Why are pets obese? Does free-feeding cause it? How to prevent it and smart feeders?

Question

Hi. My name is Stella and I am a student from Glenbrook South high school. We are doing a research project about pet obesity and I would like some information on why pets are obese? And is it caused by free-feeding? What can we do to prevent it? What are yours onions about pet feeder technology.

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Hi Stella! I would be glad to answer your questions :-) Pets can be obese for a couple of reasons. One reason can be free-feeding, but it also be due to a lack of exercise, and feeding your pet lots of human food and treats. It's not recommended to feed your pet human food unless for a specific medical reason (i.e. boiled white meat chicken with no bones for GI upset) because it adds extra calories to their diet which they don't need. Also, many human foods are toxic to dogs and cats. It's not recommended to free fed dogs, they should get two meals a day. As for cats, cats tend to be grazers, some people do leave food out all day for them to eat their leisure. This is fine to do with cats who are a healthy weight, and you can switch to scheduled feeding if they are obese. It is true free feeding can lead to obesity, but you can manage this with cats by not leaving a huge amount of food out all the time. You can measure out their daily amount, and they can eat at their leisure. I think the direction of pet feeder technology is amazing, especially now that there are bowls that dispense not only dry food, but wet food and medication. The only problem I see with dispensing medication is that there's no guarantee the animal will take it. I think automatic feeders can be great for cats when the owner is away because they are more independent, but I think dogs should be fed by people since they have to be taken out for a walk anyway. Dogs need more attention than cats typically do, especially when owners are away.

Why are pets obese? Does free-feeding cause it? How to prevent it and smart feeders?

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