A new report has found nearly 6 in 10 cat owners do not see a vet as often as they would like, despite fewer reported difficulties in accessing care.

Although the proportion making routine visits is said to be rising, Cats Protection officials have warned that more than four million cats may not be receiving regular care. They have also estimated that nearly a million cats are not registered with a vet.

The picture has emerged following publication of the charity’s fifth annual Cats and Their Stats paper, which reported a fall in the UK’s owned cat population to around 10.6 million from 11 million in 2023.

The analysis, which is based on a survey of more than 10,000 people, found that 62% of participants said they routinely take their cat to the vet each year, up from 57% in 2020.

But 58% of respondents, up 1% from last year, also reported they did not visit the vet as often they would wish to.

Appropriate information

Cats Protection chief executive John May said the organisation was reviewing its communications to ensure appropriate information is “available and accessible” to owners.

But he added: “We are also calling on the veterinary profession to stand up for cats, to make welfare a priority and to support cat owners – particularly those new to cat ownership, in making the right decisions for cats.”

While the cost of treatment remained the most commonly cited reason for owners not visiting a vet, the 28% of survey respondents who raised it was unchanged from 2023, while the number highlighting cat and owner stress rose slightly to 26%.

BVA senior vice-president Anna Judson admitted in the report that the proportion reporting less frequent vet visits than preferred was “disappointing”.

Concerns

But while she acknowledged “understandable” concerns about care costs, she cautioned about the potential consequences of such an approach and urged owners to discuss financial concerns with their clinicians.

She said: “Deferring regular, preventive health check-ups with the vet could be storing up bigger health issues, which could cost more in the long run.”

The proportion of cats that are registered with a veterinary practice has increased slightly from 90% in 2023 to 91% now.

But the number of unregistered cats rises to 13% among owners within the lower (DE) socio-economic groups and 16% among animals that are uninsured.

The report also revealed striking contrasts in some owners’ ability to obtain veterinary treatment for their cats.

While only 28% of participants said they had experienced difficulties in accessing a vet this year, down from 37% in 2022, that figure soared to 45% in central urban areas.

‘Too busy’

Just more than a third (35%) of owners who reported access issues said vets were “too busy” – up from 32% last year – with reduced services or opening hours (both 24%) the next most commonly cited.

But the report suggested a range of factors, including capacity issues and potentially increased demand in some areas, may be contributing to the problem, while owners in central urban areas were more likely to have acquired their cat more recently.

Alison Richards, Cats Protection’s head of clinical services, said: “Cats Protection is exploring opportunities to support on some of these challenges and we aim to improve collaboration between sectors.”