A new study has revealed that many cat and dog treats rival the calorie content of fast food.

Direct Line Pet Insurance, which conducted the research, said calorie content was rarely shown on pet food, making it hard for owners to choose healthy treats.

Analysis by the insurance company claims a host of well-known brand names are rich in calories.

Dreamies, one of the most popular snacks bought for cats, contains 21 calories per serving and 415 calories per 100g. Rival Whiskas Temptations fares little better, with 16 calories per serving and 415 per 100g.

Meanwhile, Bonio dog treats, at 323 calories per 100g, contain around 53% more calories than a McDonald’s Big Mac burger. One Bonio dog biscuit has 78 calories, about 7% of an adult Labrador’s daily allowance, if it is exercised normally. This is similar to a KitKat Chunky, which has 207 calories – 8% of an adult man’s recommended daily calorie intake.

Marc Abraham, a vet and animal welfare campaigner, said: “Animal obesity is on the rise and as pet owners, it’s up to us to control how much and what type of food our pets eat.

“I would be delighted to see calorie information made available on all pet treats and believe it would have a positive impact in helping tackle the country’s growing pet obesity crisis. Obesity can lead to numerous life-threatening health problems, the most common of which are arthritis and heart conditions in dogs, and diabetes in cats.

“These are all serious illnesses but the risks can be dramatically reduced by ensuring your pet stays at a healthy weight.”

Prit Powar, head of pet insurance at Direct Line, said: “We want clearer labelling on dog and cat treats in order to better inform owners about what they are feeding their pets, much like the nutritional information readily available for human foods. With the number of obese dogs and cats on the rise it is vital that the industry encourages responsible pet ownership.”

Calorie content per 100g (calories per recommended serving size):

• Dreamies Cat Treats 415 (21)
• Whiskas Temptations 415 (16)
• Felix Goody Bag Original Mix 401 (60)
• Felix Crispies 386 (46)
• Whiskas Dentabites 343 (14)

Calorie content per 100g (calories per treat):

• Pedigree Gravy Bones 343 (14)
• Bonio Dog Biscuits 323 (78)
• Winalot Shapes 320 (16)
• Misfits Wonky Chomps 304 (255)
• Bakers Allsorts Whirlers 269 (23)