He's about nine years old and his tummy sways when he runs. He weighs about 6kg and at his worst, he tipped the scales at 8kg, meaning he was classed as overweight.

‘He' is Tango, Holistic Vets' very own sleek, black, beautiful – and very fat – cat.

Holistic Vets director Liza Schneider with Tango ‘the tubby tabby'. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

To be fair to Tango, he has lost 1.5kg since he plodded into the Fraser Street vets around four years ago – tummy and all.

'We don't know where he came from,” says Holistic Vets director Liza Schneider.

The chubby cat is 1kg more than the 4kg-5kg ideal weight for felines, depending on their frame. Liza says Tango is at the practice every morning and night asking for food.

'He certainly likes a smorgasbord of food,” she says. 'He's always been a bit tubby. Food is his priority.”

But meal time is now in moderation for Tango, because he's on a diet.

'Getting his weight down has been difficult as he roams and eats at other people's houses,” says Liza.

Although she can't control him snacking elsewhere, Liza feeds Tango a diet of grain-free foods and fresh meat in an attempt to get him down to his 5kg goal weight.

His favourite treat is healthy biscuits and raw meat. 'Basically anything he can guzzle down,” says Liza. 'But he always thinks he's starving.”

When we want to lose weight, we turn to diet and exercise, and it's a similar theory for our feline friends.

Think of it like this: 'When cats are fed carbohydrates as kittens, it's like kids that are fed on chocolate and junk food,” says Liza. 'They become addicted that type of food.”

But cat dieting is not just about restricting calories.

Liza explains: 'It's making sure that the quality of their food is better and ideally free of carbohydrates, chemicals and preservatives, and is full of optimum nutrients such as omega 3, which can actually help to burn body fat.”

Liza says one of the biggest issues with animal obesity is that pet foods are bulked up with carbohydrate.

'As cats and dogs are carnivores, when we feed them a lot of carbohydrate they tend to bulk up with fat more easily because it's not their natural food source,” she adds.

Limiting your puss' snacks, treats and food portions is also another important tool to losing cat fat.

So what are the dangers for an obese kitty?

'In cats, one of the biggest dangers is diabetes,” says Liza. Being overweight can also predispose them to arthritis, compromise their heart function and put strain on their organs.

So if you see a roaming cat at your doorstep, particularly a black cat with a tummy to the ground, Liza suggests not to open that can of jelly meat.

'A lot of people think they're doing the right thing by feeding a visiting cat, especially if it's not owned,” she says.

'But it makes them stick around, and if they're not de-sexed then they breed more easily.”

Got a ‘Tango' that needs to shift a few kilos? What about a pamper pooch with its ‘winter coat'? We'd love to see your beloved pet – send your photos to editorials@thesun.co.nz