Behaviors and Attitudes towards Semi-Owned Cats

ABSTRACT

The intentional provision of food, medical treatment and shelter by humans for a cat that is not considered to be owned by the individual is defined as “semi-ownership.” The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of such behaviors and the attitudes held by individuals who engage in them. The sample, comprising 424 residents from rural and non-rural Victoria, Australia, were surveyed in relation to their ownership status, practices, and attitudes towards companion animals. The findings revealed that 22% of the sample engaged in one or more cat semi-ownership behaviors; primarily feeding. Cat semi-ownership was associated with positive feelings towards cats, and the belief that cats are independent. Opportunities to engage cat semi-owners in education programs that promote responsible companion animal ownership behaviors were evident.     

Admissions of Cats to Animal Welfare Shelters in Melbourne,Australia

Although the number of companion animal (pet) cats (Felis catus) in Australia is decreasing, there has not been a corresponding reduction in feline admissions to nonhuman animal welfare shelters. This study tracked 15,206 cat admissions to 1 large Melbourne shelter over a 12-month period. Data collected included factors believed indicative of the cats' source subpopulation, including body condition, injuries, and sociability. The majority (81.6%) of admissions were strays. Overall desexing levels were low (4%), even among caregiver (owner)-relinquished cats (12.8%). The high sociability of many stray cats and kittens suggests that many may be “semiowned” animals. Colony cats were typically thinner and in poorer health than other admissions. The pattern of kitten admissions suggests that many queens are producing 2 litters per season. The majority of cats admitted were euthanized, indicating that there is an oversupply of cats in Melbourne, Australia, and that strategies to reduce the euthanasia rate need to target the subpopulations of cats who contribute to the current oversupply.     

Animal Abuse in Massachusetts: A Summary of Case Reports at the MSPCA and Attitudes of Massachusetts Veterinarians

New Zealanders (n = 354) rated the acceptability of lethal and nonlethal cat control methods and the importance of conservation and welfare. Lethal control was more acceptable for feral cats than strays; for nonlethal control, the inverse was true. More than concern for the welfare of cats subjected to control, perceived conservation benefits, risk of disease transfer, and companion cat welfare dictated the acceptability of control measures. Similarly, the welfare consideration for groups of cats differed, transitioning from companion (highest) to feral (lowest). Differences in attitudes toward acceptability of control methods were evident. In particular, nonhuman animal professionals ranked lethal control as more acceptable than did nonanimal professionals. Cat caregivers (owners) considered both conservation and welfare issues of greater importance than did nonowners. Owners ranked the acceptability of nonlethal control methods higher for stray cats, but not feral, than did nonowners. This research indicates that the use of the terms stray and feral may have significant impact on cats in New Zealand. There is also a greater consideration of conservation values than of welfare in stray and feral cat control.     

Roaming Companion Cats as Potential Causes of Conflict and Controversy: A Representative Questionnaire Study of the Danish Public

Cats have grown in popularity as companion animals, but there are also people who strongly dislike them. Companion cats allowed to roam freely outdoors are seen by some as a nuisance. This paper, drawing on research conducted in Denmark, aims to quantify potentially conflicting attitudes to cats among the public that may feed into cat-related conflicts and controversies. Questionnaire data were collected from a representative sample of the Danish population (n = 2,003), where 21% (n = 415) owned cats and 79% (n = 1,588) did not. In all, 65% of respondents confirmed that they liked cats, 21% reported that they did not, and 14% were undecided. The main reasons for disliking cats concerned “behavior,” not hazards such as the spread of diseases and predation. Of the 21% of the surveyed Danes who reported that they currently had a cat in the household, 72% allowed their cat to roam outdoors. Sixty percent of the respondents did not perceive this as a problem. However, the potential for conflict was demonstrated by the fact that 27% of respondents regarded outdoor roaming as problematic. Of these, about a quarter saw free-roaming cats as a big problem and as a cause of strife between neighbors. Comparatively fewer of those who owned cats saw their animals as a cause of problems. Thus, only 12% of those owning outdoor cats thought that problems were caused when their cats defecated in a neighbor’s garden, which compares with the 17% of the total population who are bothered by other people’s cats defecating in their gardens. Our data show that while the majority of Danes believe cats should be allowed to roam in public spaces, a significant minority strongly dislikes cats and would prefer restrictions on roaming.     

Behavior and Welfare of Domestic Cats Housed in Cages Larger than U.S. Norm

The effect of providing additional floor space on cat behavior and welfare is not well documented. This study involved replication of an investigation of cats’ responses to enhanced cage and room environments using cages of 0.56 m² with the same methodology but an increased space allowance of 1.1 m². Singly housed adult cats (n = 59) were randomly assigned to a treatment group that was a combination of a managed or unmanaged room and an enriched or unenriched cage environment. Cats were observed for 2 days for maintenance, affiliative, and avoidant behaviors using scan sampling and 5-min, continuous focal sampling. At the end of Day 2, cats’ reactions to the approach of an unfamiliar person were assessed. Cats housed in enriched/managed environments exhibited more maintenance and affiliative behaviors and fewer avoidant behaviors than cats in unmanaged/unenriched environments, suggesting that macro and micro environments may be equally relevant to the cat. Increased space did not enhance the cats’ welfare outcomes, suggesting that the provision of additional cage space may not be as important to the cat as a managed housing environment.     

Human Perceptions of Coat Color as an Indicator of Domestic Cat Personality

ABSTRACT

Associations between mammalian coat color and behavior have been investigated in a number of species, most notably the study of silver foxes by the Institute of Cytology and Genetics at the Russian Academy of Sciences. However, the few studies conducted regarding a potential relation between coat color and domestic cat personality have shown mixed results, even though many people believe that differently colored cats have distinct personalities. Understanding how humans might perceive personality in relation to coat color may have important ramifications regarding whether cats are relinquished to shelters or adopted from them. In order to assess human perceptions of differently colored cats, we conducted an anonymous, online survey, using a 7-point Likert scale and 10 terms describing personality traits that were chosen based on previous studies of animal personality. This survey examined how people assigned these given terms (active, aloof, bold, calm, friendly, intolerant, shy, stubborn, tolerant, and trainable) to five different colors of cats (orange, tricolored, white, black, and bi-colored). There were significant differences in how participants in this study chose to assign personality terms to differently colored cats. For example, participants (n = 189) were more likely to attribute the trait “friendliness” to orange cats, “intolerance” to tri-colored cats, and “aloofness” to white and tri-colored cats. No significant differences were found for “stubbornness” in any colors of cats. White cats were seen as less bold and active and more shy and calm than other colors of cats. While survey respondents stated that they placed more importance on personality than color when selecting a companion cat, there is some evidence that they believe the two qualities are linked. We anticipate our findings will be relevant to further study in domestic cat personality and to those who work in animal rescue, particularly in how shelters promote differently colored cats and educate potential adopters.     

What's in a name? Perceptions of stray and feral cat welfare and control in Aotearoa, New Zealand

New Zealanders (n = 354) rated the acceptability of lethal and nonlethal cat control methods and the importance of conservation and welfare. Lethal control was more acceptable for feral cats than strays; for nonlethal control, the inverse was true. More than concern for the welfare of cats subjected to control, perceived conservation benefits, risk of disease transfer, and companion cat welfare dictated the acceptability of control measures. Similarly, the welfare consideration for groups of cats differed, transitioning from companion (highest) to feral (lowest). Differences in attitudes toward acceptability of control methods were evident. In particular, nonhuman animal professionals ranked lethal control as more acceptable than did nonanimal professionals. Cat caregivers (owners) considered both conservation and welfare issues of greater importance than did nonowners. Owners ranked the acceptability of nonlethal control methods higher for stray cats, but not feral, than did nonowners. This research indicates that the use of the terms stray and feral may have significant impact on cats in New Zealand. There is also a greater consideration of conservation values than of welfare in stray and feral cat control.     

Habitat selection of feral cats (Felis catus) on a temperate,forested island

Abstract Habitat selection of mammalian predators is known to be influenced by availability and distribution of prey. The habitat selection of feral cats on Stewart Island, southern New Zealand, was investigated using telemetry of radio‐tagged cats. Compositional analysis of the habitat selection of radio‐tagged cats showed they were using the available habitats non‐randomly. Feral cats avoided subalpine shrubland and preferentially selected podocarp‐broadleaf forest. The avoidance of subalpine shrubland by cats was probably due to a combination of the presence of a large aggressive prey species, Norway rats Rattus norvegicus, and the lack of rain‐impervious shelter there. Most cats also used subalpine shrubland more often in dry weather than in wet weather. Cats did not preferentially select all the other habitats with only smaller rat species, Rattus rattus and Rattus exulans, present however. Cats were probably further influenced by the availability of large trees, in podocarp‐broadleaf forest, that can provide shelter. Cats were also more active in dry rather than wet weather which supports this conclusion. Home ranges of feral cats on Stewart Island were some of the largest recorded, probably because of limited primary and alternative prey.     

Maternal-Neonatal Pheromone/Interomone Added to Cat Litter Improves Litter Box Use and Reduces Aggression in Pair-Housed Cats

Introducing a new cat into a household with one or more resident cats can be a significant source of stress for the cats involved. These studies sought to determine if rabbit maternal-neonatal pheromone (2-methyl-2-butenal [2M2B]) in litter impacted cat social behaviors and litter box use. Study 1 determined that cats preferred to eliminate in litter containing 2M2B; other semiochemicals tested did not change litter box use. Cats prone to aggression were identified in an intermediate pilot study, and eight pairs of these cats were selected for Study 2. In Study 2, cat pairs were provided litter containing either vehicle or 2M2B for 24 hours. Cats experiencing control litter displayed more aggression during the first 6 hours (p < .01) and spent more time using the litter box 12 hours and 18 hours after pairing compared with cats experiencing litter with 2M2B (p = .02). These results suggest 2M2B-infused cat litter may act as an interomone in cats housed domestically to prevent initial occurrences of aggression and may improve cat welfare in multicat households.     

Community Attitudes and Practices of Urban Residents Regarding Predation by Pet Cats on Wildlife: An International Comparison

International differences in practices and attitudes regarding pet cats'' interactions with wildlife were assessed by surveying citizens from at least two cities in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, China and Japan. Predictions tested were: (i) cat owners would agree less than non-cat owners that cats might threaten wildlife, (ii) cat owners value wildlife less than non-cat owners, (iii) cat owners are less accepting of cat legislation/restrictions than non-owners, and (iv) respondents from regions with high endemic biodiversity (Australia, New Zealand, China and the USA state of Hawaii) would be most concerned about pet cats threatening wildlife. Everywhere non-owners were more likely than owners to agree that pet cats killing wildlife were a problem in cities, towns and rural areas. Agreement amongst non-owners was highest in Australia (95%) and New Zealand (78%) and lowest in the UK (38%). Irrespective of ownership, over 85% of respondents from all countries except China (65%) valued wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas. Non-owners advocated cat legislation more strongly than owners except in Japan. Australian non-owners were the most supportive (88%), followed by Chinese non-owners (80%) and Japanese owners (79.5%). The UK was least supportive (non-owners 43%, owners 25%). Many Australian (62%), New Zealand (51%) and Chinese owners (42%) agreed that pet cats killing wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas was a problem, while Hawaiian owners were similar to the mainland USA (20%). Thus high endemic biodiversity might contribute to attitudes in some, but not all, countries. Husbandry practices varied internationally, with predation highest where fewer cats were confined. Although the risk of wildlife population declines caused by pet cats justifies precautionary action, campaigns based on wildlife protection are unlikely to succeed outside Australia or New Zealand. Restrictions on roaming protect wildlife and benefit cat welfare, so welfare is a better rationale.     

Seroepidemiological Survey of Coxiella burnetii in Domestic Cats in Japan

Cats are assumed to be one of the most important reservoirs of causative agent of human Q fever especially in urban areas. There is no evidence of Coxiella burnetii infection in cats in Japan prior to this. Sera from 100 cats, collected in various parts of Japan, were examined for antibody against C. burnetii. Sixteen out of the 100 samples contained antibodies against C. burnetii. The prevalence of the antibody decreased from the northeastern to the southwestern part of Japan. A high prevalence of the antibodies was observed in sera from cats of more than four years of age. It is difficult to deny that cats would be one of the important sources of human Q fever in Japan.     

The Burmese cat as a genetic model of type 2 diabetes in humans

The recent extension of genetic tools to the domestic cat, together with the serendipitous consequences of selective breeding, have been essential to the study of the genetic diseases that affect them. Cats are increasingly presented for veterinary surveillance and share many of human's heritable diseases, allowing them to serve as natural models of these conditions. Feline diabetes mellitus is a common condition in domestic cats that bears close pathological and clinical resemblance to type 2 diabetes in humans, including pancreatic β‐cell dysfunction and peripheral insulin resistance. In Australia, New Zealand and Europe, diabetes mellitus is almost four times more common in cats of the Burmese breed than in other breeds. This geographically based breed predisposition parallels familial and population clustering of type 2 diabetes in humans. As a genetically isolated population, the Australian Burmese breed provides a spontaneous, naturally occurring genetic model of type 2 diabetes. Genetically isolated populations typically exhibit extended linkage disequilibrium and increased opportunity for deleterious variants to reach high frequencies over many generations due to genetic drift. Studying complex diseases in such populations allows for tighter control of confounding factors including environmental heterogeneity, allelic frequencies and population stratification. The homogeneous genetic background of Australian Burmese cats may provide a unique opportunity to either refine genetic signals previously associated with type 2 diabetes or identify new risk factors for this disease.     

Human Classification of Context-Related Vocalizations Emitted by Familiar And Unfamiliar Domestic Cats: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

Previous research has shown that human classification of contextspecific domestic cat “meow” vocalizations is relatively poor, although improves with experience and/or general affinity to cats. To investigate whether such classification further improves when recipients (humans) of the vocalizations reside with the vocalizing animal (cat), cat owners (n=10) were asked to listen to eight audio recordings of a single meow (4 from their own cat and 4 from an unfamiliar cat) produced during one of four possible contexts, and identify the context in which each meow was emitted. Contexts comprised food preparation, food-withholding, negotiating a barrier, and attention solicitation. In addition, participants were asked to rate 20 meow vocalizations (produced by unfamiliar cats in the four contexts) on scales measuring pleasantness and urgency, in order to investigate whether participants reached consensus on the emotional content of the vocalizations. Successful identification of both the context and the hypothesized emotional content of the vocalization would comprise the first steps in our understanding of whether human-directed cat “meow” vocalizations are fully advantageous. Forty percent of the participants identified the correct contexts at a level greater than chance when the vocalizations belonged to their own cat. However, no participants performed above chance when vocalizations belonged to an unfamiliar cat. Participants’ urgency ratings were not significantly influenced by the context in which the vocalization was produced. Pleasantness ratings, however, were significantly higher for the context of negotiating a barrier in comparison with attention solicitation. These results suggest that the domestic cat, as a species, does not have a context-specific repertoire of human-directed vocalizations. Successful context classification of cat meows however, was possible for some owners. Whether such success was due to individual learning ability or recognition of hypothesized emotional content of the call requires further investigation.     

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Cat Care and Needs Scale (CCANS)

The objective of this study was to develop a brief scale, primarily intended for research applications, that measures how well people report meeting the welfare needs of their pet cats. The practice of keeping cats as a companion animal has increased, and despite their popularity, many cats suffer from poor welfare and behavioral problems. The failure to meet their welfare needs and provide for natural behaviors impacts their quality of life and may affect cats’ retention in adoptive homes. We present three studies in which we developed, piloted, and psychometrically evaluated the Cat Care and Needs Scale (CCANS) by surveying cat guardians, examining their selfreported care-taking habits and interactions in regards to a pet cat. The final study (n = 1,591) resulted in a 15-item scale which shows high reliability, with application of item response theory indicating that individual items were all suitable for inclusion. Diverse evidence, including a factor analysis, parallel analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis, supports that the scale is unidimensional. The CCANS is scalable and allows for correlational comparisons with other scales which measure any variable of interest in research exploring human–companion animal relationships or cat welfare. We propose that the CCANS scale is a step forward in measuring how well pet owners understand and meet their cats’ behavioral, welfare, and basic care needs.     

A Comparison of Attachment Levels of Adopters of Cats: Fee-Based Adoptions Versus Free Adoptions

Nonhuman animal welfare professionals have been critical of adoption programs that do not charge a fee for adult cats, despite the high euthanasia rate for cats due to a reported lack of homes. The argument against the free cat adoptions cites a devaluation of the cat, which may affect the adopter's perceived value of the cat and subsequent care. It may also attract low-income adopters who are perceived as unable to fulfill the financial responsibility of acting as caregiver (owner) of a companion animal (pet). This study examined adopters' attachment to their cats in relation to the payment or waiver of an adoption fee using the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale and perception of the shelter. No significant differences were found between groups on either measure. Programs such as this create an opportunity to positively affect cats in animal shelters by finding more homes; programs such as this also affect cat overpopulation by putting more altered cats into the community.     

The effects of farming systems (organic vs. conventional) on dairy cow welfare,based on the Welfare Quality® protocol

Animal welfare in livestock production is of great interest to consumers. The organic farming approach strives to ensure animal welfare based on preventive measures, but there are very few scientific studies that compare the actual differences in animal welfare between organic and conventional farms. Those studies that have been carried out frequently focus on specific aspects of animal welfare, mostly health issues. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to investigate the effects of the farming system on the welfare of dairy cows in a more holistic way. Although this study was carried out in just two federal states of Germany, the results could serve as a suitable model for the whole country. We used the Welfare Quality assessment protocol to measure welfare for dairy cattle (Welfare Quality®, 2009) and the results showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between organic and conventional farms, but there was also considerable variance between individual farms of the same farming system. Organic farms scored higher in all four Welfare Quality® principles: “Good Feeding”, “Good Housing”, “Good Health” and “Appropriate Behavior” compared to conventional farms. In particular, organic farms obtained higher scores with respect to Welfare Quality® measures of resting comfort, which contributes to a lower percentage of lameness; organic farms also implemented less painful methods for disbudding, or indeed carried out no disbudding, and provided access to pasture and outdoor exercise. However, organic farms still have room for improvement, especially with respect to animal health. Therefore, outcome‐based specifications should be included in the current (purely action-oriented) European regulation of organic production (EC, 2008; EU, 2018) to safeguard the health‐related aspects of animal welfare.     

Besnoitia darlingi (Apicomplexa,Sarcocystidae, Toxoplasmatinae): Transmission between Opossums and Cats1

ABSTRACT. Opossums (Didelphis marsupialis), act as intermediate hosts for Besnoitia darlingi and could be infected orally with sporozoites (oocysts) and bradyzoites (tissue cysts), or intraperitoneally (i.p.) with tachyzoites. Infections could presumably be transmitted through cannibalism. Cats (Felis catus), the definitive host, could be infected only with bradyzoites but not sporozoites. Oocysts shed by cats measure about 12 × 12 μm, resemble similarly sized oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii and Hammondia hammondi, and must be differentiated by the appearance of tissue cysts after experimental infection of intermediate hosts. Cats did not form tissue cysts of B. darlingi. Tachyzoites from the related B. jellisoni could be used in the Sabin-Feldman dye test to determine the development of antibody to B. darlingi in opossums after infection.     

Urinary monitoring of adrenal responses to psychological stressors in domestic and nondomestic felids

The potential of assessing adrenal responses to psychological stressors through the radioimmunoassay of free cortisol in urine was examined in the domestic cat (Felis catus) and in three nondomestic felid species (Felis geoffroyi, Felis bengalensis, and Felis concolor). To determine the approximate clearance rate of an acute increase in glucocorticoid secretion, serial plasma and bladder urine samples were collected from eight domestic cats after a 0.125 mg adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge. Within 30 min of administration, mean serum cortisol concentrations increased tenfold. Urinary cortisol concentrations increased twofold by 2 hr post-ACTH and were correlated with the serum responses. Also, 16 domestic cats were anesthetized, injected with 0.125 mg ACTH, and serially bled for 3 hr. All urine was collected for 24 hr post-ACTH. Urinary cortisol concentrations were significantly elevated compared to pretreatment concentrations and were correlated to the serum cortisol response (net area under the response curve). In another experiment, urine was collected daily for a 7-day baseline period from 16 domestic cats housed in standard laboratory cages. Subsequently, 8 cats were subjected to 8 consecutive days of “stress,” consisting of relocation, physical restraint, and jugular venipuncture. The other 8 cats were-neither moved, nor handled, nor bled for the same period of time. Two patterns of response were observed among the “stressed” cats: urinary cortisol concentrations either increased or decreased between baseline and treatment periods. These response profiles differed from those of controls, which remained basal and unchanged over time. A fourth experiment involved relocating a female Geoffroy's cat, 4 leopard cats, and 2 pumas to a novel environment for 8–10 days. Urinary cortisol concentrations rose on the first day of relocation and remained elevated above baseline for 5–7 days. Overall, these data suggest that adrenal responsiveness to psychological stressors in these four felid species can be assessed noninvasively by measuring coritsol in 24-hr urine samples. This research strategy may be useful for optimizing captive habitats to improve overall animal welfare and/or reproductive performance. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cross-Sectional Study of Characteristics of Owners and Nonowners Surrendering Cats to Four Australian Animal Shelters

Unwanted cats surrendered to nonhuman animal shelters are generally categorized as either “owned” or “stray.” This classification is misleading because “stray” cats may include many “semiowned” cats, for which people provide care but who are not perceived as being owned. This differentiation is important because effective strategies designed to reduce cat admissions to, and euthanasia rates in, shelters rely on accurate information about cat populations contributing to shelter intake; cat semiowners will likely respond to different strategies than people with no relationship with the cats they surrender. People surrendering cats to four Australian animal shelters were surveyed to identify factors associated with perception of ownership. Many self-classified nonowners had fed the cats they surrendered, often for a considerable period of time. The factor most strongly associated with ownership perception was an increasing association time with the cat. These findings confirm that enduring relationships between surrenderers and cats, consistent with cat semiownership, are common for cats surrendered to Australian animal shelters. This finding should be taken into account when planning education messages and cat population management strategies aimed at reducing cat admissions.     

MORPHOLOGY OF PLACENTOPHORA (SOLIERIACEAE,GIGARTINALES: RHODOPHYTA), A NEW GENUS BASED ON SARCODIOTHECA COLENSOI FROM NEW ZEALAND1

The only member of the red algal family Solieriaceae known from New Zealand is the endemic Sarcodiotheca colensoi (Hook. & Harv.) Kylin. This study shows that it differs in several respects from the type S. furcata (Setch. & Gard.) Kylin; thus a new genus Placentophora is created for the New Zealand alga. Although P. colensoi nov. comb. is retained in the Solieriaceae on the basis of vegetative, spermatangial, tetrasporangial, carpogonial-branch and early gonimoblast features, it differs from typical members of that family in its pattern of later carposporophyte development. After a single gonimoblast initial is cut off from the auxiliary cell towards the center of the thallus, further gonimoblasts develop from the initial as ramifying, radiating filaments. These filaments enter an extensive “nutritive-cell” region surrounding the auxiliary cell, form, numerous connections to the “nutritive” cells, and incorporate most of them into a central placenta of interconnected, and variously-fused vegetative and gonimoblast cells. Carpo-sporangia then form in short chains around the periphery of the placenta. The cystocarp lacks both a central fusion cell and a sterile-celled investment, or “Faserhülle.” The distinctive carposporophyte of Placentophora is compared to patterns of gonimoblast development, known in other members of the Solieriaceae.