A new survey has revealed that half of UK vets worry about the rise of obesity in cats, and think that the rise in so called ‘house cats’ who remain permanently indoors, have made a significant contribution to the surge in overweight felines across the nation.

A fifth of vets also highlighted stress and behavioural issues as a condition more likely to be found in cats that refrain from going outdoors. This is expressed through anxiety-related problems such as urine marking or excessive scratching of furniture.

Obesity in cats can have a dramatic impact on a cat’s lifespan and quality of life. From conditions such as diabetes, which is linked with overfeeding, to arthritis and joint problems, to heart disease.

Direct Line Pet Insurance is urging responsible pet ownership as more than a quarter (26 per cent) of vets surveyed said that more than half of the cats they treat are now overweight.

Speaking of the findings Prit Powar, head of Pet Insurance at Direct Line said: “Overweight cats are becoming more of an issue. The percentage of obese cats that vets are now seeing is extremely alarming and resulting in long term illnesses for those cats. Fortunately, there’s a simple fix. Owners really need to focus on controlling food portions and encouraging their pet to exercise, indoors or outdoors. Doing this effectively will help reduce the risk of serious health problems. Veterinary bills can often be costly and many of these illnesses will require multiple trips to the vet and on-going prescriptions.”

Direct Line are on a quest to fix the nation’s pesky pets….while laughing at their cheeky antics of course. Share a picture or a video of your cat getting up to no good and you could be in with a chance of winning weekly vouchers www.dlpetfix.com