Only One in 10 Americans Consider Their Cat or Dog's Age When Selecting Food

MASON, Ohio, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from a national survey(1) commissioned by Iams®  and released today reveal that only 11 percent of U.S. pet owners take the age of a cat or dog as the most important factor when determining which formula to feed their pet. Propelled by this statistic, leading pet food maker Iams is reminding Americans to keep their resolutions to start 2011 off on the right paw by feeding pets a life stage specific diet.

"The new year is a time when we make resolutions to get healthier and improve ourselves, so why not extend that approach to our cat or dog's overall well-being?" said Dr. Katy Nelson, DVM, emergency veterinarian, in Alexandria, VA and a member of the Iams Pet Wellness Council. "I always tell my patients that healthy checkups start on the inside. Feeding a high-quality diet specific to an animal's age, like Iams Premium Protection, which offers specially formulated life-stage specific diets, is one of the most important ways to ensure four-legged family members lead healthy, happy lives."

In 2011, Iams is making it easier for pet parents to keep their new year's resolutions by bringing its most advanced nutrition ever – Iams Premium Protection – to mass retailers nationwide.

"When choosing a food for your cat or dog it is important to select a diet that has the right ingredients for that stage of your pet's life," continued Dr. Nelson. "Diet requirements – including protein levels, calories and vitamins and minerals – vary over the life of a pet and, in turn, an animal's needs change as he grows from a puppy or kitten, to an adult into a senior," said Nelson.

Oftentimes pet owners are not sure which life stage their cat or dog falls into. As a result, pets might not be receiving the nutrients or nutrients at the right levels critical for optimal health for their age. While life stage can vary between species and breeds, general guidelines include:

• One to 12 months: Kitten and Puppy formula includes DHA for brain and vision development;
• One to seven years: Adult formula includes HMP to keep teeth clean during and after meals, as well as balanced omega 6:3 ratio for healthy skin and coat;
• Seven years and older: Senior formula with L-carnitine helps burn fat and keep muscles lean.

 

"Iams is deeply committed to enhancing the well-being of dogs and cats throughout their entire life," said Neelam Modi, brand manager, Iams North America. "It is this commitment that inspired our nutritionists to work closely with veterinarians to develop Iams Premium Protection for each life stage."

Other factors the survey revealed that pet parents consider when purchasing food for their cat or dog include:

• Read Labels – Only one of out of three respondents (30 percent) rank ingredients as the most important criteria for which food to feed their cat or dog. Reading pet food labels is essential to ensure cats and dogs receive optimal nutrition.
• Listen to the Experts – More than one out of four (27 percent) pet owners cite personal recommendations from trusted resources such as veterinarians, as an most important factor of diet selection.
• Invest in Your Pet – Nearly one in four surveyed rank price as a deciding factor when choosing their pet's food. Feeding pets a proper diet based on age is a lifelong investment in a cat and dog's health.

 

Iams Premium Protection comes in three formulas for each species (dog and cat), which include: Kitten or Puppy, Adult and Senior. For more information about Iams and its pet food formulas, visit www.iams.com.

Survey Methodology

The above sourced findings are from an Ipsos poll conducted October 22 – 25, 2010. For the survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,006 randomly-selected adults aged 18 and over residing in the U.S. were interviewed online via Ipsos' U.S. Online Express Omnibus. With this sample size, results are considered accurate within ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled.

About P&G Pet Care

For more than 60 years, P&G Pet Care (NYSE: PG), the maker of Iams and Eukanuba, has enhanced the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet care products. To learn more about Eukanuba® and Iams® Dog & Cat Foods or general pet care and nutrition information, call the Iams Consumer Care Center at (800) 446-3075. You can also visit us on the Web at www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.  

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

(1) Online survey conducted among nationally representative sample of 1,006 randomly-selected adults aged 18 and over residing in the U.S. via Ipsos' U.S. Online Express Omnibus. Survey was completed October 22-25, 2010. Margin of error +/-3%.

SOURCE Iams