Top 10 human meals we feed our pet cats
11:00 02 April 2009
Pet owners are neglecting the health of their cat in order to beat the credit crunch, a new survey has revealed.
53% of cat owners are replacing traditional pet food with human meals such as takeaway, roast dinners and fried foods like bacon and sausages.
A quarter of those polled believe they are saving hundreds of pounds a year by giving the cat their meals.
However, vets have warned Brits that they are endangering the lives of their pets - who can suffer from malnourishment, obesity, diarrhoea and severe vomiting.
Currently, pet owners waste 110 million each year on unnecessary vet fees caused by poor diet.
The poll of 175 UK vets and 1,000 cat owners was conducted by Iams Pro-Active Nutrition in conjunction with the new 4:1 campaign which advises Brits on a budget to switch from wet cat food to dry.
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Vicky Halls, leading cat behaviour counsellor, said: "With the credit crunch in full swing its understandable that families are tightening their belts and prioritising on the essentials.
"However, owners need to think twice before cutting corners on pet food, as in the long run this will only lead to more outgoings with expensive vet bills when cats get sick from a poor diet."
Astonishingly, 11% of cats start the day with cereal for breakfast, and one in 10 follow this up with tea and biscuits mid morning.
Halls continues: "By shopping savvy, the family cat neednt be a casualty of the credit crunch.
"The first step for cat owners is to read the label to know the true value of their purchase."
Currently the biggest health threat to UK cats is obesity, followed by dental problems, worms and malnourishment.
The top 10 foods we love to feed our cats:
-
Bacon
UK's fattest pets
Try taking these out for a daily walk... - Sausages
- Sunday roast
- Cereal
- Toast
- Biscuits
- Eggs
- Roast potatoes
- Crisps
- Chinese / Indian takeaway