How do I know if my pet is overweight?

The three-check method

1. Feel the ribs. Place flat hands on the rib cage with light pressure. You should feel each rib like the back of your hand, neither protruding nor padded under a layer of fat. Ribs you can't easily count = overweight.
2. Look from above. Standing over your pet, you should see a clear waist behind the ribs. A straight or bulging silhouette = overweight.
3. Look from the side. The abdomen should tuck up behind the rib cage, not hang level or sag. A level or sagging abdomen = overweight.

Why it matters more than people think

Overweight dogs and cats develop osteoarthritis sooner, have shorter lifespans (a major lifetime calorie-restriction study in Labradors found a roughly two-year median difference), have higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers, and recover worse from surgery and injury. Weight is the single most actionable lifetime-health intervention you control.

Practical adjustment: reduce daily calories by 10–20% and re-check BCS in 4–6 weeks. Most pets lose weight more on portion control than on diet brand change. Switch to a vet-recommended weight-management formula if portion control alone isn't enough, but talk to your vet before switching to a prescription diet, since some restrict nutrients in ways healthy pets don't need.