TV personality Sam Thompson is taking time out from posting selfies to put his cats and their thirst front and centre. Cat food brand Purina ONE is working with Sam and his feline besties to raise awareness of cat hydration with a series of tongue-in-cheek ‘thirsty’ images designed to draw attention for all the right reasons.
Britain may be a nation of cat lovers, but new research has revealed a surprising concern – 78% of cat owners worry their cat isn’t drinking enough water, with one in four (25%) admitting to fretting over it at least once a day.
Whilst its most ideal for cats to drink from their water bowl, 76% of cat owners say they’ve witnessed their feline friend drinking from ‘alternative’ water sources, including bathroom taps (36%), puddles (31%) and toilets (6%). A further 78 per cent admit to trying different tactics to get their cats to drink, like placing multiple bowls of water around the house (56%), purchasing a cat water fountain (31%) and flavouring their water (22%).
Devised to tackle the problem head on, the new ‘thirsty gallery’ features King of the Jungle favourite and his two cats, Albus and Cedric, in a series of three loving scenes.
In one Sam can be seen with Albus, lying on the floor, surrounded by cat bowls filled with water. Despite Sam’s best efforts, and what with Albus being a cat, he stubbornly refuses to drink water from any of the bowls available. In another, this time designed to show how Hydralife can help support hydration and ‘make it easy’, Sam can be seen quenching his thirst in the garden, while Albus can be seen fervently lapping away at a bowl full of the new product.
In all of the images, the words ‘Make it easy’ are on prominent display – a nod to the Purina ONE Hydralife strapline, and to cats’ enthusiasm for the new gravy-like product. In addition to helping support cats’ hydration, Purina ONE Hydralife helps support their gut microbiome. It has a great taste they’ll enjoy too; available in chicken and salmon flavour.
Commenting on the image series, Sam said: “Like millions of Brits out there I’m a huge cat lover and I hope these new pictures featuring two much more handsome chaps than me help to highlight the importance of cat hydration.”
Sam is one of many cat owners who admit to putting their cat’s health above their own, with Purina ONE’s research revealing 19% of cat owners prioritise their cat’s health over their own, and a further 75% compare their cat’s health to that of any other family member. These figures show how important it is that cat owners really understand cat hydration, and the easy steps they can take to help support good hydration.
Nadia Roberts, Senior Brand Manager for Purina ONE said: “We know that lots of owners are concerned their cats aren’t drinking enough, and cats can sometimes ignore water bowls left out for them*. Purina ONE Hydralife makes it easy. Cats love it, it helps support their good hydration and gives owners the reassurance they need. It’s been a joy working with Sam on this campaign – he’s a great sport.”
The images are available to view on Purina ONE and Sam’s social media channels for those looking for an everyday reminder to keep their felines hydrated.
Purina ONE Hydralife is available now in Tesco, Pets at Home, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Waitrose. Each box includes 6x50g packs with both Salmon and Chicken flavours available.
