Pets can be emotional eaters, too

SEATTLE -- If you are an emotional eater, chances are so is your pet.

According to the Daily Telegraph, a new study suggests some veterinarians believe dogs and cats indulge, much like their owners, and put on extra weight. The study suggests that as much as 25 percent of cats are obese and 45 percent of dogs.

The newspaper said other experts think our furry friends are becoming more obese because they are prone to "emotional eating." Trigger factors can include boredom, anxiety and depression.

Dr. Franklin McMillan, a former vet and retired clinical professor of medicine at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine in California, has reviewed dozens of studies about pets and eating habits. He believes that animals, like humans, can eat too much.

Certain breeds can be more prone to packing on the extra pounds, such as Labrador Retrievers, Cairn Terriers, Cavalier King Charles, Scottish Terriers and Cocker Spaniels. Domestic shorthair cats are also prone to weight gain.

For more on this story about pets and their emotional eating from the Daily Telegraph, click here.