News about dogs and cats

Dogs and cats in the USA are living longer, but suffer more and more from obesity. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the percentage of the US dog population aged 6 or over increased from 42 per cent in 1996 to 44 per cent in 2006, while the percentage of cats aged 6 or over rose from 37 per cent to 44 per cent. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention reports that 44 per cent of dogs and 57 per cent of cats were overweight or obese as of 2008, up 1 and 4 percentage points respectively since 2007, with older animals displaying a much higher incidence of obesity.