Effect of Visitor Perspective on Adoption Decisions at One Animal Shelter
This study investigated the visitor experience at one urban animal shelter. While several previous studies have examined the reasons particular nonhuman animals are chosen by adopters, few have investigated the possible reasons one would visit a shelter and leave without adopting. Over a two-month period, 158 visitors were surveyed after they were finished touring the […]
Attitudes of veterinarians and veterinary students to recommendations on how to improve dog and cat welfare in veterinary practice
The veterinary profession is an ambassador for the welfare of animals, but the visit to a veterinary practice is in itself stressful for many animals. A multitude of recommendations how to reduce stress during a visit to the veterinarian is available, but they are often not implemented in practice. Therefore, the aim of this study […]
Cortisol determination in hair and faeces from domestic cats and dogs
The present study explored the feasibility of a hair cortisol assay in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) and dogs (Canis familiaris) as a valid and reliable alternative to existing non invasive techniques for monitoring the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity. To this aim, 56 new hair growth samples and 870 faecal samples from 27 domestic cats […]
Reproductive status of endemic felid species in Latin American zoos and implications for ex situ conservation
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10093.abs Reproductive evaluations were conducted on 185 male cats representing eight endemic Latin American species that were maintained in 44 zoos and private facilities in 12 Latin American countries. Reproductive assessments (testicular measures, ejaculate quality, and blood testosterone/cortisol concentration) were used to establish normative values for large- and small-sized cats in Latin American collections. […]
Cats over time
The behaviour of domestic cats in a shelter: Residence time, density and sex ratio
Many cats that are rendered to a shelter fail to find a new home. Older and other less desirable cats may face a significant amount of time in the shelter prior to adoption. Therefore, the present study compared the behaviour of domestic cats subjected to different lengths of time, room density (RD) and sex ratio […]
Housing conditions and behavioural problems of indoor cats as assessed by their owners
Housing conditions and behavioural problems of a sample of 1177 cats were described by their 550 owners. Indications for inadequate housing in the light of species-specific needs were analysed. A total of 65.1% of the cats were Domestic European Shorthairs and 78.7% were castrated animals. A total of 87% of the responding cat owners were […]
Environmentally Enriched Housing for Cats When Housed Singly
It is generally accepted that to carry out certain trials or procedures, particularly metabolism or digestibility studies, it is necessary to house animals singly, often in sterile metal cages which differ greatly from the animal’s normal living accommodation. The lack of choice, mental and physical stimulation and general ‘creature comforts’ increases the stress of isolation. […]
Behavioural Effects of Cage Enrichment in Single-Caged Adult Cats
The behaviour of 10 adult individually-caged male cats was measured either in their normal cage or with additional objects, a log and a ball. Each cat was observed during five days in each condition. Results show an important novelty effect at the beginning of observations, especially for rubbing and paddling behaviour. Introduction of objects in […]
Strategy planning in cats (Felis catus) in a progressive elimination task
Domestic cats (Felis cans) were administered a progressive elimination task in which they had to visit and deplete 3 baited sites. Cats were brought back to the starting point after each visit to any site whether the visit represented a correct or an incorrect choice. The results revealed that cats organized search as a function […]