Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the cat-owner relationship scale (CORS-BR)

Abstract

The Cat/Dog–Owner Relationship Scale (C/DORS) assesses both affective and pragmatic aspects of the relationship. The main objectives of the present study were to validate the Brazilian Portuguese version of CORS-BR and to examine predictors of the component subscales. A total of 416 Brazilian cat owners participated in our online study, answering the CORS-BR. They also answered socio-demographic questions, the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS), and the Pet Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ). A principal component analysis was conducted and revealed adequate psychometric properties of the 24-items CORS-BR and the same three-dimensional structure (“Cat-Owner Interaction'', “Perceived Emotional Closeness” and “Perceived Costs'') as the English version. Generalized linear models revealed significant predictors of the subscales' scores. Considering “Cat-Owner Interaction'' as the outcome, we found that higher PAQ anxiety predicted higher Cat-owner interaction, while someone else taking care of the animal and higher PAQ avoidance predicted less Cat-owner interaction. Furthermore, considering “Perceived Emotional Closeness” as the outcome, we found that higher PAQ anxiety predicted higher perceived emotional closeness, whereas higher PAQ avoidance predicted lower perceived emotional closeness. Finally, considering “Perceived Costs'' as the outcome, we found that living in a multi-cat household, reporting high PAQ avoidance and high PAQ anxiety predicted higher perceived costs, while having received the cat as a gift predicted lower perceived costs. We anticipate that the CORS-BR will be an useful instrument both for researchers and for professionals to support interventions aimed at improving mutual welfare, avoiding cat-owner relationship problems, and reducing cat abandonment rates.