你家宠物吃太胖？也许是因为不开心

Doting owners are often blamed when pets put on a few pounds.

当家里的爱宠增重了，人们往往归咎于溺爱它的主人喂食太多。

But experts say that in many cases obese dogs and cats are 'emotional eaters'.

然而专家们说，在很多情况下，超重的喵星人和汪星人都是在“借食消愁”。

They also consume more than they need simply to cope with boredom or stress, research has found.

研究表明，它们过量贪食的目的也许仅仅是为了应对烦恼和压力等不良情绪。

That means, if they have gained weight, it could be because they have been through a traumatic or emotional event.

这意味着，如果宠物们增重了，有可能是因为它们正在经历心理创伤或情感事件。

New claims have also suggested that putting an overweight cat or dog on a diet could make them unhappy, because the owner is taking away their 'coping mechanism'.

新的研究结果也表明，如果主人要让超重的宠物节食，很可能会使影响它们的心情，因为如此它们应对不良情绪的机制就被扰乱了。

The study claims the obesity rate is as much as 25 per cent in cats, and 45 per cent in dogs.

研究表示，喵星人的肥胖率高达25%，而汪星人的肥胖率更高达45%。

The problem has been likened to that of Bridget Jones, the singleton who hides away from her troubled love life by eating, with vets believing some pets use food to cope with sadness, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

这一问题自然让人联想到电影《BJ单身日记》中的女主角布里吉特·琼斯这个典型范例，这位大龄剩女也是通过吃喝来逃避感情生活中的烦恼。根据《周日电讯报》相关报道，兽医相信宠物会通过吃食来排忧解闷。

Comfort eating in humans tends to involve high calorie foods which the individual chooses, including ice cream, and chocolate.

“借食消愁”的人往往会选择个人喜欢的高热量食物，如冰淇淋、巧克力等等。

But research shows animals are less fussy, and will go on a comfort binge even if the only food on offer is their usual dog or cat food.

而研究结果显示，动物们不会像人那样挑剔，即使主人给的仅是它们通常吃的狗粮或猫粮，它们也可以借用饕餮一番来缓解压力。

The claims are made in research contained in the latest edition of the Journal of Veterinary Behavior by Dr Franklin McMillan, a vet and former clinical professor of medicine at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, in California.

这项研究是由位于加州的卫生科学西部大学兽医学院前任临床医学教授、兽医富兰克林·麦克米兰指导研究的，相关文章发表于最新一期的《宠物行为杂志》上。

He said 'emotional eating' in pets, could be triggered by feelings including boredom, anxiety and depression.

富兰克林·麦克米兰教授表示，宠物“借食消愁”的行为可能有多种引发原因，如厌烦、焦虑、抑郁等。

But the research has also suggested overeating could also be a sign of pleasurable emotional state, as well as a psychological state of turmoil.

但此项研究也表示，贪食可以作为两种截然相反的情绪状态的表征：它既可能表示宠物心情良好，也可能表示宠物心情极为糟糕。