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Doting owners are often blamed when pets put on a few pounds.
當家里的愛寵增重了，人們往往歸咎于溺愛它的主人喂食太多。
But experts say that in many cases obese dogs and cats are 'emotional eaters'.
然而專家們說，在很多情況下，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，它們過量貪食的目的也許僅僅是為了應對煩惱和壓力等不良情緒。
That means, if they have gained weight, it could be because they have been through a traumatic or emotional event.
這意味著，如果寵物們增重了，有可能是因為它們正在經歷心理創傷或情感事件。
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'.
新的研究結果也表明，如果主人要讓超重的寵物節食，很可能會使影響它們的心情，因為如此它們應對不良情緒的機制就被擾亂了。
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，喵星人的肥胖率高達25%，而汪星人的肥胖率更高達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.
這一問題自然讓人聯想到電影《BJ單身日記》中的女主角布里吉特·瓊斯這個典型范例，這位大齡剩女也是通過吃喝來逃避感情生活中的煩惱。根據《周日電訊報》相關報道，獸醫相信寵物會通過吃食來排憂解悶。
Comfort eating in humans tends to involve high calorie foods which the individual chooses, including ice cream, and chocolate.
“借食消愁”的人往往會選擇個人喜歡的高熱量食物，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.
而研究結果顯示，動物們不會像人那樣挑剔，即使主人給的僅是它們通常吃的狗糧或貓糧，它們也可以借用饕餮一番來緩解壓力。
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.
這項研究是由位于加州的衛生科學西部大學獸醫學院前任臨床醫學教授、獸醫富蘭克林·麥克米蘭指導研究的，相關文章發表于最新一期的《寵物行為雜志》上。
He said 'emotional eating' in pets, could be triggered by feelings including boredom, anxiety and depression.
富蘭克林·麥克米蘭教授表示，寵物“借食消愁”的行為可能有多種引發原因，如厭煩、焦慮、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.
但此項研究也表示，貪食可以作為兩種截然相反的情緒狀態的表征：它既可能表示寵物心情良好，也可能表示寵物心情極為糟糕。
