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| Hero likes his catnip in pots in inconvenient locations. |
The majority of those who live with companion animals
want to make sure we meet their needs. But some people want to go that extra
bit and spoil their pet. There’s nothing wrong with that, in principle, if you’re
meeting all of those animal’s welfare needs and not inadvertently stressing them out by overwhelming them with "stuff".
One model used to discuss animal needs and allow them to
lead a life worth living is the “five domains” of animal welfare: nutrition,
environment, health and behaviour, which give rise to the fifth domain, mental
state. For example, when it comes to nutrition, we should be providing animals
with: opportunities to eat and drink ENOUGH (not too much), a balanced diet and
some variety. Of course not all animals appreciate variety in their diet, some
prefer the same foods or the same limited range of foods. Inflicting a wide
variety of foods on these animals won’t necessarily benefit them.
Whatever ways we try to improve the lives of animals, we
need to consider the animals’ point of view. It might be cute to accessorise a
dog in a diamond-encrusted collar, but at best the dog may lack awareness of
the value of such an accessory. At worst, it may be heavy, abrasive or catch on
fur. Similarly, there’s not much point forking out big bucks on a luxury pet
bed if you aren’t going to put it exactly where your cat likes to sleep.
SAT reader Kerry alerted us to a new trend: “wine” for
cats. We appreciate that the wine is not alcoholic, and that it is “essentially
catnip water”. But the idea seems anthropomorphic in a way that goes a too far.
Apollo Peak, one of the manufacturers, argues “why drink
alone?” when they provide a safe product that cats may decide to try if it is
served. As a vet, however, I worry that such misdirected love (cats would much
prefer to engage with a catnip or cat mint plant than drink a distilled version
of) may detract from useful efforts to improve feline welfare.
For example, if the way you engage with your cat is the
pour your cat some wine, then sit down and sink a few of your own, you’re not
really spending time with your cat. Cats don’t drink for whole evenings like we
do, unless they’re in fulminant renal failure in which case they’re more likely
to be guzzling water out of any source they find it in – the shower recess, a
dog bowl, the fishtank, the glass of water you left by the bed. People considering
having wine with their cat are thinking about themselves – not the cat. As onemanufacturer told Goodfood.com.au, “The best part of the idea is having wine
with your pet – that is what drives it. It’s not about the taste for the cat.”
Yet while you are drinking wine with your cat, you’re not
brushing him or her or throwing a scrunched up bit of paper for him or her to
chase down the hallway. You're probably sitting there desperately egging your cat on to try this new offering. The way cats choose to spend their time budget may hold
no interest for us, but then we’re not cats. They are the experts. They like to
do things that often humans don’t want them to – mark things with their claws,
chase insects and shadows, climb on shelves that give them a safe view of the
rest of the household, hide in the cupboards…in fact, my cat Michael’s
favourite beverage is hot shower water infused with whoever happens to be in
the shower at the time. That’s a pain because during this period whoever is in
the shower can’t use soap or shampoo, but she will walk straight past a full
bowl of fresh, clean water to get it.
According to a number of sources, pet wines are selling
like hotcakes. Its great if they are safe, but that’s only one aspect. If
animals aren’t engaging with products like these the way people do, the big question is, in
purchasing and using these products, are we misusing our own time and financial
budgets when we could be genuinely improving animal welfare?
