Excess weight or obesity is not good for any living being. Extra pounds create an unintended burden on the body.
The problem has already spread its influence to domestic animals – cats in particular. According to American scientists, 60% of cats in the USA are close to obesity.
The results of the research were published by Live Science.
The study involved 11 adult sterilized cats.
They ate as much dry food as they wanted.
The health indicators of this group of animals were compared with a control group, members of which were fed a developed and controlled diet.
The scientists used the same measurement system as for humans – body mass index on a 9-point scale.
At the start of the study, the score was 5.41 points. After 18 weeks, it rose to 8.27, or 30% excess weight.
As a result, cats that overate had reduced efficiency in digesting food.
The animals stopped receiving the necessary set of nutrients, and the composition of the intestinal microflora changed significantly.
It was also noted that the animals' bodies had difficulty digesting carbohydrates and fats.
At the same time, scientists note that the study was short, so no long-term health problems were identified in the pets.
