Obesity is a "growing" problem in domestic pets. As our lifestyle gets more hectic, we have less time to spend with our cats and consequently enjoy their response to the pleasure of eating. Not every cat overeats but when we notice the weight creeping over 15 pounds, it is cause for concern.

Smudge was a typical apartment cat who tipped the scales at 22 pounds. For Smudge, the typical day consisted of eating and sleeping and occasionally tormenting his compadre, Tender.

However, for all his weight, Smudge was a big softie. When Tender had to spend a day in the hospital, Smudge refused to eat. He consequently went into a negative caloric balance which then caused his body to mobilize stored fat to compensate for the lack of energy. Due to his immense fat stores, the process quickly overwhelmed the liver, choking it with fat. This put Smudge into a critical situation requiring him to be hospitalized with a feeding tube and intravenous fluids to help him survive.

Unfortunately, after a week of valiantly fighting, Smudge developed respiratory complications, possibly from vomiting up some of the tube-fed diet and eventually had to be euthanized. Although not itself a fatal condition, Feline Hepatic Lipidosis is a complicated metabolic disease of obese cats requiring hospitalization and intensive treatment.

This is a case to highlight the new problem we are encountering due to extensive use of acidifying diets.

Shakespeare, a 3 year old obese male DSH was presented on an emergency to our hospital in extreme discomfort. On examination, it was evident that he had a bladder blockage. On speaking to the owners, we ascertained that Shakespeare had been on a premium diet aimed at reducing the possibility of F.U.S. (Feline Urological Syndrome)

The main objective of the treatment was to relieve the blockage and determine it's cause. On passing a catheter into his urethra under a general anesthetic, the blockage was easily disloged and a good stream of urine ensued to empty the bladder. However, some grittiness in the urethra dictated that we suture a catheter in for at least 24 hours.

The next day, on removal of the catheter, Shakespeare passed 2 small brown, spherical calculi (stones). These were consistent in size and appearance to Oxalate stones that invariably develop in an acidic environment. X-rays revealed several more stones in his bladder and surgical intervention was inevitable. We removed 12 calculi of varying diameters from a very inflamed bladder and post-op x-rays confirmed that there were no others left.

This development of stones on a preventive diet is becoming more frequent to the point that Hills Prescription Diet now produces 2 different preventive diets, c/d-s for struvite calculi and c/d-o for oxalate stones.

Shakespeare was lucky to have been brought in early. While he was hospitalized, we were presented with another 2 year old cat that died from complications arising from a bladder blockage that was mis-interpreted by the owner to be constipation!