Pet Feeding Practices: A Survey of Dog and Cat Owners’ Current Feeding Practices, Attitudes, and Motivations Within the UK

The choice of what to feed is a significant decision for a pet owner and is complicated by the vast array of choices that are available. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feeding choices and practices of UK dog and cat owners. An online survey was conducted in which owners were asked about their feeding practices, what they look for in pet food, and purchasing habits, as well as collecting owner demographics and pet signalment information. A total of 520 responses were collected for 682 dogs and cats (572 dogs and 110 cats), with most owners only having one pet. Significantly more cats were fed a mix of wet and dry food or solely wet food, while significantly more dogs were fed raw food. Most owners feed their pets twice a day in a standard bowl and obtain nutritional information online. Furthermore, the most common way to purchase their food is online. There are differences between cat and dog owners feeding choices, with cat owners staying with more traditional methods and more dog owners choosing raw or alternative feeding. Raw feeding has increased in popularity compared to previous studies.