More than three million pet cats are overweight and the problem is becoming worse during the pandemic, according to Cats Protection.
In a survey of more than 2,000 cat owners, over a quarter (28%) said they had overfed their pet since the start of the first lockdown in March 2020.
Over a third (36%) said their cat visited neighbours for a bonus feed, and overall one in five cats (20%) had typically gained between 1-2.25 kilos in weight.
This echoes the charity’s CATS report, carried out before the start of the pandemic, which highlighted that at least 3.2 million owned cats were already overweight.
OVER-INDULGING
Maggie Roberts, director of veterinary services for Cats Protection, said: “This survey suggests the extra time we’ve spent indoors with our cats has led to us over-indulging them, which owners did out of love or to make their feline feel like a family member.
“Sadly, we are doing them more harm than good as overweight cats are at significant risk of diabetes, joint problems and urinary infections.
“At a time of year when many of us go on a diet, it’s advisable to ask your vet if your cat needs one, too.”
