Nestlé Purina PetCare is focusing attention on cat health, specifically obesity, with a new pledge effort.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that 58% of owned cats in the US, or 50 million cats, are overweight, and less than 12% of cat owners are aware that their cats have a weight problem. Nestlé Purina is striving to get 100,000 cat owners to sign a pledge before May 2 promising to assess their cat's weight to determine if their cat is heavier than advised by vets. If 100,000 pledges are lodged, Nestlé Purina will donate US$50,000 to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

The pledge is available on the company's website, www.catchow.com/whyweight. Those who sign the pledge will receive a free sample of Purina Cat Chow Healthy Weight, a low-calorie weight management cat food.