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Cat ownership up by half a million - PFMA
cat
PFMA's report suggests the rise in pet cats is being driven by increasing numbers of male owners.

UK’s pet cats now number eight million, report suggests

Pet cats in the UK now number around eight million, an increase of half a million cats, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA).

New figures from PFMA’s latest Pet Data Report suggest the rise is being driven by the increasing number of male cat owners, which climbed by 25 per cent (around one million men).

The statistics have been published following interviews with more than 8,000 UK households.

A total of 12 million households are now estimated to have a pet, equating to 44 per cent of households in the UK, and 54 million pets.

Cat-owning households now account for 17 per cent of households with pets. PFMA says more young people own cats, with those aged 16-34 up three per cent, and those aged 35-44 up two per cent.

The research also showed 38 per cent of families with children were considering a small mammal as a pet.

PFMA’s statistics show the breakdown of pet ownership:

  • 15-20 million fish kept in tanks
  • 15-20 million fish kept in ponds
  • 8.5 million dogs
  • 8 million cats
  • 900,000 rabbits
  • 700,000 pet birds
  • 700,000 reptiles
  • 600,000 domestic fowl
  • 500,000 guinea pigs
  • 300,000 hamsters

The full report can be found here: http://www.pfma.org.uk/annual-reports

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.