Cat

Paw preference as a tool for assessing emotional functioning and welfare in dogs and cats: A review

Dogs and cats have been extensively studied of late in relation to their paw preferences, with both species showing preferential motor bias at the level of the individual. Over the years, a wide range of measures have been designed to...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat, Dog

Citation: Wells, D. L. 2021. Paw preference as a tool for assessing emotional functioning and welfare in dogs and cats: A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 236, 105148.

Development of existing scoring systems to assess behavioural coping in shelter cats

Assessing how cats cope with the housing and husbandry at shelters is an important part of maintaining good animal welfare. There are non-invasive methods to assess how cats cope with their environment. The aim of this study was to investigate...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Hirsch, E. N., Andersson, M., Loberg, J. et al. 2021. Development of existing scoring systems to assess behavioural coping in shelter cats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 234, 105208.

Measuring pain in dogs and cats using structured behavioural observation

The contemporary approach to pain measurement in people and animals seeks to measure the affective (emotional) component of the pain experience using structured questionnaires with formal scoring methodology. Chronic pain has wide-ranging impacts which affects the quality of life (QOL)...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat, Dog

Citation: Reid, J., Nolan, A. M., Scott, E. M. 2018. Measuring pain in dogs and cats using structured behavioural observation. The Veterinary Journal 236, 72-79.

Pilot study evaluating the effect of feeding method on overall activity of neutered indoor pet cats

Indoor housing of cats is associated with a higher incidence of multiple diseases, including obesity. Increased exercise is often recommended as a method of creating or increasing the negative energy balance required for weight loss. Food-dispensing toys have been suggested...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Naik, R., Witzel, A., Albright, J. D. et al. 2018. Pilot study evaluating the effect of feeding method on overall activity of neutered indoor pet cats. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 25, 9-13.

Field assessment of cats’ litter box substrate preferences

Cats living inside a home without any possibility of outdoor access have to defecate in a litter box. To suit the cats' needs, several recommendations seem to be agreed upon. The litter box has to be clean and in a...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Villeneuve-Beugnet, V., Beugnet, F. 2018. Field assessment of cats' litter box substrate preferences. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 25, 65-70.

Assessment of behavior and physical condition of shelter cats as animal-based indicators of welfare

Surveillance of cat shelters by official veterinarians in Austria is based on legal requirements and does not directly assess cat welfare. The aim of this study was to develop animal-based parameters that are feasible to measure in a surveillance setting,...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Arhant, C., Wogritsch, R., Troxler, J. 2015. Assessment of behavior and physical condition of shelter cats as animal-based indicators of welfare. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 10(5), 399-406.

Comparison of positive reinforcement training in cats: A pilot study

Positive reinforcement training with cats is a useful tool for improving the human-animal bond, treating behavior problems, and teaching novel tasks. In part 1 of this study, 3 cats were assessed for extinction to a conditioned stimulus; in part 2...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Willson, E. K., Stratton, R. B., Bolwell, C. F. et al. 2017. Comparison of positive reinforcement training in cats: A pilot study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 21, 64-70.

Effect of the presence of a person known to the cats on the feeding behavior and placement of feeders of a domestic cat colony

Knowledge of the organization and dynamics of the relationships between animals and the environment and its resources is important to meet the needs of any species. We analyzed the effect the presence of a person known to the cats had...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Damasceno, J., Genaro, G., Sangaletti Terçariol, C. A. 2016. Effect of the presence of a person known to the cats on the feeding behavior and placement of feeders of a domestic cat colony. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 11, 31-36.

Stable individual differences in vocalisation and motor activity during acute stress in the domestic cat

The behavioural assessment of individual animals in stressful situations should consider measures which are consistent across repeated testing, and therefore truly representative of an individual's behaviour. Here we report a study conducted on 40 neutered adult cats (Felis silvestris catus)...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Vocalization, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Urrutia, A., Martínez-Byer, S., Szenczi, P. et al. 2019. Stable individual differences in vocalisation and motor activity during acute stress in the domestic cat. Behavioural Processes 165, 58-65.

A systematic review of social and environmental factors and their implications for indoor cat welfare

Cats are one of the world's most populous companion animals, yet little is known about how the home environment is adapted relative to their needs. Outdoor access is thought to be beneficial for both the physical and mental wellbeing of...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Foreman-Worsley, R., Farnworth, M. J. A systematic review of social and environmental factors and their implications for indoor cat welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 220, 104841.