Why you should never put your cat in a backpack: Vets warn cramped bags make pets feel stressed and vulnerable – as they slam Claudia Schiffer’s ‘unnecessary’ decision to take her cat to a movie premiere

Vets have slammed Claudia Schiffer’s decision to hit the red carpet last night with her cat in tow.

The supermodel attended the world premiere of Argylle, the new film from her husband Matthew Vaughn, starring her 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 may have looked adorable hanging over Claudia’s shoulder, experts have warned that Chip was likely ‘stressed out’ by the situation.

“Cats are extremely territorial and crave freedom of movement, so placing them in a small and confined space and unnecessarily taking them to new and unfamiliar environments is likely to cause them stress, fear and anxiety and not provide them with any benefit,” said Alison Richards, head of clinical services at Cats Protection.

Cats Protection says Claudia’s decision to bring Chip to the premiere was “unnecessary,” claiming the model chose to make a fashion statement over the well-being of her pet.

‘Cats are sentient animals and should not be used as a fashion accessory. We strongly urge owners not to take their cats into pet inflatables as seen in the film,” Ms Richards explained.

‘Although some cats seem to tolerate backpacks, the movement on a person’s back is unpredictable and most cats lack adequate ventilation and space for the cat, making them cramped or uncomfortable.

‘The large window in the bubble backpack also means that 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 can choose where they go and what they interact with.

‘We don’t recommend taking them out of the home unless it is absolutely necessary, for example to go to the vet.’

The RSPCA echoed Cats Protection’s concerns.

Speaking to MailOnline, a spokesperson said: ‘The RSPCA would not recommend that backpacks be used to transport cats as cats naturally hide or try to run away when they feel stressed or scared – but this instinct can be limited if they’re in these backpacks. clear pockets.

‘The charity advises owners to monitor their cats for signs of stress when they are having new or different experiences, but this becomes very difficult when cats travel on their owners’ backs.

‘These backpacks are also often small, very restrictive and hinder temperature regulation.’

Claudia appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show with Chip in November and explained how her cat was cast in his debut film.

‘We had another cat in the film, he’s not a very good actor. He was terrible. It was also very expensive,” she said.

“So my husband, Matthew, the director, asked if he could have my cat. I said, ‘Why not, he could be a fake cat’ and here we are.”

Aside from bringing 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 problems.

“The impact of using this breed in a Hollywood film cannot be overstated,” Ms Richards added.

‘All Scottish Fold cats suffer from varying degrees of painful degenerative joint disease and the underlying genetic defect has far-reaching and serious consequences for their health.

‘They continue to develop painful arthritis and it develops it so reliably that it is used as a model to study the gene involved in arthritis in humans.

‘They are already very popular on social media and with celebrities, so we are really concerned that this film will increase this even further.’