Vets have slammed Claudia Schiffer’s decision to hit the red carpet last night with her pet cat in-tow.
The supermodel was attending the world premiere of her husband Matthew Vaughn’s new movie Argylle, which stars her pet cat, Chip.
Chip attended the premiere in a yellow backpack, and could be seen peeking through a small window as Claudia posed for the cameras.
While he might have looked cute slung over Claudia’s shoulder, experts have warned that Chip was likely ‘stressed’ by the situation.
‘Cats are extremely territorial and crave freedom of movement so placing them in a small and confined space and taking them to new and unfamiliar environments, unnecessarily, is likely to cause them stress, fear and anxiety and will not provide them with any benefit,’ said Alison Richards, Head of Clinical Services at Cats Protection.
Vets have slammed Claudia Schiffer’s decision to hit the red carpet last night with her pet cat in-tow
While he might have looked cute slung over Claudia’s shoulder, experts have warned that Chip was likely ‘stressed’ by the situation
Cats Protection says that Claudia’s decision to take Chip to the premiere was ‘unnecessary’, and claim that the model chose making a fashion statement over her pet’s welfare.
‘Cats are sentient animals and should not be used as fashion accessories. We would strongly urge owners not to take their cats out in bubble pet carriers, as shown in the movie,’ Ms Richards explained.
‘Though some cats may appear to tolerate backpacks, the movement on a person’s back is unpredictable and most lack adequate ventilation and space for the cat – leaving them cramped or uncomfortable.
‘The large window in the bubble backpack featured also means cats don’t have the option to hide when they feel anxious, leaving them feeling exposed and vulnerable.
‘Cats prefer to roam freely in their familiar environment and thrive best when they have an element of choice over where they go and what to interact with.
Cats Protection says that Claudia’s decision to take Chip to the premiere was ‘unnecessary’, and claim that the model chose making a fashion statement over her pet’s welfare
‘We would advise against removing them from their home unless absolutely necessary, for instance to go to the vet.’
The RSPCA echoed Cats Protection’s concerns.
Speaking to MailOnline, a spokesperson said: ‘The RSPCA wouldn’t recommend that backpacks are used to transport cats as cats naturally hide or try to run away when they feel stressed or scared – but this instinct could be restricted when they are contained inside these clear bags.
‘The charity advises owners to monitor their cats for any signs of stress when introducing them to new or different experiences but this becomes very difficult when cats are travelling on their owners backs.
‘These backpacks are also often small, very restrictive and interfere with temperature regulation.’
Appearing with Chip on The Jonathan Ross Show in November, Claudia explained how her cat was cast in his debut movie.
‘We had another cat on the film, he’s not a very good actor. He was terrible. He was also very expensive,’ she said.
Appearing with Chip on The Jonathan Ross Show in November, Claudia explained how her cat was cast in his debut movie. Pictured: Claudia Schiffer, Dua Lipa, Bryce Dallas Howard and Ariana DeBose attend the World premiere of Argylle
‘So my husband, Matthew, the director, he asked if he could have my cat. I said, “Why not, he could be a nepo cat” and here we are.’
Aside from taking Chip to the premiere, Cats Protection has questioned the decision to include him in the film at all.
Chip is a Scottish Fold cat – a breed known to suffer from a range of serious health and welfare concerns.
‘The impact of using this breed in a Hollywood film cannot be overstated,’ Ms Richards added.
‘All Scottish Fold cats suffer from variable degrees of painful degenerative joint disease and the underlying genetic defect has far-reaching and severe consequences for their health.
‘They go on to develop painful arthritis and it develops it so reliably that it’s being used as a model to study the gene involved in human arthritis.
‘They’re already very popular on social media and with celebrities so we really worry that this film will cause this to surge even more.’
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CAT? THE 13 SECRET SIGNALS FELINES GIVE THEIR OWNERS
Cats are often branded aloof and solitary creatures who spend their days plotting their human owner’s demise, but such characterisations could not be further from the truth.
In fact, our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language.
In her eye-opening new book Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat, author Lili Chin – with the help of animal behaviourists – explains how to interpret your pet’s movements.
Below are some of the most common behaviours and what they could signal.
Our feline friends constantly communicate their feelings of affection to us, whether it be through their whiskers, tail, face or body language
