With approximately 11 million pet cats in the UK, they are possibly the UK's most popular pet. In 2022, Cats Protection, the UK’s leading cat welfare organisation helped 144,000 Cats and kittens, equating to a massive 400 cats a day. Estimated numbers of cats entering animal shelters as unwanted or stray animals were around 130,000 in 2009 and more than 150,000 in 2010, or about 1 per cent of the owned population per year.
In published studies, owner-related factors are more often cited than animal-related factors. Reasons for relinquishment reported from shelters in Sweden, where more than one reason could be given, were that the owner had an allergy to cats (58%); the owner was moving (27%); age, illness or death of owner (24%); new family situation (20%); tired of pet (11%), and lack of time (9%). Abnormal animal behaviour was also mentioned, but no specific statistics were available. A UK study reported that among 4169 owner relinquishments of cats, 1175 (28%) were due to owner circumstances such as moving (50% of the 1175), owner dying (15%), owner sick (14%), divorce (11%) and financial (7%). Unwanted kittens accounted for 21%, behaviour problems for 11%, and multiple factors under the umbrella “can’t cope” for 7%. From these studies, even more vividly than in the case of dogs, a picture emerges in which the most common reasons why owners choose to relinquish their cats to shelters relate to their own life situation, not to problems relating to the cats. When we consider this this makes sense, Cats are taken into less social situations and have different attachment styles to dogs meaning that problem behaviours likely occur less or cause less disruption to the owner’s day to day life.
When we compare research of dogs and cats, there are fewer studies that have investigated welfare of cats. Those studies that have addressed cat welfare have focused predominantly on management of the unowned cat population, for example, the impact of Trap-Neuter-Return programmes, and the welfare of cats in shelters. Only within the last 10 years or so have studies started to be conducted that have addressed the welfare of cats in the domestic environment, for example, the welfare of cats in multi-cat households, problem behaviours such as inappropriate elimination or scratching, welfare consequences of breeding for flat-faces, and recognition and treatment of pain. There has been limited studies into prioritising the welfare issue of cats in the domestic environment.
A study by rioja-lang et al., (2019) reported overall, the greatest concerns to cat welfare could be split into two main areas: risk factors of poor welfare (inappropriate home environments, lack of vet care, long shelter stays and neglect) and negative welfare outcomes such as (obesity, disease of old age, poor breeding, and delayed euthanasia). Both areas can lead to negative emotional states, compromising cat welfare.
Inappropriate home environments was perceived as the most important welfare concern for individual cats, as shelter workers this is something we need to strongly consider when rehoming, although I am a strong believer in supporting flexible rehoming as appose to blanket rehoming policies it is our responsibility to identify, to the best of our ability, the individual needs of the cats in our care, match these to the correct owners and support the owners with appropriate information to set both them and their new feline friend up for success. A big consideration in this discussion is multi cat households, although keeping cats in multi cat households is frequently discussed as a source of stress for cats, the evidence is limited to support this. However, what is true is that local resources must be appropriate and well distributed to allow unrelated cats to form familiar social groups. Even with the best resources possible this might not be suitable for every cat.
Another common cause of behavioural problems is environmental restriction. There is an increasing number of indoor only cats, to reduce straying, road traffic collisions and the impact of cats on wildlife. Behaviour problems are more common in indoor only cats, suggesting that often their behavioural needs are not being met. Supporting owners to provide appropriate environments, but also supporting the cats’ behavioural needs through enrichment, play and interaction can help reduce problem behaviours in cats that are either looking to be relinquished or that we are rehoming.
As we discussed above, although less than dogs, Behavioural problems in cats can be a risk factor for relinquishment to shelters. With behaviours such as aggression between cats in the household, house soiling, aggression towards people, fearful behaviour, and scratching. Forming some of the more common problem behaviours. The presentation of feline behavioural problems to veterinary practices and behaviour counsellors is increasing and highlights the need for owner education in feline behaviour and for veterinary understanding of the close links between behaviour and disease.
As shelter workers and organisations, this must be a priority part of our work as well as rehoming. The ever-increasing wave of relinquishment across the animal sector is a call for a change.
A shift towards supporting the animals through support for owners, with a focus on keeping pets and owners together rather than just being there to pick up the pieces once a relationship has already broken down.
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