Fat Cats - The rich, the cute and the furry

Dining out on rare white truffles, buying Madonna's mansion and starring in a world famous TV series sounds like the type of thing that only happens to the Hollywood A-list. But for the richest pets on the planet, it's all in a day's work.

Today, Petplan, the UK's largest pet insurance provider, launches the definitive 2009 Pet Rich List and unveils the top 50 entrants on the National Petrait Gallery (petraitgallery.co.uk) in a specially designed VIP area.

The recession-proof pets include a property mogul Alsatian who only eats steak and caviar, a Chimpanzee with a bank balance to rival Alan Sugar and a once homeless cat that certainly got the cream.

In a bid to secure a comfortable life for their beloved pet, many of the animals on the list inherited their fortune after their owner passed away. However, a select few are self made millionaires, including long-time canine actor Moose who played Eddie in the TV series Fraiser. The talented mutt rakes in £6,000 per episode and doesn't even have to learn any lines.

Dogs and cats are the most successful pets in the inheritance stakes, but reptiles and more exotic animals also feature on Petplan's Rich List.

Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Top Dog says: "We know that pets play a very special role in their owner's lives and the 2009 Pet Rich List highlights the lengths that some owners go to provide for their furry friends. We even have self-made millionaires among the most wealthy and well cared for animals on our list. Regardless of wealth, Petplan is committed to making sure that every owner can keep their pet healthy and happy, without breaking the bank."

To find out more about the affluent pets and read their tales of the Rich and Furry, visit the VIP area on the National Petrait Galley website (petraitgallery.co.uk). The photo gallery website also includes top tips on how everyone can make their pet feel like a millionaire, without breaking the bank.