Jenny Craig and Purina team up to fight fat cats and dogs

After all those holiday table scraps it's no wonder that Fido is fatter. A touchy topic, for sure, but January is when resolutions are made so Purina and Jenny Craig have joined together to roll out Project Pet Slim Down. As the website says: "If you and your pet are both looking to get to a healthy weight, you can be each other's strongest allies."

This "weight loss journey" comes with exercise tips—dog tag, obstacle courses—and discount coupons for Purina Veterinary Diet, which you must buy through a veterinarian. After asking your vet if your pet would benefit from the program, you can register your overweight dog or cat for free and track its progress as well as your own. You can also share your pooch's successes or failures on Facebook.

As for your own diet and fitness, Jenny Craig will throw in a free 30-day support program—but you pay for the food. In Consumer Reports Ratings of diet programs, Jenny Craig edged out six other diets. The program combines personal phone or in-person counseling with a portion-controlled regimen of pre-made foods supplemented with homemade side dishes. But it's pricey: Annual membership is at least $399 and our testers paid $264, plus $65 shipping, for two weeks' worth of meals.

Pet food can also cost a lot. As we reported in Don't pay a premium for 'premium' pet food, prices for pet food can vary widely, even when they're similar in nutritional content. So if Fluffy is a full-figured feline, shop around before putting her on a special diet.

—Kimberly Janeway