Christmas cat-astrophe

22 December 2017

Thousands of pet owners face holiday heartache again this year

One-in-ten pet owners have faced an emergency trip to the vets over the Christmas period, according to new research from pet wellbeing charity PDSA*.

Food-related ailments, road accidents and deadly infections are among the list of hazards that can put a sudden stop to seasonal celebrations for thousands of pets and their owners.

The PDSA survey found that 11% of dog, cat and rabbit owners have had to visit their vet over the festive period because their pet was ill or injured. Of those, 5% said it ruined their Christmas, 5% had to change their holiday plans, and 7% described their children as being ‘devastated’. Interestingly, 4% wished it had been their partner who got ill, instead of their pet! However, a massive 68% said that their pet’s wellbeing was more important than enjoying the Christmas festivities, showing that Britain is still a nation of true animal lovers.

PDSA vets expect to treat around 50,000 pets at the charity’s 48 pet hospitals over the Christmas period.

Case study: Maimed - Marley the moggy

Much-loved family pet Marley was severely injured in a suspected traffic accident. The one-year-old cat crawled home in agony recently and his owner, Gaynor Hughes, rushed him straight to Manchester PDSA Pet Hospital where he received emergency care. He was in a critical condition and x-rays revealed that his leg was so badly broken it had to be amputated.

Gaynor said: “Marley means the world to me and my two girls; my husband died of cancer and we took on Marley to help with the healing process. My youngest daughter Erin has developed a very special bond with him, he’s been a brilliant focus for the girls during a very difficult time.”

The surgery was a success and Marley was able to go home the next day, much to the delight of his family. While full recovery will be a long process, he’s slowly getting used to life on three legs. Gaynor, Erin and Faye are over the moon to have their furry companion back where he should be, to provide love and comfort to them all at Christmas.

A treat too far?

The PDSA survey also found that pets get their fair share of Christmas treats too, as two-in-five pet owners (39%) said that they give their pet their favourite treat for Christmas, and a quarter (26%) feed special pet food. One-in-seven pets (14%) will even be treated to their very own roast dinner with all the trimmings. But this may not be the best way to spoil your pet, advises Katy Orton, a PDSA Vet Nurse:

“Various ingredients in a full turkey dinner that can be harmful to our pets. For instance, onions in the stuffing and gravy, or bones in the turkey. It’s also important to watch portion sizes, as giving a medium-sized dog a full-sized Christmas dinner is the equivalent of their owner eating three Christmas dinners in one go - not something I’d like to attempt!

“If you want to give your cat or dog a Christmas treat, a small slice of bone-free turkey and boiled vegetables shouldn’t cause any problems. Just be mindful of the portion size and reduce the amount of normal food you give your pet that day so they are not taking on extra calories. Owners can also think about rewarding their pets in other ways, like an extra walk or play time.”

Worryingly, the survey also found that popular foods such as mince pies, Christmas cake and pudding are also being given to our pets despite them containing raisins, which are highly toxic to animals.

Many of the charity’s 48 Pet Hospitals are open 24/7, including Christmas day, to ensure our pets always have a place to turn in case of emergency. Animal lovers can help PDSA’s #SaveAStar campaign at www.pdsa.org.uk/star or by texting STAR to 70020 to give a one-off donation of £5 (you’ll also be charged one standard rate message - full terms and conditions here).

* All figures are from the Christmas Pets survey, conducted by YouGov on behalf of PDSA. Fieldwork was undertaken online between 22-23 November 2017. Total sample size was 2,082 UK adults. Figures of vet visits are for dog, cat and rabbit owners, with a sample size of 973. The Christmas period was defined as the beginning of December to the beginning of January.