The rise of the cat-chelor: single men who choose cats instead of humans

ITCH, a new business that specialises in subscription flea and worm treatments for pets, commissioned the study. The conclusions, writes The Sun, follow:

•    One in three men remarked that buying a cat was the “best thing they had ever done”. The same ratio believed their cat was a good listener and kept them calm.

•    At least one in three male cat owners were put off by the practicalities of cat ownership, such as emptying the litter tray and treating the animal for worms.

•    One in four male cat owners believes their cat to be good company and an adequate replacement of a human being.

•    One in four men believed their having a cat portrayed them as loving and tender.

•    One in six men believed their having a cat aided their love life (although presumably five out of six men were happy to talk to a cat instead).

•    One in ten male cat owners believed their cat was able to counsel them through hard times.

ITCH

The study appears on the face of it to be part of a strategy of the month-old ITCH to generate sales.

According to The Sun, Jonny Gould, boss of ITCH, said of the study: “From our research, it’s great to see that so many of our cat-chelors are taking their pets to the vet regularly, however only 23 per cent are flea-ing every month, leaving our furry pals at risk.

"Fleas are a nightmare for our pets. The Itch flea monthly subscription pack makes it really easy to protect your pet so you never forget a treatment ever again."

ITCH was co-founded by entrepreneur James Cox, retailers Jonny and Adam Gould and marketer Charlotte Harper. According to Business Leader, the brand has received £5m investment from various sources including Seedcamp, Nigel Wray and James Cox.