Over-indulged cats and dogs are costing UK owners a total of £21.6 million each year in extra vets’ bills.
Research by The Co-operative Group has found that pet owners could be literally killing their pets with kindness by feeding them harmful treats such as chocolate, fat trimmings and leftovers that are high in sugar and salt.
Some 91 per cent of cat and dog owners were found to be treating their pets with foods that were potentially harmful.
The average pet requires treatment from a vet at least twice in its lifetime because of something it has eaten, costing an average of £222 per visit.
The main findings of the research were:
- Whilst perfectly harmless to humans, seeds or stones from fruits such as apples, grapes or peaches can be poisonous to our four-legged friends, but 44 per cent of pet owners fed their pets these forbidden fruits
- Chocolate is a treat for humans but can actually be toxic for animals and only chocolate specially formulated for animals should be fed to pets. However the survey revealed that 39 per cent of dog and cat owners didn’t realise this and 12 per cent fed ordinary chocolate to their pet
- More than a third, 35 per cent, of pet owners admitted to feeding pets leftovers from their own meal, which can be dangerous for animals because they’re not nutritionally balanced for pets and may contain too much sugar and salt
- Another common “treat” identified was milk with 28 per cent of owners giving this to their pets. Feeding cats and dogs too much milk can cause diarrhoea and stomach upsets because animals don’t posses the levels of lactase needed to break down and digest dairy products.
- Bad diets are also leading to weight problems in pets with 13 per cent of pet owners admitting vets had told them their pet was too fat. Obesity has major health implications for pets such as heart disease, and can impair an animal’s quality of life and cause unnecessary suffering.
Nicci Townley, pet food buyer at The Co-operative, said: “With 43 per cent of households now owning a pet, it’s clear we’re still a nation of animal lovers, but owners need to be aware that feeding pets the wrong kinds of foods can be dangerous. Owners wanting to care for their pets properly should feed them with nutritionally-balanced pet food to keep their faithful friends fit and healthy and only feed them specially formulated treats.”
The research also reveals that 62 per cent of pets in the UK are uninsured, meaning that the majority of pet owners are facing unwelcome extra bills. Lee Mooney, head of pet insurance at The Co-operative, commented: “No matter how careful you are, you can’t always be sure of what your pet is eating. Our research found that 66 per cent of owners said that their pets will often steal foods or are fed by others without their knowledge. ”In such circumstances, taking out an appropriate level of pet insurance is the only way to save yourself from unwelcome bills for treatment.”
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