Rachel H Lumbis¹, Samantha J Fontaine¹, John J Reilly², Philippa S Yam¹

¹University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom. ²University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Objectives

To determine factors influencing pet and child caregivers' diet choice, feeding practice and level of attachment.

Methods

UK-based caregivers ≥18yrs with responsibility for >1 child aged ≤10yrs and a cat/dog were recruited. Purposive sampling ensured participant diversity according to shared characteristics, including age, gender, dietary preferences, feeding habits and diet choice. Seventeen semi-structured online interviews were conducted. An inductive, data-driven approach was employed, and analysed using the nine heuristics of interpretive thematic analysis.

Results

Nutrition was universally viewed as fundamental to health and a core caregiving responsibility, coexisting with everyday constraints. Diet quality was judged through visible cues and, for pets, familiarity, endorsement and trust in commercial brands, rather than nutrient profiles and knowledge. Pet diets were typically mid-range commercial foods, with habit identified as a key driver. Child feeding was driven by aspirations for balance but shaped by fussy eating and negotiation. Cost and convenience applied to feeding of both pets and children. Pets were valued family members, though often deprioritised due to childcare demands, causing guilt.

Statement: Impact/ Clinical Significance

Results highlight biopsychosocial determinants underpinning pet feeding decisions, encouraging veterinary professionals to question why caregivers feed as they do, and how decision-making may be optimised within a relational, One-Health framework. Identifying parallels and distinctions between child and pet feeding practices presents opportunities for integrated, expert-led, family-centred nutritional discussions that are routine, not reactive. Diet-related recommendations should acknowledge emotional attachment, relational dynamics, moral obligation and practical constraints, rather than relying on information provision and assuming rational, knowledge-led feeding behaviour.