NEARLY a quarter of cats and dogs in the south east are overweight according to a survey.
A poll by YouGov for Hill's Pet Nutrition shows that 23 per cent of dog and cat owners believe their pet is overweight – but the survey revealed many owners do not realise the danger their pets are in.
When owners were shown pictures and asked which best reflected the weight of their cat it revealed around 90 per cent of cats could suffer from obesity related health issues.
The problems stem from excess food, with 39 per cent of owners admitting theu give their cat or dog treats every day.
Professor Karen Pine, a psychology professor at the University of Hertfordshire, said: "Whether caring for pets, children or loved ones, the giving of food is an emotionally loaded matter because it connects to our basic nurturing and caring instincts.
"When food gets associated with love some people have difficulty controlling what their pet eats because they feel they are denying them their love. And pets are very efficient at training their owners to spoil them."
It is not just treats which are the problem, with 12 per cent of owners feeding their pets leftovers and another 39 per cent admitting treats are a regular, if not daily, occurrence.
Here's what some pet owners told the survey.
Focus group participant Cara-Marie, who has two cats, said: "I don't let my cats out. It is reassuring to know that they won't get hit by a car or attacked by another animal. I must admit my cats do get titbits from our dinner plates."
Pet owner Yasmin who has two cats and was also interviewed as part of the focus group, said: "People may think treats equal love, you don't have to reward all the time, and the animal gets used to it."
Dog owner Kay added: "I make sure that the amount we give my dog is based on the recommended daily allowance for his weight and size and take into consideration the levels of exercise he gets."
The study to mark the launch of Hill's(c) Prescription Diet(c) Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution surveyed over 1,000 cat and dog owners in Britain on the feeding habits of their cats and dogs.
