World Pet Obesity Month 2026: Research and Tools for Pet Owners
World Pet Obesity Month 2026: Let’s Have the Conversation
October is World Pet Obesity Month, a time to take a closer look at your pet’s body condition and talk with your veterinary team about what it means. APOP’s free tools can help you check, ask questions and find practical next steps.
A healthy body condition is about more than how your pet looks or how easily they move. When body condition moves above the healthy range, excess body fat can be biologically active and may contribute to inflammatory and metabolic changes that affect comfort, mobility, and overall health.
Those changes can also be easy to miss, especially when they happen gradually. In APOP’s 2022 survey, 32% of owners whose dogs or cats were in the overweight or obesity ranges described their pet as ‘normal,’ ‘ideal,’ or ‘thin.’ That perception gap is why World Pet Obesity Month starts with a conversation: What is my pet’s body condition, and what should I do next?”
Read the 2022 survey findings:
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/2022
Share your perspective. Help shape what we build next.
2026 Pet Obesity and Nutrition Opinion Survey
Pet owners and veterinary teams don’t always see body condition, feeding and weight the same way. Your answers help APOP understand those gaps and decide which tools, guides and research to develop next.
The 2026 Pet Obesity and Nutrition Opinion Survey asks about body condition, feeding, nutrition and weight management. It takes a few minutes, and there are no wrong answers. You may leave your email at the end to enter the optional $50 gift card prize drawing. The survey remains open through December 31, 2026.
Share your opinion:
https://bit.ly/apop2026opinion
Check your pet at home
Choose dog, cat or rabbit for a simple body-condition check. The quiz walks you through what to look for and feel, then suggests what to review next. It’s a guide, not a diagnosis or a replacement for a veterinary examination.
Take the Body Condition Quiz:
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/quiz
Questions to take to your veterinarian
Body condition is an estimate of body fat based on looking at and feeling your pet. It’s different from body weight, which also includes muscle, bone, water and other tissues. Ask your veterinary team to show you what they found and explain what it may mean for your pet.
•“What is my pet’s body condition score (BCS), and what does it mean?”
•“What should my pet weigh?”
•“What do you recommend we do first?”
•“How much should I feed, including treats?”
•“How can we make this work in our household?”
•“When should we recheck, and who can I contact?”
If a score or recommendation surprises you, ask your team to show you where they feel the ribs, waist and abdomen and explain what they’re seeing. If the wording feels unclear or uncomfortable, it’s okay to ask for a different explanation.
Explore what to expect and what to ask in APOP’s Communication Guidelines:
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/communication-guidelines
Take a guide with you
Print the World Pet Obesity Month pet-owner brochure before your next visit. It includes body-condition basics and space to write down your pet’s BCS, weight, calorie goal, treat limit and recheck date.
Download the pet-owner guide (PDF):
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6425ec5d33eaaa634113b2d4/t/6abd164490c229728e272af5/1790776900398/Final+apop+wpom+brochure+trifold.pdf+%288%29.pdf
Free tools to use at home
Use what’s helpful now and bring the results to your next veterinary visit. These tools are starting points, not a substitute for individual veterinary guidance.
Feeding and calories
•Dog Daily Feeding Calculator: Estimate maintenance calories and portions for a healthy adult dog.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/dog-daily-feeding-calculator
•Cat Daily Feeding Calculator: Estimate maintenance calories and portions for a healthy adult cat.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/cat-daily-feeding-calculator
•Daily Calorie Intake Estimator: Add up calories from food, treats and extras. This estimates current intake, not a feeding target.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/calorie-intake-calculator
•Treat Calorie Calculator: See how treats contribute to your pet’s daily calorie budget.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/treat-calculator
Weight and progress
•Breed Weight Ranges: Explore general breed references, not an individual ideal-weight target.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/ideal-weight-ranges
•Dog-to-Human Weight Comparison: Put extra weight into a familiar comparison.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/calculators/dog-to-human-weight-comparison
•Cat-to-Human Weight Comparison: Explore a weight comparison for cats.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/calculators/cat-to-human-weight-comparison
•Pet Weight Recheck Tool: Compare weigh-ins and see the percentage change to discuss with your veterinary team.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/weight-check
Activity
•Dog Walking Calorie Estimator: Review a completed walk’s average pace, with approximate calories shown only within supported reference conditions.
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/tools-dog-walking-calorie-estimator
Browse all pet-owner resources:
https://www.petobesityprevention.org/pet-owner-resources
Stay in the conversation
Follow APOP for updates to tools, calculators, guides and survey results. We’d love to hear from you, too. Tell us what you’re using, what would help or a question you’d like us to tackle next.
