The Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic, also referred to as "Fat Camp", at the University of Liverpool's Small Animal Hospital opened its doors for the first time today, taking an overweight cat as its first patient.

The clinic will be taking in fat & lazy cats and dogs from throughout Merseyside and other parts beyond, and turn them into fitter, leaner and happier animals, through an intensive regime of crash diets, exercise and "lifestyle" changes.

On their first and last visits, all pets will be examined under a Dual Energy X Ray Absorptionmetry scanner to measure the proportion of "adipose" or fatty tissue in their body. It will disclose if they have been keeping to their diets and monitor the success of their individual regimen.