Chubby Pets Slim Down With...Jenny Craig

Forget Jenny Craig diet celebrities like Valerie Bertinelli and Carrie Fisher. The next weight loss star just might have four legs and a tail.

That's because pet food king Purina and diet queen Jenny Craig have teamed up for "Project: Pet Slim-Down," a program to help pet owners slim down their chubby furry friends.

The new online program provides pet owners with advice on feeding and exercising their pet, as well as a way to track a pet's progress.

Even better, the site has videos of eight pets and their owners who have successfully embarked on a four-month weight loss journey.

For example, there's 29-pound Fibi, a petite Cavachon, who had packed on nine extra pounds thanks to over-indulging on people food and snacks. With a change in pet food, plus short walks and fun games indoors, Fibi's owners helped their pooch shed about seven pounds and regain her energy.

Or there's  Zeus, whose owner didn't realize his 20-pound tubby tabby was so overweight. "I just thought he was sturdy," Zeus' owner said, before learning how to cut back on the cat's portions and get him to be a little more active.

While it can sometimes be hard -- Zeus' owner admits he felt bad hearing his cat's plaintive meows for more food -- overweight pets are at risk for some of the same diseases as overweight humans, including diabetes, heart disease and painful joints.

The good part is, when their pets did lose some weight, their owners found that their furry companions were more energetic and a lot more fun. (And the exercise and activities were good for the owners, too.)

Photo credit: allpetnews.com

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