases their carbon footprint. This guide covers the impacts of overfeeding pets and provides weight management and feeding tips.
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Pandemic Pet Overfeeding
New research confirms overfeeding pets increased during the pandemic.Ìý, Banfield Pet HospitalÃÛèÖÊÓƵ health records show that overweight or obese dog diagnoses increased 2.3% from March 2020 to Dec. 2020.
In the past 10 years, Banfield canine patients diagnosed as overweight or obese increased by 108%. The number spiked from 16% in 2011 to 34% in 2020. Feline patients saw an even more considerable increase at 114%. That rate went from 18% in 2011 to 34% in 2020.
Many people turned to food for comfort during lockdowns, spending more time with their families, including their pets. Plus, pet parents often feel giving a dog or cat more treats or food is a way of showing affection.
, 46% of respondents in a Banfield survey who own overweight or obese dogs and cats said they give in when pets beg for food or treats.
Heath Risks Increase in Overweight Pets
The fact is overfeeding pets is harmful to their health. Being overweight or obese can even shorten a petÃÛèÖÊÓƵ lifespan.Ìý, “excess weight can reduce your petÃÛèÖÊÓƵ life expectancy by more than two years.â€
Extra pounds increase their risk of bone, muscle, and joint injuries, diabetes, kidney disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and high blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight increases a pet's life expectancy and lowers the risk of illness and injuries.
Environmental Impacts of Overfeeding Pets
Overfeeding cats and dogs raises their environmental footprint and negatively impacts the planet. Pet food production, shipping, and transport expand the carbon footprint and deplete natural resources.
, dogs and cats are responsible for 25%-30% of the environmental impacts of meat consumption in the U.S. Meat also requires more land, energy, and water to produce than a plant-based diet.
Furthermore, pets’ diets generate 64 million tons of livestock-related methane and nitrous oxide production. Both these gases contribute to global warming.
Ìýand UCLA professor Gregory Okin recognizes the pet obesity problem. He notes feeding dogs and cats “nutritionally appropriate amounts of food†will curb their environmental and energetic impacts.
How to Help Pets Maintain a Healthy Weight
So, how do we help our pets maintain a healthy weight?
Always discuss weight concerns, dietary questions, or food changes with your petÃÛèÖÊÓƵ veterinarian. Here are some more tipsÌý:
Consult a vet to assess and discuss your petÃÛèÖÊÓƵ weight.Ìý
Get food and portion recommendations, and make a feeding plan.
Make a family commitment to follow the plan.
Stop feeding table scraps and high-calorie treats.
Follow the feeding instructions on the back of the pet food label. Weight, age, and activity levels are all factors to consider when determining how much food to give your dog or cat. However, every animal is different.
Therefore, discuss specific dietary needs and restrictions with your pet’s vet. The vet can also advise food types and amounts per day.
Feeding Chart for Adult Dogs
offers a feeding chart for adult dogs according to weight. If you feed your dog more than once daily, divide the amount listed by the number of meals you serve. So, one cup per day, spread over two meals, would be ½ cup per meal.
Puppies have special dietary needs because they are growing. They require puppy food and usually eat three small meals a day. Purina offers a by maturity weight and puppy age.
Feeding Guide for Cats by Weight
The same rules stated above apply to feeding cats. Discuss dietary needs and restrictions with your feline’s vet. The vet can also advise food types and amounts per day.
offers for adult cats' daily calorie intake by weight, reproduction status, and weight gain status.
Like puppies, growing kittens have unique nutritional needs. Purina offers . Divide the daily amount of food by the number of meals you serve.
Obtaining advice from your vet and sticking to a nutritious, balanced feeding plan will help keep your cat or dog healthy. Refraining from overfeeding your pet will protect them and the planet.
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