Introduction

Obese cats tend to have a sedentary and inactive lifestyle, with ad libitum food supply. Studies have shown that management differs between owners of cats with adequate weight and obese animals.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to characterize the feeding and physical activity profile of obese cats in Botucatu city, São Paulo state, Brazil.

Methods

A questionnaire was conducted with the tutors of 18 obese cats (body condition score of 8–9/9).

Results

All cats received commercial dry food, and in only 22.2% the daily amount was controlled. In relation to canned commercial food: 11.1% received daily; 16.7% weekly; 16.7% sporadically; and 55.6% did not receive. Foods for human consumption were also reported: 5.6% offered to the cat a little of everything that eats daily; 16.7% milk, fruit, meat, ham and sausages weekly; and 11.1% offered homemade food sporadically. Veterinary snacks were offered sporadically to 27.8% of the cats. In the evaluation of physical activity, 83.3% of the cats performed without stimulus and 11.1% with stimuli of the tutors. Only one cat (5.6%) did not perform daily physical activity. Thirty-three point three percent (33.3%) of the tutors did not know how much time the cat spends with physical activity daily; 44.4% of the cats for less than 20 minutes; and only 17.6% more than 20 minutes.

Conclusions

The feeding management of obese cats shows the lack of control of the quantity and quality of food offered. It is necessary to stimulate the physical activity in these animals by means of jokes and increase its duration.