ClinQuiz: Is this pet overweight? (Sponsored by Nestlé Purina) Answer 5) C
ClinQuiz: Is this pet overweight? (Sponsored by Nestlé Purina) Answer 5) C
5) C — Correct!
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, cats are more likely to be obese (BCS 9) than dogs. In the 2010, almost 22% of adult cats were classified as obese. Obese cats are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.9
Most obese cats deposit excess fat tissue in their abdomen, resulting in a large, pendulous mid-section, as seen here. When performing a BCS on cats, be careful not to mistake the normal excess skin folds in the ventrum for abdominal fat deposits. When you palpate the abdomen of an overweight or obese cat, you will notice a tightness or swelling that is underneath the abdominal musculature. This is the most harmful and damaging fat.10,11
Abdominal fat is made of white adipose tissue (WAT) that produces over 20 known hormones and potentially harmful chemicals. Abdominal fat is extremely biologically active, so much so, that it is often referred to as the second pancreas.
