What cat owners think about parasite protection
Are cat owners aware of the risks parasites carry?
At kittenhood, most owners are well attuned to protecting kittens from parasites. At this point, many recognise the importance of protecting the vulnerable immune systems of younger animals. This is also when they are most likely to attend the veterinary clinic and get their kitten vaccinated.1
However, it appears owners are less likely to engage in preventative measures when a cat reaches adulthood. According to our survey, 17% believe cats only need parasite treatment when they are kittens, while 22% believe cats only need parasite treatment when they show symptoms.2 Overall, a significant percentage of cat owners do not engage in preventative measures, which highlights a need for more awareness of parasite risks.2
Owners are now interacting
more closely than ever with their cats2
26%
of owners let their cats lick their children’s hands
50%
of owners let their cat sleep on their bed
24%
admit their cat is allowed on the kitchen table and worktops
Without adequate parasite protection, these interactions can put owners’ health at risk.
To further explore what owners know about parasite protection, we surveyed 1,400 cat owners in the US, Brazil, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Australia.2 This has helped us gain real-world, quantitative insight into owners’ attitudes towards parasite protection and their relationship with their cat and with veterinary professionals – like you.
In this article, we share what we found about what cat owners already know about feline parasite control.
While cat ownership has risen and even outnumbered their canine counterparts in many countries, the awareness and understanding of feline parasites among owners is still behind.2
- Cat owners fail to adequately control parasites, with dogs appearing to be more effectively protected than cats2
- Cat owners who also own a dog are 16% more likely to administer parasite protection to their cats routinely compared with cat-only owners2
Whilst not always easy in a busy clinic, it’s clear that making time to discuss parasite prevention and the value of routine control with cat owners is essential.
Changing the conversation
Our research found that veterinary professionals are a highly trusted source of advice, knowledge, and information for cat owners.2 This means that your conversations can make a huge difference to their attitude towards parasite control.
Assessing owners’ understanding of the potential health risks of parasites and explaining the variety of available treatments can be hugely beneficial for pets and owners.
For instance, owners of indoor cats are often unaware that their pet still requires a prevention protocol.2 Meanwhile, other owners need clarification about how to apply treatment.2 In both cases, you can provide a step-by-step demonstration or resources to support administering treatment and discuss treatment reminders that the practice can offer.
Cat owners with a greater focus on human health are more likely to prioritize parasite control in their cats2:
When looking at attitudes towards health behaviors, we can see that those who are less focused on their own health (grouped as ‘Not Health Focused’) are also significantly more likely to forget regular dosing of parasiticide.
Describing real-world examples, we have seen in our career, statistics and resources can support owner-conversations. That’s how we can help to drive home the true risk of parasites, not just to their cat or other cats but to the whole family.
