THE WELFARE OF CATS:

We all know that dogs are considered to be “man’s best friend”, but in recent decades cats have made great inroads into that coveted space, to the extent that now in many western countries their popularity exceeds that of their canine competitor. In the United States, their total number surpasses that of the dog, even though slightly more households still own dogs than cats.

That growth in popularity is understandable when one considers the diminishment in average property size that has accompanied increased urbanisation, and that cats are generally perceived to be low-maintenance pets. But with both these factors there come welfare costs, and a general misunderstanding of the needs of what is actually a social animal with a requirement to roam.

In terms of species survival, the other asset that the cat has is its propensity to breed. Cats can become pregnant as young as four months of age. But this fecundity, coupled with irresponsible or poorly educated owners, has meant that many litters of kittens are being produced daily with no hope of a good home and becoming an ever increasing burden on animal welfare groups and a risk to endangered wildlife.

In the United States, there are about as many stray cats as there are owned ones. In England, around 20,000 cats were abandoned in 2018 alone, which equates to two cats being abandoned each hour of every day during that year.

The problem of feral and stray cats has reached such proportions and have had such a negative impact on local wildlife that regions, such as Southland in New Zealand, are looking to ban cat ownership outright, while Australia has plans to airdrop poison-laced sausages in order to kill millions of feral cats over the coming years.

The problem of cat overpopulation is a human-made one, but it will be the cats that will suffer as a result. Responsible ownership requires that we understand the issues, address the feral and stray population crisis as humanely as possible, while dealing with the needs and natural proclivities of what is an extremely popular and loving pet.

Quick Links to Page Contents:

• Cats & the Law
• Breeding Practices & Genetic Health
• Welfare in the Home
• Abandonment
• Feral, Stray & Street Cats

CATS & THE LAW:

Currently the laws that govern cat ownership are not as stringent upon the owner as they are for laws that govern dogs. Nevertheless, in many countries those laws that pertain to their welfare are comparable to that of dogs, and are broadly described in the concept of the ‘five freedoms’, which are:

• Freedom from hunger or thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from pain, injury, or disease
• Freedom to express (most) normal behaviour
• Freedom from fear and distress

While some countries, such as the UK, Austria, and Switzerland subscribe to this concept and have the five freedoms enshrined in law, other countries take a far more laissez-faire approach to cat welfare. While the European Union has passed similar legislation, it is unfortunate that not all individual governments within the EU have ratified it within their own constitutions. Similarly, while the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has adopted these five freedoms, there is currently no such law passed on a national level within the USA.

There are less restrictions on cats with regard to roaming as there are on dogs, for any dog found roaming without a human minder is automatically deemed to be a stray. For this reason in many countries it is a criminal offence to poison, shoot, or otherwise harm a cat, even one that is ‘trespassing’ on one’s property. There is, however, a loophole in this legislation, for the offence is based on the supposition that the cat is owned property, and to harm or kill a cat would in effect be to damage or destroy another’s possession. Where there are many stray or feral cats, that law is seldom applied, for it can and has been argued that without a means of clear identification it is not for a person to know whether that cat is owned or not. Hence why to this day many cats are still being shot or poisoned with their owner having little recourse other than to pursue the matter through civil action. That being said, even though a cat is free to roam, its owner is nonetheless responsible for any damage caused to another person or property by their cat.

Another area in law where cats and dogs do differ is in relation to microchipping. However, this is one area where the law is soon catching up, as many countries and regions are now considering making it a legal requirement to have owned cats microchipped. This can only be a good thing, for not only will it help abandoned or missing cats to be reunited with their family, but in areas of high feral cat population it will help those involved in TNR (trap-neuter-release) schemes to ensure that they only spay feral cats and not accidentally spay an owned cat, which could lead to prosecution for criminal damage. Irresponsible owners who do not have their cat microchipped may find that their cat will be neutered without their consent, which could actually be beneficial in helping to reduce unwanted litters.

While there are currently no laws to limit the number of cats within any given household, there have been occasion in which environmental legislation has been used to justify the seizure and removal of cats from a property where it has been deemed that their numbers predispose them to a lack of care, as in instances of animal hoarding.

BREEDING PRACTICES & GENETIC HEALTH:

As yet cats do not suffer the same level of inheritable disorders and genetic ill-health from inbreeding as do dogs, but a broad range of welfare issues borne out of poor breeding practices does indeed affect them, resulting in both physical and psychological problems, which in turn can lead to ill-health, anti-social behaviour, and cats being abandoned, left at shelters, or prematurely euthanised as a result.

Novelty breeds that have been bred for a ‘look’ will invariably be predisposed to issues related to their abnormal features. For instance, the Munchkin and similar dwarf cats are not only predisposed to mobility issues but also to a condition known as lordosis, in which there is a dip in the spine that places pressure on the internal organs, and this can prove fatal as the cat grows into adulthood. The American Shorthair, Maine Coon, and Ragdoll are all susceptible to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, while hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism are prevalent across a range of other breeds.

It is only time until purebred cats lose their ‘hybrid vigour’, and with it the ability to resist infection and disease while becoming more prone to hereditary ailments.

It’s not only the fault of breeders for continuing to breed these cats but also the fault of prospective owners supporting an ever increasing demand for such novel looks.

Sometimes the ‘look’ or form of a breed does not only increase the risk of ill-health but also problem or unwanted behaviour. The trend toward adopting so-called ‘designer’ cats that resemble their wild cousins – such as the Bengal, Savannah, and Serengeti – means adopting a cat that is extremely active and very intelligent. Problem behaviours can occur if trying to house such breeds indoors or in a low stimulatory environment. The behaviours in and of themselves may not be abnormal (although abnormal behaviours may develop if the cat becomes frustrated or stressed). In fact, they may be perfectly natural for that breed but ill-suited to the family home.

Regardless of what breed or cross-breed one gets, it is important to ensure that the breeder has allowed sufficient time for the kitten to engage with its mother and litter mates and that it has been frequently handled by a range of handlers in order to promote positive associations with as broad a number of people as is possible. Equally important is that each cat is matched to the prospective owner’s expectations with regard to energy levels and companionability.

WELFARE IN THE HOME:

When it comes to animal cruelty and abuse, one tends to think of extreme and shocking cases in which a cat has been starved, beaten, or kicked. Sadly, this level of abuse is still quite common, and the law takes a justifiably dim view of anyone caught mistreating a cat in this way.

There are, however, other forms of abuse that are less overt but more commonplace, and overtime can lead to a breakdown in the human-feline relationship. Homing a cat without giving proper thought or preparation to its arrival can easily lead to frustration, neglect, and eventually to abandonment of that pet. But neglect encompasses more than simply not feeding or seeking appropriate medical treatment. It includes neglecting to provide an adequate environment in which the animal can engage in behaviours that are natural to it.

Cats should be provided with a safe space in which they are able to initiate contact, thereby exerting some control over their social environment, and be able to maintain an established routine. Vantage points are important to a cat’s ability to control their physical space, and so climbing posts, ledges, walkways, and windowsills should all be accessible. Access to windows is also important, especially for indoor cats, to be able to view their immediate external surroundings.

Equally, cats need safe spaces they can retreat into and feel safe, and so concealed resting areas, such as igloo beds, boxes, and furniture with sufficient crawl space beneath them are all vital to their sense of security.

It is important in multi-cat households that there be sufficient space and a range of vantage points for each cat to be able to maintain distance from each other. This should amount to no less than 1 to 3 metre circumference space for each cat. There should also be a separate litter tray for each cat, positioned away from feeding areas, and not all clustered together. Feeding and water bowls should also be spread out so that one cat cannot prevent another from accessing these vital resources.

One of the primary causes for the rise in feline obesity is due to many cats now being raised to live solely indoors. Reasons for this homing approach vary from safety concerns, to fear of the cat straying, to a desire to curb its innate predatory behaviour. But for many indoor cats, such a solitary and reduced stimulatory existence can prove incredibly boring and stressful, which can lead not only to inactivity and weight gain but also greater susceptibility to feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which is one of the leading causes of inappropriate toileting and home soiling.

Creating a safe outdoor space for a cat, especially in a built-up area, may prove near to impossible, but if security outdoors cannot be maintained then it is incumbent on the owner to provide as rich and varied an environment indoors and to satisfy the cat’s innate need to explore, to employ its predatory skills during place, and to bask in the sunlit areas of the home.

Regardless of the steps taken to ensure a happy and healthy cat in the home, it is important to underscore the need to be vigilant for signs of chronic pain in a cat. Sudden and acute discomfort, such as a cat developing a limp, is easy to spot, but gradual debilitation is less obvious. If a cat exhibits signs of reduced activity and reduction in grooming, decreased interest in food and in toileting, or if it shows signs of weight loss, then it is time to seek veterinary advice.

ABANDONMENT:

As previously stated, an average of two cats are abandoned each hour of every day in the UK alone. The lucky ones end up in a shelter, but many more are merely dumped, and end up joining a feral community or more likely meeting a grisly end by being poisoned or killed in traffic. Why are so many cats being abandoned, and what meaningful steps can be taken to reduce these catastrophic numbers?

The reasons for cats being abandoned are varied, but they can be summed up as follows:

• Unwanted behaviours due to remaining sexually intact
• Unwanted or unplanned pregnancies
• Prey-drive – hunting, killing, & bringing back dead prey
• Home soiling & other unwanted behaviours, eg. scratching furniture
• Allergic reactions & asthma
• Unfounded expectations, such as the owner desiring greater companionship
• Moving home and/or relationship breakup

Let’s consider each in turn.

Unwanted behaviours due to remaining sexually intact:

Sexually active cats are more prone to spray or mark their territory than neutered cats. They are also more likely to roam, which may bring them into conflict with other cats in the neighbourhood. A sexually frustrated cat may begin to yowl or caterwaul, which can be a nuisance not only to the owner but to neighbours, as well.

The simple solution is to have the cat neutered. If the cat continues to spray or mark, especially in and around the home, it may be evidence of other factors that may be affecting it, such as too many cats in the household or perceived threats from outside. In these instances, one can help the cat feel more secure in its territory by taking rubbings of its scent from around the chin and cheek area, and applying them to surfaces in and around the property. If there are other sexually intact cats in the neighbourhood, have a polite word with their owners about the benefit of getting their cats neutered.

Abandoning a sexually intact cat is not only thoughtless but cruel, for more than likely one will be adding not only that single cat to the feral population but also a whole host of its progeny that will have to fend for themselves in the wild. This brings us to the second reason why so many cats are abandoned each year.

Unwanted or unplanned pregnancies:

It’s not only kittens that are abandoned each year, but also pregnant queens. As previously stated, cats become fertile at a very young age. They are able to breed from as young as four months, having a litter when they are only six months old. It is therefore important that a cat be neutered no later than fourteen to sixteen weeks of age.

Kittens that are abandoned without their mother will have a tough time to survive into adulthood, and those that do may suffer behavioural issues. An abandoned pregnant queen will undoubtedly become stressed, which may also negatively impact the upbringing of her litter, which may make it even more difficult to find those kittens a suitable home.

Prey-drive:

Hunting is an instinctive and entirely natural part of being a cat, yet no one likes to find their feline friend bringing home prey, be it dead or alive, or a bird or a mouse, let alone playing with their kill. In many regions, cats are now perceived more as pests than pets, endangering vulnerable species and threatening fragile ecosystems. The result has been that many cats now spend the entirety of their existence indoors, which can then spawn a whole host of other behavioural problems.

It is therefore important to provide cats with an alternative outlet to satisfy their prey-drive. This can be done through interactive play with their owner, using objects that mimic the movement and feel of prey. Swapping out toys and adjusting the characteristic movement of the prey-item is necessary in order to keep a cat engaged.

Another solution is to keep the cat indoors around dusk and dawn, as these are the times that their prey will be out and are also the key times that cats usually hunt. It also happens to be the time when road traffic is at its most intense, and by so doing you may end up saving your cat from being involved in a road traffic accident.

While some owners have attempted to curb their cat’s hunting behaviour by placing bells on their collars, a number of studies have concluded that this has little effect on their ability to hunt and capture prey.

Home-soiling & other unwanted behaviours:

Home-soiling, scratching, and marking are all undesired behaviours, but they are generally the result of an unsettled cat. This may be due to there being too many cats in the household or one where there is a hidden conflict between household cats. These are all stress indicators, borne out of conflict or frustration from being cooped indoors. Stress can result in feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which is a form of feline lower urinary tract disease, and can lead to inappropriate urination. As the cat begins to feel pain during urination, it may associate that discomfort with its litter tray and therefore begin to toilet elsewhere.

Scratching is also an attempt by the cat to establish itself within its territory. Simply by providing commercially available scratch pads and posts may not resolve the issue, as many of the posts on the market are simply not up to the task. In order for a pad or post to serve its purpose, it needs to have enough height or length for the cat to scratch while fully stretched, as well as to have a secure base so that it maintains position and doesn’t tip over during the scratching session. Placement of the scratch post or scratch pad is key, for cats will want to leave their scent along familiar walkways or travel routes. Finally, it is important to accommodate for each cat’s preference, as some cats prefer to scratch horizontally while others prefer to do so against a vertical surface. Without taking such factors into account, one may find one’s efforts to provide the cat with an alternative outlet to be in vein.

Allergic reactions & asthma:

The fact that allergic reactions to cats is still a primary reason for their abandonment is testimony to the fact that acquiring such a pet tends too often to be a spur of the moment decision. It is always advisable, no matter what pet one intends to get, that one spends time doing adequate research and spend time in the company of that species in order to appreciate what they have to offer and to understand their needs.

That being said, if such a reaction does indeed exist, then it would be best to secure another loving home for the cat, be it with a family member or through a local shelter. Dumping an animal to fend for itself should never be an option.

Unfounded expectations:

Some cats love nothing more than to have a lap to curl upon, while others prefer a more aloof existence. Just as it is important to match a dog’s energy levels with a prospective owner, so too is it important to compare a cat’s companionability to one’s expectation in that regard.

It is also important for owners to understand how best to engage with their cat so as to allow for mutual displays of affection. Generally speaking, a cat will spend more time interacting with a person when they, rather than the human, initiate that interaction. It has often been observed that cats will seek out those that desire their presence the least, and it is no wonder when considering that those are the people that are paying the cat the least mind – avoiding eye contact, not approaching the cat directly, nor seeking to initiate contact. For a cat, they are showing good feline manners! It is a strategy that many cat lovers should adopt in order to be closer to their furry companion.

Moving home and/or relationship breakup:

Unforeseen situations will occur and circumstances will change. Try as hard as we might, it is not always possible to maintain the best environment for our pets. While both cats and dogs are bonded to their owners, cats will feel a change in their territory to a far greater extent than their canine counterparts, and while they may be easier to accommodate in a smaller dwelling, it is not always possible. Trying to secure a place that can accommodate one’s pet is always the first, best option, but were no solution available, then finding a suitable foster home would be the next best thing. Inasmuch as it were possible, try to find a home and family that matched the requirements of the individual cat, in terms of companionability, family makeup, and roaming space. Sadly, these days shelters are too busy taking in abandoned or stray animals to be able to foster animals from loving homes, but do try them anyway. Whatever you do, do not add to the burden of abandoned cats by dumping your pet. Your feline friend has stuck with you faithfully, and a change in circumstances is hard enough without living with the guilt of leaving a furry family member to fend for itself.

FERAL, STRAY, & STREET CATS:

A distinction needs to be drawn between feral, stray, and street cats. Put simply, feral cats are those that are unsocialised to humans, unable to be handled, and thus would be unsuited to being homed. Mostly, they are kittens that have been born and raised in the wild with little to no human contact, and thus are self sufficient. Stray cats are those that have some form of human socialisation, having once had a home but since been lost or abandoned. They remain sociable toward people, even if cautiously so, and may have the prospect of finding a new home. Street cats tend to fit between the two, being comprised of strays that have adapted to a life of self sufficiency, hence becoming more wild or wary than your average stray, or of feral cats that have grown accustomed to human proximity but not necessarily to human affection. All these cats are considered to be free-roaming.

The life of a feral or stray cat tends to be a brief one, with an average lifespan of only two to three years. But in that short time, a queen may have as many as up to five litters and an intact male may sire a great many more, further fuelling the explosion in the free-roaming cat population.

Feral cats have been blamed for a number of species losses – thirty three in total – as well as for taking many other vulnerable species to the brink of extinction. In this regard, cats are on the list of the current hundred worst invasive species. But their actual effect on wildlife populations is a bit more complex than just that. Some argue that many of the species that cats hunt, such as rats and possums, are themselves invasive and prone to do far more damage to fragile ecosystems than the cat, and that it is simply easier to whitewash the disruption and habitat destruction caused by human intervention by blaming the feral cat community for the decline in native fauna. Regardless of these arguments, governments in affected areas are beginning to take extreme action to curb cat population numbers by either banning cat ownership or initiating mass euthanasia programmes.

In recent years, animal welfare groups have been employing TNR (trap-neuter-release) programmes to try and stem the tide of feral cats. Such drives involve the humane trapping of animals, followed by sterilisation and vaccination, and then releasing them back to the site from where they were captured. Those cats that are sterilised have one of their ears cropped, or tipped, in order to mark it as having been through the programme so as to avoid any wasted effort of trapping the same animal again.

The purpose of releasing the cats back to the site is to avoid other feral cats from expanding their colonies and taking up the otherwise vacated territory. However, there is some dispute as to the viability of this model, as there is some evidence to suggest that sterilised cats are not so good at protecting their territory from interlopers, hence why such programmes have tended to show only moderate success in reducing overall population sizes.

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