Forget the banking crisis, another type of fat cat could soon be putting your personal finances under strain.
The increasing numbers of overweight pets in the UK could cause an insurance headache for owners, vets claimed today.
Research commissioned by pet insurance provider Sainsbury's Finance shows that 43 percent of cats and dogs seen by medical professionals are overweight - increasing the animals' risk of picking up distressing, and costly, diseases. Moreover, many owners either have insufficient cover to pay for treatment - with some not having any form of pet insurance at all.
The Sainsbury's research also showed that 26 percent of dogs are currently obese, while a further 21 percent are slightly overweight. With cats, 19 percent are obese and 20 percent are slightly overweight.
When vets were asked which weight-related condition is most common among the pets, osteoarthritis came out on top. Heart disease and congestive heart failure were also found to be common.
Neal Devine, manager of Sainsbury's Pet Insurance, commented: "We are seeing a worrying percentage of cats and dogs being taken to the vet who are overweight. People often think they are being kind to their pet by giving it treats, but being overweight can influence and worsen many medical conditions in pets, such as osteoarthritis and respiratory disorders, conditions that can be very uncomfortable for the animal."
