Kiwis splash on Christmas pet pressies

A Jimbo's survey found that 51 percent of New Zealanders always give their cat a gift at Christmas. Photo / Thinkstock

We really love our pets, we Kiwis - most of us give presents to our cats at Christmas and even more make sure Santa looks after the dog.

My former SPCA dog, Miss Hennessy, certainly enjoyed some special food at Christmas time and I'm not alone in wanting to provide a treat or two.

A survey by Jimbo's, the pet food people, says just over half (51 per cent) of New Zealanders always give their cat a gift at Christmas, while almost another quarter (22.7 per cent) sometimes do. So almost three out of four cat owners sometimes or always celebrate Christmas with their cats.

Another 65 per cent buy their cats a toy at least once a year and a hard core of 30 per cent do 'something special' for them on the cat's birthday. Over 52 per cent admit the cat sleeps on their bed or the kids' beds.

Jimbo's survey revealed the figures are even higher for dog owners. Almost 47 per cent buy their dog or dogs a birthday present and 33 per cent allow their dog to sleep on their bed or the kids' beds. More than 66 per cent always buy them a Christmas present, boosted to 85 per cent by the 18 per cent who sometimes do.

I feel a little defensive about admitting I understand this mentality but, look here, there's nothing eccentric about it.

Christmas gifts seem an appropriate "thank you" for the love our pets bestow upon us during the year.

My dear old pal Hennessy, the former SPCA dog, stood by me through thick and thin. She deserved her Yuletide meaty treats. How I wish she was still around for me to give her more this December.

More than 66 percent of those surveyed buy their dog a Christmas present.Photo / Thinkstock

That's the big thing about our pets - they become part of our lives in a way that non-pet people can never understand. Jimbo's survey also shows that the vast majority of pet owners - about two out of three - say the most important thing about their pet is making them feel part of the family.

If that doesn't show how pet owners commit to their animals, then I'm a furball...

However, things can go a bit overboard at times. For example, a long list of human foods - including chocolate, onions and grapes - can poison the system of cats and dogs. Cooked bones can splinter inside them, injuring their bowel and so forth. Never feed them candy or sweets as some contain the sweetener xylitol which can be dangerous for dogs and cats.

Because of the rising tide of pet of obesity, neither cats nor dogs should be fed off the table, cats particularly so. Cats were designed to be meat eaters - preferring the fresh stuff, sans all the cereals and additives found in many processed pet foods these days.

And did you know that cats descended from desert ancestors and so do not naturally drink a lot of water? Therefore eating fresh meat represents an important part of their hydration.

So what should you provide for a Christmas treat?

Well, I'd say keep it natural, because if you own a cat or a dog, you have a carnivore in the house.

To delight your pet this Christmas, I recommend providing the kind of meaty treat which puts them in touch with their inner wolf/lion.

To learn more about all the natural nutrition in Jimbos fresh meat products - including ones that usefully combine offal and bone meal with muscle meat - visit jimbos.co.nz