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After years of feasting on char siew and abalone, Ah Mao weighs nearly 11kg - more than double his ideal weight.

Ah Mao is accounts officer Lin Miaohui's 11-year-old pet cat. Dry cat food and tuna alone do not satisfy the local short-haired tabby. He meows pitifully when his human housemates sit down to a meal, pawing at their legs for scraps, and turns up the intensity of his 'Puss-In-Boots gaze', says Lin, 29.

Veterenarians and pet experts interviewed say that, with growing affluence, pet owners are over-feeding their dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits and even turtles.

Ricky Yeo, a dog behaviour expert who runs The Dog Listener Consultancy here, has observed a 20 to 30 per cent increase in the number of overweight dogs at dog-related events in the past three years.

Says Yeo, who is also the president of animal welfare organisation Action For Singapore Dogs: "With increasing affluence, dog owners are treating their pets like children. Dogs are pampered with excessive food and treats. And with owners' busy schedules, these dogs do not get adequate exercise and become obese."

Like overweight humans, obese pets have a higher risk of getting diabetes mellitus, lower urinary tract disease, joint disease and osteoarthritis. They are also more prone to fatty liver, decreased stamina and non-allergic skin conditions - due to the inability to groom efficiently - says Dr Cathy Chan, a veterinarian at The Animal Doctors.

These factors are why obesity can shorten a pet's lifespan.

Dr Hsu Li Chieh from The Animal Clinic warns that a fat dog is less able to regulate its body heat, causing it to suffer more in Singapore's hot climate.

For these reasons, dog-owner Christina Lim wants to help her eight-year-old shih tzu lose weight.

Mango, who weighs 11kg, is slightly bow-legged - a condition that predisposes her to joint problems and can be exacerbated by her weight. Her ideal weight is between 4.5kg and 7.3kg.

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Fat pets a weighty issue

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