The Student Room Group

Can I report someone to the rspca for feeding their cat too much? D:

Basically, there is this cat on my road who is very obese. It goes around meowing like it is clearly uncomfortable and me and my mum both feel very sorry for it! Is it an offence to make their cat suffer like that knowingly? They might find it funny having a fat cat but the cat's definitely not comfortable. It can barely walk let alone run like a normal cat would :mad: I used to have a cat with an uncontrollable appetite but it was easy enough to figure out how much to feed it so it doesnt get too fat.
Any suggestions? It's a bit of a silly thing to ask but TSR tends to have answers to everything. I reckon it's as bad as neglect personally.

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You could try, but I'm not sure they'd take you seriously. Why don't you talk to the owner's?
Reply 2
Yes, recently new legislation has been passed that means the same penalties apply for over-feeding your pet as for starving it.
Reply 3
'Pet owners now have a legal duty to provide proper care under the Animal Welfare Act. Breaches including feeding a cat or dog too much carry the threat of a fine of up to £20,000 or even 12 months' jail.

Daily mail article
Reply 4
Yes, And you should, Over feeding is just as dangerous as under feeding. It can cause many internal problems.
Reply 5
Who better to ask than the RSPCA themselves Shirley

rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/helpandadvice
Reply 6
Yes you can.

The cruelty line (and YES, it is cruelty) is 0300 1234 999.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 introduced things called the Five Freedoms (in simple terms.)

They are (this is from memory BTW so might not be the correct wording but they are right):

Freedom from hunger and thirst (And that also means providing the right type and a amount of food to keep them fit.)
Freedom from discomfort (considering that the cat is obviously uncomfortable this one applies.)
Freedom from pain, injury and disease (considering the amount of diseases etc that can be caused by obesity, this applies)
Freedom to display natural behaviour (Well, if an animal is obese then they obviously can't do a lot of their natural behaviour )
Freedom from fear and distress.

If the cat has a health problem that means it's obese (such as hypothyroidism ) then they need to make sure that they take him/her to the vets and get on treatment (which is another thing that pet owners have to do under the Act - proper health care! )
Reply 7
apparently you can but I don't see why you should be able to unless there actually forcing the animal to eat the food. surly the animal is capable of just leaving it and if its stupid enough to make itself that obease its its own fault. I have a high shelf in my house if a cat falls off and hits its head and dies its its own stupid fault for being up there unless I actually put it there. surely its the same.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 8
It is animal cruelty. Even if they're not forcing the animal to eat the food, some animals will eat and eat not knowing how bad it is for them, but the people who look after them KNOW that it is bad for them and should therefore not overfeed it.

I'm sure I've heard of owners who have got in trouble for overfeeding before. At least contact the RSPCA and let them investigate for themselves :smile:
Reply 9
hmm will in that case can you get done for child abuse for making really young children obease?
Reply 10
hmm will in that case can you get done for child abuse for making really young children obease?


:rolleyes:

Different laws concerning animals and children.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, overfeeding your pet can be prosecuted. That's what matters. Bringing children into it is irreverent as they obviously aren't covered by this legalisation.
Talk to the person who owns the cat politely first.
Reply 12
Original post by Hravan
:rolleyes:

Different laws concerning animals and children.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, overfeeding your pet can be prosecuted. That's what matters. Bringing children into it is irreverent as they obviously aren't covered by this legalisation.


well no they arn't part of that legistation and I'm not saying they should be. If the law says making your pet obese is cruelty then thats what it says I'm not disputing that.
I said it was stupid since the animal is capable of not eating the food and that has been replied to and yes I might of been wrong but I never even said it wasn't the law.
I'm not trying to "bring children into it" this thread just made me wonder about that.
I'm sorry if this may sound rude at all but i lolled at the title.. :ahee:
Reply 14
Yeah RSPCA would take it seriously as would cats protection.
Reply 15
Here's a question, imagine your cat wanders the neighborhood being fed by other people, are you still to blame for the cats obesity?

I think it's ridiculous.
What if it is genetic?
Original post by Hravan
Yes you can.

The cruelty line (and YES, it is cruelty) is 0300 1234 999.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 introduced things called the Five Freedoms (in simple terms.)

They are (this is from memory BTW so might not be the correct wording but they are right):

Freedom from hunger and thirst (And that also means providing the right type and a amount of food to keep them fit.)
Freedom from discomfort (considering that the cat is obviously uncomfortable this one applies.)
Freedom from pain, injury and disease (considering the amount of diseases etc that can be caused by obesity, this applies)
Freedom to display natural behaviour (Well, if an animal is obese then they obviously can't do a lot of their natural behaviour )
Freedom from fear and distress.

If the cat has a health problem that means it's obese (such as hypothyroidism ) then they need to make sure that they take him/her to the vets and get on treatment (which is another thing that pet owners have to do under the Act - proper health care! )


And somehow farm animals fail to count? I really don't get these double standards.
Reply 18
Leave it alone- it's just big boned...

In all seriousness though, it could be awkward if you speak to the owners and then still feel the need to get the RSPCA involved- it'd be pretty obvious you'd reported them!
Potentially being locked away for a year for overfeeding a cat is crazy.