Abstract
Simple SummaryAvailable research on the link between domestic cats’ environment and welfare has primarily been conducted on cats living in animal shelters or research facilities; a better understanding of the welfare of cats living in homes is needed. We used an anonymous online survey to investigate the attitudes of current U.S.-based cat owners towards cats as pets; owner knowledge about normal cat behavior and environmental needs; current trends in cat care; behavior problems reported for these cats; and the human-animal bond. We found that owners with a more accurate understanding of cat behavior, and stronger reported bond with their cats, reported fewer behavior problems. Conversely, owners’ agreement with certain misconceptions about cats, and high perceived costs of care, were correlated with the use of punishment (e.g., yelling, hitting, or spraying with water) in response to misbehavior. Our results suggest that many cats living in private homes may be receiving only minimal environmental enrichment, particularly in the case of interactive (e.g., playing with a friendly human, or exploring changing environments) vs. static (e.g., cat toys such as stuffed mice) enrichment. Collectively, these results support the premise that better education of cat owners could benefit the welfare of cats living in private homes.Available research on the link between domestic cats’ environment and welfare has primarily been conducted in animal shelters or research facilities; a better understanding of the welfare of cats living in homes is needed. This study measured the attitudes of current U.S.-based cat owners towards cats as pets; owner knowledge about normal cat behavior and environmental needs; current trends in cat care; cats’ behavior in the home; and the human-animal bond. The primary hypothesis was that owners with a more accurate understanding of cat behavior and a stronger reported bond with their cats would report fewer behavior problems. Data from an online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey of 547 cat owners supported the primary hypothesis: owner knowledge, along with two measures of the human-animal bond (owner-pet interactions, and perceptions of affordability of cat ownership), were significant predictors of the number of reported behavior problems. In addition to fewer reported behavior problems, greater owner knowledge about cats was correlated with less use of positive-punishment-based responses to misbehavior, and increased tolerance of potential behavior problems when present. Owners’ agreement with certain misconceptions about cats and perception of high costs of care were correlated with the use of positive punishment in response to misbehavior. Based on the survey results, many cats living in private homes may be receiving only minimal environmental enrichment. Collectively, these results suggest the need for better education of cat owners. Topics could include: understanding normal cat behavior and correcting misconceptions; enrichment needs (particularly of indoor-only cats) and the risk of behavior problems when cats’ needs are not met; welfare risks associated with declawing; and the importance of sufficient resources to minimize social and territorial conflict.
Highlights
Much of the research on the links between domestic cats’ environment and their welfare has been conducted in animal shelters or research catteries [1,2,3]
The majority (93.6%) of respondents had been living with their cat for at least one year, and most (71.5%) had obtained their cat when the cat was less than one year of age
The results of the present study suggest that specific topics to be addressed include: correcting common negative misconceptions about cats and cat behavior; normal cat behavior and enrichment needs; the risk of behavior problems when cats’ needs are not met; welfare risks associated with declawing; the benefits of owning a cat; medical issues that may trigger some types of behavior; and the importance of sufficient resources to minimize conflict between cats and associated social stressors
Summary
Much of the research on the links between domestic cats’ environment and their welfare has been conducted in animal shelters or research catteries (e.g., influence of environmental stressors and handling on cat health and welfare) [1,2,3]. Several studies have suggested that many cat owners lack rudimentary knowledge necessary for optimal cat care, such as how to prevent unwanted litters or provide basic health care, or how to provide an ideal environment for this species [7,9,10,11,12]. This situation may be serious for cats’ behavioral needs [6,13]. At the same time, increasing urbanization has altered many cats’ environments. It has contributed to smaller living spaces, higher population densities, complete indoor confinement, and more time spent alone [15], all of which may contribute to increased stress for cats in the home (either due to insufficient resource availability in multi-cat homes, or social isolation from familiar humans or other compatible cats) [13]
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