A recent report by United Kingdom vets has shown the cats are steadily becoming so obese that in ten years time they will not be able to fit through the current standard size of cat flap. Some are arguing this change is a reflection of the society we live in with many having seen their owners pile on the pounds in recent times; obesity rates have certainly shot up in adults and more scarily children. Vets are warning that as many as half of all todays cats will be too fat for today's cat flap; the average cat by 2011 will weigh up to 20 pounds.
Current statistics show a third of all cats and dogs treated at veterinarian surgeries across the UK are already obese; the excess weight is already creating health problems for these animals. One of the most concerning aspect of this national problem is the fact the pet owners are oblivious to the plight of their animal; seventy percent of owners believe that their cat or dog has never been overweight although figures from vets show that this can not be true.
It has long been argued that pets grow to look like their owners; it is certainly unusual to see a trim and fit human being bring in an overweight animal in to a surgery. Like humans, cats and dogs lose confidence and as a result their health gradually starts to deteriorate.
Increasing the size of cat flaps to accommodate the increase in weight could be seen as a security concern as a relatively small adult or child could potentially fit through one. Several companies are already looking to solve this problem with a computer chip in the collar of the cat or a paw pad that will recognise the paw print to open the flap.