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More men adopting adult cats, report reveals
1.5 million new male households now have an adult cat.
There was a noteworthy gender difference in cat adopters.

A new report from UK Pet Food has revealed a significant gender difference in those adopting cats, with more men than women adopting adult cats in the past four years.

The Pet Population Report for 2024 found that 27 per cent of men had adopted an adult cat in the past four years, compared to 18 per cent of women.

This meant that 1.5 million new male households now have an adult cat. In comparison, there were 1 million new female households getting cats.

The data also suggests an increased appreciation for more mature pets, the first time this has happened since the pandemic puppy and kitten boom. A total of 2.5 million households acquired adult cats, and 2.1 million households got adult dogs.

Kittens and puppies remain popular with pet owners, with 2.6 million households welcoming kittens and 3.7 million welcoming puppies.

The report found that 10.9 million homes had acquired a new pet in the past four years.

In total, 17.2 million homes have a non-aquatic pet in 2024. However, fish were also increasing in popularity in 21 per cent of homes.

UK Pet Food said that their repor highlighted the mental health benefits of pet ownership. Over a third of pet owners said that their pet was benefitting their family’s mental health.

A quarter of pet owners admitted to enjoying time with their pet more than with their family.

Meanwhile, half of owners aged over 45 said they would be lonely without their pet.

Daniel Warren-Cummings, behaviour officer at Cats Protection, said: “Cats have always been a popular choice of pet but we’re particularly delighted to see that more men are seeing the benefits of older cats, as well as kittens.

“Just like humans, cats are all different and this is what makes them great pets for people from all walks of life - whether its indoor cats suited to living in a quiet home, or more adventurous ones, which thrive in a busy household, and love exploring the outdoors. We often hear from men who tell us their cats are not only great companions, they’re also incredibly entertaining which can be a great stress-buster.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.