THIS year’s national Pet Census survey offers a unique snapshot into the lives of the country’s cats - and their owners.

Published by The Blue Cross pet charity, the survey reveals that just under half of the population owns a pet, one per cent less than 2005. Cats are owned by just over a fifth of the population, a three per cent drop from 2005.

The average annual expenditure on a cat is £240 - over £1 billion pounds a year as a nation, with more cat owners who experienced problems, 36 per cent, saying that their cat was more expensive than they expected.

Raising concerns about safety, 43 per cent of cat owners who reported health problems, the highest, said their cat’s problem was caused by an accident or injury. Encouragingly, almost 82 per cent of cats are spayed or neutered, as opposed to 45 per cent across species.

Cat owners’ profile is spread evenly throughout all age groups, social grades and UK regions.

The Blue Cross Pet Census is the only national survey of its kind and is compiled by the pet charity as part of its ongoing work to understand the relationships people have with their pets.

The data provides essential national regional information on issues including ownership trends, animal welfare, attitudes to pet ownership and the relationship between pets and their people.