Sales increase as cats grow in popularity

The majority of cats throughout southern and eastern Europe reside on farms and in rural households as mouse catchers. They are fed only infrequently, and when they are, it's usually on the remains of tinned dog food and leftovers. Most of these cats are therefore self-supporting, living off the mice they catch and the food of other farm animals. But a new trend is emerging, especially in eastern Europe. Here cats have now come into their own as pets and have been "discovered" as full members of the family, something that has been common in western Europe for some years. The growing numbers of people on higher incomes in eastern Europe have accepted cats and small dogs as house pets, and this recognition is accompanied by a desire for toys, high-quality accessories, treats offering additional value and naturally premium foods. Easy, odour-free feeding Spoiling their pets with healthy food is at the top of the wish-list for most owners of indoor cats, and in western Europe this wish is fulfilled for all layers of society. In eastern and southern Europe, however, this fulfilment is reserved for the better-off. Treats and foods that are said to offer additional benefits such as oral hygiene, improved bowel activity or coat care are extremely popular. Spanish pet product retailers, for example, report that cat owners are increasingly choosing food for their pets on the basis of such additional benefits. Hill's products in particular are finding favour with shoppers, and with its "Science Plan" brand the company has been able to increase its market share in the cat food market throughout Europe and consolidate its position in the market as a strong premium brand. This trend is also pronounced in other European countries in which there is a direct connection between the speciality trade and veterinarians. Small packs of treats and premium foods, often in what's known as the pocket-money range, are increasingly being sought out specifically for their added medicinal value. Types of packaging that were previously only used for human food are also in growing demand in this context. Thus individually wrapped chews for cats are available, offering the cat owner odour-free storage and meaning that hands stay clean and fresh-smelling even after giving the chew to the cat. Take Czech manufacturer KSK Bono, for example, with its sausages of finely ground meat under the "Delikatesa" label: the two 50 g sausages are packed in twos, thus offering the cat the ideal daily…