Faster growth rate inad libitum-fed cats: a risk factor predicting the likelihood of becoming overweight during adulthood

Abstract

In human subjects, the risk of becoming overweight (OW) in adulthood is largely determined early in childhood. However, early-life factors have not been considered for feline obesity. A total of eighty colony cats, fed ad libitum, were studied; various breeds, ages and sex were included, with thirty-six (45 %) being OW and forty-four (55 %) being of ideal weight (IW). The effects of various factors (including age, sex, neuter status, breed (pure v. mixed), mean daily food intake (FI), housing status (indoor with outdoor access v. exclusively indoor) and body weight at 1 year of age (BW1y)) on weight status were assessed. Initial statistical analyses identified BW1y as the main significant variable. Body weight (BW) and FI were then assessed between 1 and 8·5 years of age, with group differences (OW v. IW) noted for BW, which increased significantly with age only in the OW group (P < 0·001). However, no difference in BW (P = 0·17) was noted when BW1y was included as a covariate in the model. FI did not change with age in either group. Finally, given the importance of BW1y, changes in BW from 3 to 12 months were then assessed with BW at 3 months of age included as a covariate. Whereas at 3 months of age, no group difference in BW was observed, a faster rate of weight gain was seen in OW cats. In conclusion, as in human subjects, the rate of growth is a key risk factor for cats becoming OW, although the factors responsible are currently not known.

Risk factors identified for owner-reported feline obesity at around one year of age: Dry diet and indoor lifestyle

“…These previous studies have all been cross-sectional in design, resulting in uncertainty over the causal direction of associations observed between putative risk factors and obesity. The first longitudinal study (to the authors' knowledge) to investigate risk factors for feline obesity was conducted on a small scale (80 cats) using colony cats rather than pet cats (Serisier et al, 2013). The authors found that a higher percentage change in body weight between 3 and 12 months (as well as male sex, in agreement with previous studies) was significantly associated with increased risk of obesity in adulthood.…”

“…This, along with the evidence from Serisier et al (2013) that growth rate in kittenhood was associated with obesity in adulthood, suggests that factors which increase a cat's risk of obesity occur early in life. This in turn is supported by the literature on early-life critical periods in childhood for the development of human obesity (Dietz, 1994).…”

Nonlinear mixed models of growth curves from domestic shorthair cats in a breeding colony, housed in a seasonal facility to predict obesity

“…In a study of body weight during growth and adulthood in cats held in a colony, overweight adult cats were heavier at 1 year of age than cats that remained lean for their adult lives (Serisier, Feugier, Venet, Biourge, & German, ). In a small subset of cats evaluated, there was no significant difference between the two groups of cats at 3 months, although body weight at 3 months was a significant covariate in a model of weight change between 3 and 12 months.…”

The impact of time of neutering on weight gain and energy intake in female kittens

“…Excess weight is a major health concern in cats ( 1 ) , with studies suggesting that up to 52 % of the adult cat population are overweight or obese ( 2 – 5 ) . Overweight is associated with an increased risk of mortality, predisposes individuals to chronic metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus and hepatic lipidosis, and reduces quality of life through chronic diseases, such as osteoarthritis ( 6 ) .…”

“…This is especially important, as evidence indicates that risk factors for being overweight as an adult include the rate of growth in ad libitum -fed cats ( 5 ) , feeding a dry diet and restricted exercise at age 12·5–13 months ( 9 ) . Furthermore, neutering, often carried out in the first year of life, is also a major significant risk factor for obesity.…”