2024 Survey — Association for Pet Obesity Prevention

2024 Pet Obesity and Nutrition Survey Highlights

Executive Summary, April 2025 Click here for pdf.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention’s (APOP) 2024 Pet Obesity & Nutrition Opinion Survey provides critical insights into pet owner perceptions of body condition, awareness of body condition scoring (BCS), and communication dynamics around pet obesity. This year’s dataset includes responses from 581 individuals, including 322 U.S. pet owners, 134 veterinary professionals, and 144 international respondents. For consistency and statistical reliability, results reported here focus on U.S. pet owner responses.

Key Findings

Body Condition Score Awareness

Pet owner awareness of their dog or cat’s body condition may be improving. In 2024, 55% of cat owners and 51% of dog owners categorized their pet's body condition as ideal, down from 57% (cats) and 66% (dogs) in 2023.

Conversely, 33% of cat owners and 35% of dog owners categorized their pets as overweight or having obesity, up from 28% (cats) and 17% (dogs) in 2023.

According to our current and previous surveys, BCS awareness remains low among pet owners. While 40% of cat owners and 45% of dog owners reported being familiar with body condition scoring (BCS), far fewer reported receiving a BCS assessment from their veterinarian.

Only 27% of dog owners and 19% of cat owners recall their veterinarian providing a BCS. Over half of both groups said they had not received one (56% of dog owners, 55% of cat owners).

These findings highlight a communication gap, particularly among cat owners, which may reflect less frequent veterinary visits or a lack of formal discussion during routine exams.

Communication and Trust Dynamics

Most pet owners are receptive to conversations about their pet’s body condition:

12% of pet owners reported feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed when told by their veterinary team member that their pet needed to lose weight.
69% said they did not feel uncomfortable.
while 17% reported their pet(s) had never needed to lose weight.

Veterinarian trust remains high:

86% of pet owners believe their veterinarian would feel comfortable telling them that their pet had obesity.
10% were unsure.
4% said their veterinarian would not feel comfortable telling them that their pet had obesity.

Some veterinary professionals acknowledge hesitation when discussing obesity:

60% say they always feel comfortable discussing obesity.
38% say “it depends.”
1% say they “never” feel comfortable.

Obesity terminology varies:

Veterinary professionals report using terms such as “overweight,” “obese,” “fat,” “chunky,” and “chubby” to describe pet body condition. Meanwhile, pet owners recall hearing their veterinary professional use euphemisms like “chonky,” “fluffy,” and “well-fed” to describe their pets. These terms can blur the clinical significance of excess adiposity and unhealthy body condition.

These findings reinforce the importance of veterinary professionals using clear, compassionate, and medically accurate language when addressing pet obesity.

Pet Obesity Treatment

Therapeutic Weight-Loss Diet

62% of dog owners and 53% of cat owners reported they had attempted to help a pet lose weight.
16% of dog owners and 25% of cat owners reported having tried a therapeutic weight-loss diet.

Pharmaceutical Interventions

About one in three pet owners would consider using a prescription weight-loss drug if it were proven safe, effective, and affordable:

34% of dog owners
36% of cat owners
36% of dog owners and 33% of cats owners said “I’m not sure”.

Summary for Veterinary Professionals

The 2024 APOP Pet Weight & Nutrition Opinion Survey highlights progress and persistent challenges in addressing pet obesity in clinical practice. While more pet owners are recognizing unhealthy body condition issues in their pets, significant gaps remain in body condition scoring (BCS) literacy and communication comfort—especially for cats.

Encouragingly, 86% of pet owners believe their veterinary healthcare team is comfortable discussing obesity with them, tracking closely with our previous survey results.

At the same time, fewer than half of pet owners reported being familiar with BCS, and the terminology used to describe obesity is often inconsistent. Both veterinary professionals and pet owners report a heavy reliance on euphemisms to describe obesity, potentially minimizing the clinical significance of excess adiposity.

While most pet owners are open to discussing their pet’s body condition, a minority (12%) report feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed, underscoring the need for empathetic, nonjudgmental communication in clinical settings.

The data also shows that most pet owners want to help their pet maintain or achieve a healthy body condition. Over 60% of dog owners and 53% of cat owners report they have tried to help their pets lose weight, and a growing percentage are open to therapeutic diets (16–25%) and even pharmaceutical options (34–36%) when guided by trusted veterinary advice.

Bridging the Gap For Pet Owners

Pet owners want to help their pets live longer, healthier lives, but many are unsure how to assess their pets' body condition or how to start the conversation. This presents a clear opportunity for veterinary professionals to lead with evidence-based, compassionate care and more precise, respectful language.

Reframing pet obesity as a clinical condition—not a moral judgment—can drive better health outcomes. By standardizing medical terminology like “clinical obesity,” encouraging empathetic discussions, and offering individualized treatment options, veterinary teams can empower pet owners and improve the lives of pets.

Click here for pdf.

Respondent Demographics

45 U.S. states were represented
Gender Identity
86% female
10% male
<1% non-binary
Generational Breakdown
30% Baby Boomer
29% Millennial
20% Generation X
16% Generation Z
3% Silent Generation
2% Preferred not to answer
Veterinary Care
96% of U.S. pet owners reported their pet had been examined by a veterinarian within the past two years.
U.S. Pet Owners