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Vets have criticized Claudia Schiffer’s decision to hit the red carpet last night with her cat in tow.
The supermodel attended the world premiere of her husband Matthew Vaughn’s new film, Argylle, starring their cat, Chip.
Chip attended the premiere with a yellow backpack and could be seen looking out a small window while Claudia posed for the cameras.
While he might have looked cute hanging on Claudia’s shoulder, experts have warned that Chip was probably “stressed” by the situation.
“Cats are extremely territorial and crave freedom of movement, so placing them in a small, confined space and taking them into new, unfamiliar environments unnecessarily is likely to cause stress, fear and anxiety and will provide them with no benefits.” said Alison Richards, head of clinical services at Cats Protection.
Cats Protection says Claudia’s decision to take Chip to the premiere was “unnecessary” and claims the model chose to make a fashion statement over her pet’s well-being.
‘Cats are sensitive animals and should not be used as fashion accessories. “We strongly advise owners not to take their cats out in bubble carriers, as shown in the film,” Ms Richards explained.
“Although some cats seem to tolerate backpacks, movement on a person’s back is unpredictable and most lack adequate ventilation and space for the cat, leaving them cramped or uncomfortable.
‘The large bubble backpack window that pops up also means that cats don’t have the option to hide when they’re feeling anxious, making them feel exposed and vulnerable.
‘Cats prefer to roam freely in their home environment and thrive best when they can choose where to go and what to interact with.
“We advise against taking them out of your 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 backpacks be used to transport cats, as cats naturally hide or try to flee when they feel stressed or scared, but this instinct could be restricted when they are contained inside. of this”. transparent bags.
‘The charity advises owners to monitor their cats for any signs of stress when introducing them to new or different experiences, but this is very difficult when cats are traveling on their owners’ backs.
“In addition, these backpacks are usually small, very restrictive, and interfere with temperature regulation.”
Appearing with Chip on The Jonathan Ross Show in November, Claudia explained how her cat was cast in her debut film.
‘We had another cat in the movie, he’s not a very good actor. He was terrible. He was also very expensive,’ he said.
“Then my husband, Matthew, the director, asked me if he could keep my cat. I said, “Why not? It could be a nepo cat” and here we are.
In addition to bringing Chip to the premiere, Cats Protection questioned the decision to include him in the film.
Chip is a Scottish Fold cat, a breed known to suffer from a number of serious health and welfare problems.
“The impact of using this breed in a Hollywood film cannot be underestimated,” Ms Richards added.
‘All Scottish Fold cats suffer varying degrees of painful degenerative joint disease and the underlying genetic defect has serious and far-reaching consequences for their health.
‘They continue to develop painful arthritis and develop it so reliably that it is being used as a model to study the gene involved in human arthritis.
“They’re already very popular on social media and among celebrities, so we’re really worried that this movie will make that even more so.”