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Pets bring camaraderie and humor to our lives, but it’s not always a smooth ride – the average pet parent will experience 231 “mini-panics” per year, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 dog and cat owners looked at these panic points, and the results found that the average respondent experiences a little more than four “mini-panics” about their pet per week.
The survey found that the top mini-panics cited by participants were pets with irregular bowel movements (47%), pets that did not eat a normal amount (47%), and animal faeces with an unusual consistency (46%).
This is on top of pets that are eating something they shouldn’t have (46%) and pets that are missing around the house (42%).
Sometimes these panics resulted in a trip to the vet, and the survey found that four in ten people with children (76%) reported having had the same number of emergency hospital trips with their pet as they had with their human child.
The survey, commissioned by the pet food brand I and love and you and conducted by OnePoll, also looked at how people raise their pets and how much love and care is given to a four-legged friend.
However, there may not be a hard line between “child” and “pet” as 61% said they consider their pet to be their child.
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Four out of ten pet parents surveyed (42%) said they actually had their fur baby as a “starter child,” using the animal as a test to determine whether they are ready for children.
Respondents treat their pets like children in a variety of ways, including birthday parties (29%), wearing matching outfits (24%), and watching shows together (21%).
The results also showed that 41% of respondents celebrated Mother’s Day or Father’s Day with their pet.
The boundaries between human child and pet are so blurred that 35% of parents admit they called their child by their pet’s name – an average of 17 times a month.
The story goes on
“Pets are people too, and our families would not be the same without our furry colleagues. We believe the best love is the best food, and a key indicator of good quality pet food is digestive health. Whether it’s a fur or a human baby “Parenthood is one of the toughest things to do,” said Lindsey Rabaut, vice president of marketing for “I and love and you,” in a statement.
“Our pets are a part of us; it is a mutual love, and with this deep bond comes all the love and care as well as care. That is why we at ‘Me and love and you’ do everything in partnership with our own pets, so we know we are helping their digestive systems and helping alleviate top causes of concern. Happy tums make happy bums. “
The survey found that 58% want the best possible care for their pet because they are part of the family – but this is not always easy considering the trouble pets can get into.
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To make sure their four-legged friend is healthy, 54% of respondents pay attention to their pet’s poop, and 59% were aware that their pet’s poop is a good indicator of their digestive health.
The results showed that 24% researched what their pet’s poop should look like every week – while 10% admit they look it up every day.
And to keep their pets healthy, 48% look for pet foods that contain pre- and probiotics to support their pet’s digestive health.
“One thing we all do as parents is watch out for poop! We care about what goes in as much as what comes out, and we all dance happily when it’s healthy and normal. It’s a sense of pride “said Rabaut. “We make all of our food with the highest quality ingredients, and every snack contains prebiotics and probiotics, which are good for digestive health, which is vital to healthy poop.”
HOW DO THE ANSWERS TREAT YOUR PETS LIKE CHILDREN?
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Make Sure They Eat Healthy: 54%
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Share food with them: 54%
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Make sure they’re getting enough exercise: 53%
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Spend time with them: 52%
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Created a social media account for them: 46%
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Buy them Christmas presents: 36%
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Throw them birthday parties: 29%
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She potty trained: 28%
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Buy clothes for her (raincoats, ankle boots, etc.): 27%
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We have matching outfits: 24%
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Sleep trained them: 22%
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We watch shows together: 21%
TOP CAUSES OF “MINI-PANICS”
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Your pet has irregular bowel movements: 47%
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Your pet does not eat a normal amount: 47%
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Your pet’s poop is of an unusual consistency: 46%
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Your pet is eating something it shouldn’t have: 46%
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Not being able to find their pet in the house: 42%
