Millions of Pet Owners Witnessing Behavioural Problems

10th July, 2009

Sainsbury's finance has released research highlighting the continuing problem of behavioural difficulties with UK pets - their study showing some 3.5 millions cat and dog owners have witnessed behaviour problems with their animals in the last 12 months. This equates to 18 percent of the nations cat and dogs.

1.3 million owners reported the biggest problem as a result of this was damage to household furniture. Joanne Mellon, Saindbury's Pet Insurance Manager, said:

"The current economic climate is placing a lot if people under increased stress, and unfortunately this anxiety can have an adverse effect on household pets. Cats and dogs can be very sensitive to to their owner's feelings and behaviour so changes in mood such as irritability, distress or remoteness could be sensed and leave the animals themeselves, agitated or depressed."

The most common behavioural conditions found in the reasearch were; general moodiness - affecting around five percent of cats and dogs, agression which was found in two percent, loss of appetite, again affecting two percent of pets, and depression, which affected one percent.

Pet owners in Yorkshire and Humberside had the most troublesome pets with a quarter stating they had experienced behavioural difficulties with their cat or do in the last six months. Animals in the Eastern region of the country were the most well-adjusted - only nine percent of owners reporting any problems.

Many pet insurance policies will offer a certain amount of cover for animals with behavioural issues, as it becomes an increasingly recognised, and more common, problem.

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