Most Owners Say Cats Are Part Of The Family

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Most Owners Say Cats Are Part Of The Family

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Most cat owners are confident in their ability to look after their pet, but feline welfare could be better in some respects.

New research by Tiffani Howell (La Trobe University) et al investigates how people care for their cats. A representative survey of pet owners in the Australian state of Victoria included questions from feeding and sleeping arrangements to how much cats cost over their lifetime.

“In general, Victorian cat owners appear to be meeting their cat’s welfare needs, with a few areas for improvement,” says Dr. Tiffani Howell. “For instance, nearly half of owners allow their cat to roam free outdoors, which could lead to injuries. 

“Female owners report higher levels of satisfaction with their cat’s behaviour, and fewer behavioural problems, than male owners. Older owners were less likely to have irretrievably lost a cat than younger owners, but they report more behavioural problems.”

There are some fascinating facts in the survey. Most people are confident they are able to look after their cat (94%) and consider the cat to be part of the family (89%). And most owners significantly underestimate the lifetime cost of caring for him or her.

A third of cats (34%) sleep on their owner’s bed at night, with 22% on other furniture and 20% on their own cat bed. Cats like to have places that are high up, and 94% of them did. 

61% of cats are said by their owners to exercise themselves while 14% of cats apparently get no exercise.  81% of owners think their cat is the right weight. Since vets report a higher proportion of overweight and obese cats, it seems likely some owners do not realize their pet is overweight.

The number of cats with no toys (11%) suggests some may be missing out on important enrichment activities, but most cats had over three (52%) or 1 - 3 (31%) interactions with their owner each day.

Only 17% of cats spent most of their time outside, with 45% mostly indoors and the remainder splitting their time. 

Although annual vet visits are recommended, 26% of cats had not been to the vet in the last year and 6% had never been to the vet. The numbers who were not vaccinated in the last year (24%) or ever (5%) almost mirror this. 3% of cats had never been checked for external or internal parasites, and some had not been checked in the last year (10% and 13%, respectively).

When people had two or more cats, 58% said they only had one litter tray, which is a concern since the standard advice is to have one tray per cat plus one extra.

13% of owners said it was more difficult than they expected to take care of their cat, but only 3% were dissatisfied with their cat’s behaviour, and 92% were satisfied or very satisfied. 

The most common behaviour problem was fear of loud noises, people or animals (18% of cats). 

Of particular interest to readers of this blog is where people turn for information if they need it. Since 87% of owners had never needed to, these answers are mostly hypothetical, but 66% would ask their vet, 44% would consult the internet and 24% would ask friends or family.

One worrying finding is that 10% said they had lost a cat (and not been able to find it) in the previous 5 years. At the same time, 15% of people had acquired their cat by finding it or taking in a stray.

The full report is packed with information about the lives of cats, including how often litter trays are scooped (once a day for 26% of cats), how many are fed table scraps (11%), and how many were obtained for free (51%).

448 pet cat owners took part in the study. It was part of a wider survey of pet-keeping practices; amongst the group as a whole, 79% live in Greater Melbourne, 53% are married and 46% work full-time.  Most of the cats are domestic shorthairs (also known as moggies), and almost all are spayed or neutered.

The survey is especially useful because the sample is representative of the people of Victoria. Other studies with convenience samples may not reflect the population as a whole, because some people – e.g. with a particularly strong interest in cats, or whose cats have problem behaviours – might be more likely to reply than others. The results will help in planning animal welfare campaigns.

If your cat is stressed at the vet, see less stress at the vet for dogs and cats for some tips. 

Where does your cat sleep at night?

Reference

Howell, T., Mornement, K., & Bennett, P. (2016). Pet cat management practices among a representative sample of owners in Victoria, Australia Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 11, 42-49 DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2015.10.006
Photos: john austin (top) and Mikhail Olykainen (both Shutterstock.com).

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Companion Animal Psychology is also a participant in the Etsy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Etsy.com.

Shelter Dogs Live Up To Expectations (Mostly)

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Shelter Dogs Live Up To Expectations (Mostly)

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Testing behaviour in the shelter is tricky, but most people who adopt a dog would do so again. 

Animal shelters often assess the behaviour of dogs before rehoming them, but because the tests are not always scientifically validated, Mornement et al (2014) developed the B.A.R.K. protocol. Results of the B.A.R.K. on 74 shelter dogs successfully predicted in-home ratings for fear and friendliness after the dogs had been adopted, but not anxiety, activity level or compliance. A follow-up paper by Kate Mornement (Monash University; Pets Behaving Badly) et al takes a closer look at how the shelter assessment compares to new owners’ ratings about four months after adoption.

First, the good news. All the new owners said their dog was part of the family, 96% said their new dog adapted to their home well or very well, and 71% said the dog met their expectations. Most dogs were friendly to visitors, and the most common occurrence of most behaviour problems was “never”, including fear of strangers, escaping, food guarding and resource guarding.

But the dogs weren’t perfect, because 72% of owners said there was a behaviour they would like to change – most commonly destructive behaviour, fear, barking too much and pulling on leash.

The B.A.R.K. was tested to see how well it matched up to behaviours in the home. The list of potential behaviour issues was grouped into three using a statistical technique called principal component analysis. The B.A.R.K. predicted results on one of these - fearful behaviour and inappropriate toileting – but it did not predict problem behaviour or aggression. 

In fact, 24% said their new dog had shown aggression, defined as growling, snapping or trying to bite a person (16% “rarely”, 7% “sometimes” and 1% “often”). This is surprising because none of the dogs had been aggressive at the shelter (if they had, they wouldn’t have been deemed adoptable). 

One possibility, say the scientists, is that aggression is not as fixed as other behavioural traits (e.g. fear) and is difficult to assess because it does not occur very often. Another possibility is that dogs suppress aggressive behaviours in the shelter because of the stressful environment.

But it’s also possible the general public is less aware of canine behaviour and body language, and so behaves differently than shelter staff and volunteers. 39% of the new owners had done no research on dog ownership/behaviour before getting the dog. The scientists suggest shelters engage in educational activities and post-adoption support, including a “shelter dog manual” for adopters.

Companionship was the main reason for adopting a dog, either as a companion for themselves (51%), for another dog (16%) or for a child (10%). The death of a previous dog (11%) or exercise (4%) were other reasons given. 

61% chose to adopt from a shelter “to rescue a dog/save a life” (61%); 15% wanted an adult dog and 11% don’t like pet shops. The factors that went into a decision included the dog needing a home (88%), the dog’s behaviour (88%), personality (88%) and size (82%). The type of coat and appearance were important for some people but not others.  

Most people said they would adopt from a shelter again (76%) and found the process positive (70%). 
  

“If people are considering adopting a dog they need to research the type of dog that would best fit their lifestyle,” says Dr. Mornement. “For example, a couch potato shouldn’t adopt a working breed because they’re unlikely to meet the dog’s needs for exercise and mental stimulation.

“Other things potential adopters should consider are how much time they have for their dog (to provide companionship, exercise and training), whether they’re prepared to groom their dog, will they take their dog to training or sport dog activities. 

“Shelters can help adopters to make the right choice when choosing their dog by making a good match between adopter and dog and ensuring adopter’s expectations are realistic. Providing post adoption obedience classes and/or phone support to overcome any issues can help support successful adoptions.”

The authors suggest further research to investigate if dogs that are fostered, rather than kept in kennels, have fewer behaviour problems in new homes, and if assessments work better in this setting. 

This important study highlights the issues of assessing dog behaviour, and the difficulties of conducting research in shelters where time and money are in short supply. Mornement et al conclude by saying, “A holistic approach including assessment of behaviour pre-shelter, in-shelter and post-shelter, together with stress-reducing enrichment and rehabilitation training may assist to provide a more complete picture of canine behaviour and adoptability.”

How does your dog compare to your initial expectations?

This article was nominated in the 2016 Dog Writer's Association of America Annual Writing Competition in the category Article or Blog - Rescue.

References

Mornement, K., Coleman, G., Toukhsati, S., & Bennett, P. (2015). Evaluation of the predictive validity of the Behavioural Assessment for Re-homing K9's (B.A.R.K.) protocol and owner satisfaction with adopted dogs Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 167, 35-42 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.03.013
Mornement, K., Coleman, G., Toukhsati, S., & Bennett, P. (2014). Development of the behavioural assessment for re-homing K9's (B.A.R.K.) protocol Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 151, 75-83 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2013.11.008
Photo: Julia Siomuha (Shutterstock.com)

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Finding out if shelter dogs are friendly: testing the B.A.R.K. protocol

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Finding out if shelter dogs are friendly: testing the B.A.R.K. protocol

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Research shows the challenges of assessing behaviour in shelter dogs.

We know our pets well. My dog Bodger is bouncy and friendly; he sits to be patted, then jumps up with a surreptitious kiss; he likes zucchini and hates thunder. We form these observations through time spent with our dogs. But at animal shelters it’s not so easy. How do you assess the temperament of a dog you’ve only just met?

Research by Kate Mornement(Monash University; Pets Behaving Badly) et al investigates this problem. Many shelters in Australia (and elsewhere) use assessments that are not scientifically validated, so the team set out to develop and assess a new test of canine behaviour. Such tests are often used to make decisions about whether or not dogs are adoptable, but the results show they may not be as useful as people think.

The scientists looked at tests already in use, convened a focus group of relevant experts, and developed the behavioural assessment for rehoming K9s (B.A.R.K.). It is a two-part test with 12 subtests that assess the dog for anxiety, friendliness, fear, compliance, and activity level. It is designed to see how dogs behave in situations equivalent to real life, and to be safe for shelter staff to carry out. 

Having designed the test, it was time to see how well it worked.  

“I think the results mean that we need to be really careful about how we interpret the results of behaviour assessments conducted in shelters,” says Dr. Mornement, “especially if these are only done once and the results are used to inform adoption/euthanasia decisions. Our study showed that results can vary over a 24 hour period. In addition, research tells us that the shelter environment is stressful for dogs. This means the results of in-shelter assessments may not be indicative of behaviour in the home environment.”

48 adult shelter dogs of 23 breeds or mixes were assessed using the B.A.R.K., including JRTs, Kelpie crosses, Labrador crosses, and Australian Cattle Dog crosses. They had had at least 3 days to adjust to the shelter first. All were considered safe for the researcher to work with (already assessed as adoptable (39 dogs) or deemed friendly).

One thing we want from a test is that different people should be able to do it and get the same results. This is called inter-rater reliability.  This is important because in a shelter environment, it won’t always be the same staff member assessing dogs. Here, the test did well; there was good agreement between the two testers on all five of the traits. The highest levels of agreement were on fear, anxiety, and compliance.

Another thing we want is that if the same person applies the test to a dog on two different occasions, the results should be the same. This is called test-retest reliability. So the dogs were tested once, and then again 24 hours later. Here, the results were not as good. The best results were for fear, anxiety and activity level. The results were weaker for friendliness and compliance.

Finally, we also really want to know if the test tells us how dogs will behave in a home environment after adoption. This is called predictive validity. 74 dogs were assessed after being at the shelter for 3 days, and their new owners completed a survey several months after adoption. The telephone interview asked them to rate the dogs on each of the 5 behavioural traits. 

There was agreement between the B.A.R.K. scores and owner ratings for fear and friendliness. However, it did not predict activity level, anxiety or compliance. So the predictive validity is “quite weak.”

These results are surprising given the care taken to develop the B.A.R.K., and show the challenges of assessing canine behaviour in a shelter environment. The scientists say the stress of arriving at the shelter may affect dogs’ behaviour on the test, and recommend strategies to help promote successful adoptions, including obedience classes for new owners and the use of foster carers by shelters. 

Dr. Mornement says, “I’d encourage shelters to seek help from behavioural experts in developing and/or reviewing their assessment protocols. Recent research has progressed our knowledge and understanding of shelter dog assessments and it’s important that shelters continue to refine their methods to determining adoption suitability. This will help to ensure best practice and safeguard the welfare of the dogs in the shelter system.”

This research is especially important because of the weight placed on shelter assessments, and it shows we need a better understanding of what makes a successful canine adoption. 

Come back next week to learn more about how new owners rate their adopted dog.

Reference

Mornement, K., Coleman, G., Toukhsati, S., & Bennett, P. (2014). Development of the behavioural assessment for re-homing K9's (B.A.R.K.) protocol Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 151, 75-83 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2013.11.008
Photo: Kellymmiller73 (Shutterstock.com).
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Education about Cats may Reduce Feline Behaviour Problems

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Education about Cats may Reduce Feline Behaviour Problems

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Behavioural advice for people with a new kitten is linked to a better-behaved pet at 1 year old.

A new pet can be hard work, and if people don’t fully understand the needs of their animals, behaviour problems can result. A new study investigates whether education for owners at their first vet appointment is the answer. 

People with a new kitten (3 months old) were given 25 minutes of standardized advice on caring for cats. The study, by Angelo Gazzano et al (University of Pisa) compared the behaviour of these cats at just over 1 year old with that of a control group where no behavioural advice was given.

The authors say, “providing simple, relatively short advice at the very beginning of a kitten-owner relationship is not only important in pleasing the owners, protecting cat welfare, and [the] cat-owner relationship but also in offering a complete service to the owners.” 

The education was given by a vet behaviourist and took 25 minutes. It included advice on cat behaviour, such as the need to habituate kittens to social and non-social stimuli and provide environmental enrichment, as well as advice on how to train and manage a cat, including litter box issues and getting the cat used to being handled as in a vet consult.

91 cats took part in the study; 45 whose owners received the behavioural advice, and 46 cats in a control group. 

For the group given behavioural advice, only 2 owners consulted someone about a behaviour problem (one asked the breeder and another asked a veterinary behaviourist). In the control group, 21 cat owners asked for advice about their cat’s behaviour: of these, 43% asked their vet, 19% asked a vet behaviourist, and 10% consulted the internet or scientific literature.

This is reflected in people’s complaints about their cat. People in the no-advice group were much more likely to have at least one complaint about their cat’s behaviour (46%) compared to those in the advice group (4%).

One of the most striking differences is in how people fed their cat. In the no-advice group, 39% fed when the cat asked to be fed, 30% fed their cat twice a day and 30% fed three or more times a day. However, in the advice group, 71% of people fed three or more times a day, suggesting they had taken the vet behaviourist’s advice on board. (Domestic cats prefer several small meals a day - see International Cat Care). 

Photo: IrynaBu; top, Acon Cheng (both Shutterstock.com)

In the advice group, cats were more likely to only go on some furniture or just on the furniture they were allowed on. In the no-advice group, cats were more likely to climb curtains. There were no differences in scratching furniture. “Excessive vocalization” was more common in the no-advice group. 

The cats in the advice group were more tolerant of being touched. Although both groups of cats were sociable, the no-advice group were more likely to seek physical contact when the owner was on the bed or sofa. Cats in the behavioural advice group were more likely to greet the owner when they came home. Although there were no differences in kneading or licking, cats in the advice group were reported to rub more often on their owner, and to seek physical contact more often.

One potential confound is that cats in the behavioural advice group were more likely to be allowed outdoors. This could make a difference, because indoors-only cats are more likely to get bored and lack environmental enrichment, and hence may be more likely to have behaviour problems. It’s possible the behavioural advice prompted people to allow their cats time outdoors, especially since the study was in Italy where outdoor cats are common, but we don’t know.

It would be nice to know whether the behavioural advice prompted people to behave differently (aside from the feeding regime). For example, did it mean people were more likely to buy scratching posts, pay attention to provision of litter trays, and spend more time playing with their cat? Were they more understanding of any feline indiscretions? This would be a great topic for follow-up research.

These results are interesting and suggest that providing information to new cat owners is beneficial, which is good news for those who hope to improve animal welfare through education.

What advice do you wish you had been given before you got a cat?

*Full disclosure: one of my cats climbs the bedroom curtains. She is allowed.

Reference

Gazzano, A., Bianchi, L., Campa, S., & Mariti, C. (2015). The prevention of undesirable behaviors in cats: Effectiveness of veterinary behaviorists' advice given to kitten owners Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2015.07.042

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Companion Animal Psychology is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Companion Animal Psychology is also a participant in the Etsy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Etsy.com.