Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group has seen a spike in the number of enrolled kittens.
The Akron, Ohio, company, which sells plans under its ASPCA, Hartville and PetPremium brands, reported April 9 that kitten enrollment jumped by 62 percent from 2012 to 2016.
“While dogs still outnumber cats in terms of overall enrollments, this new analysis demonstrates the growing popularity of pet health insurance amongst feline pet parents,” said Dennis Rushovich, the company’s senior vice president.
Across the industry, according to market researcher Packaged Facts, about 85 percent of insured pets are dogs.
Veterinarians should take note of the rising interest in kitten insurance, Crum & Forster stated.
“Talking to kitten owners about pet health insurance is another way veterinarians can encourage pet parents to provide the same level of veterinary care to their cats as they do to their dogs,” Rushovich said.
“Pet health insurance makes it easier for clients to adhere to veterinary recommendations.”
The company also found that insured kitten owners made greater use of their policies — 26 percent filed claims in 2012 compared with 41 percent in 2016.
“So many pet owners rely on misperceptions: ‘Cats are independent, cats don’t need as much medical care, cats don’t look sick so they’re not sick,’” said Jane Brunt, past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. “We must continue to educate the public about what health care cats need and deserve.”