New studies explain as many as 50 percent of cats and dogs are overweight

Not only is the average weight of Americans growing, but so are the pets of American citizens.

A new study explained that more than 50 percent of cats and dogs in America, a number totaling more than 93 million, are either overweight or obese. There are reports of more than 170 million cats and dogs in the United States as pets.

Data for the survey was provided by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

Just like in humans, obesity in pets may increase various health risks as well. Obesity in animals has been shown to cause diabetes, kidney problems, arthritis, and heart failure. Having an overweight pet may effectively reduce overall life expectancy as well.

Survey data explains that more than 30 percent of cats were considered overweight by veterinarians, and at least 21 percent of them were obese.

Similar figures were noticed in dogs, as 35 percent were considered overweight, and more than 20 percent were obese.

Some veterinarians explain that it is an unfortunate pass-through. As pet owners exercise less, so do their pets.