LONDON - Next time you're asked whether our profession tackles the tough issues, remember this: Obesity, Diabetes, Hepatic Lipidosis, Arthritis... are all being addressed by a public relations campaign launched today. Half the cats in the UK are now obese and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals intends to do something about it!

According to RSPCA, research now clearly indicates that fat cats are exposed to a number of obesity related disorders. Our rotund little friends are far more prone to diabetes, arthritis and a very serious disorder called Hepatic Lipidosis (fatty liver). In recent years Feline Diabetes Mellitus has become a daily diagnosis in animal hospitals across the country.

What's causing this? Why are cats predisposed to a life of sedentary obesity? Simple: Cats no longer have to hunt to survive and we over indulge them. In nature, acquiring food is accompanied by physical exertion to capture and consume. In recent times the unnatural situation of food excess -- readily acquired and consumed with little accompanying physical exertion -- has become the norm. Regrettably, we are now paying the price.

To address the problem, the Royal Society has teamed up with TV celebrity veterinarian Joe Inglis and launched a PR campaign. Together, they've launched a new website Pets Get Slim and are taking the show on the road to help pet owners take action.

Visitors to petsgetslim.co.uk can upload photographs and stories about their pets and share their weight loss experiences with other owners. Other features include helpful diet tips and exercise suggestions, as well as a pet weight checker and a search facility to find vets who run pet weight clinics in your area. Visitors to the Pets Get Slim road shows can have their pet weighed and learn their animal's ideal weight. Diet information and pet care tips will be shared. The national weigh-in will allow the RSPCA to further assess the extent of the fat-cat problem.

Inglis said seriously, "Pet obesity is not an issue to be taken lightly."

For more information on the issue and when the road show might be coming to a town near you, visit http://www.petsgetslim.co.uk/news/.

COMMENTARY: Ya think PRSA would consider a similar program for C-Level execs in PR?