A Situational Analysis of Attitudes toward Stray Cats and Preferences and Priorities for Their Management

Jacquie S Rand · Rebekah L. Scotney · Ann Enright · Pauleen C. Bennett · John Murray Morton

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Animal Law and Welfare Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies

Abstract

Current cat management approaches are outdated and ineffective, failing to reduce stray cat numbers or related complaints and negatively impacting the job satisfaction and mental health of veterinary, shelter, and municipal staff. We undertook a situational analysis prior to implementing a Community Cat Program based on free sterilization of owned, semi-owned, and unowned cats in the city of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. The study involved 343 residents in three suburbs in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia with high per capita intake of cats into the receiving shelter and municipal pound. We investigated the prevalence and impacts of free-roaming cats in urban areas, focusing on sightings, associated issues, and community preferences for cat management. Stray cats were observed by many respondents (71%), primarily at private residences (52%) and in alleyways or streets (22%), which caused serious or moderately serious problems for 38% of those who saw stray or wandering cats. Key concerns included the killing of native birds (38%) and animals (35%), noise (33%), and soiling (32%). Actions taken by respondents who saw stray or wandering cats included chasing them away or using deterrents (25%), capturing the cat for removal or calling council (18%) and preventing home entry (14%). Respondents' priorities for the local government management of cats included preventing kittens from being born (94% of respondents) and stopping cats from preying on native animals (91%); reducing disease spread to pets (89%), wildlife (89%), and humans (87%); decreasing stray cat numbers (75%); and preventing cat fights (70%). Respondents favored sterilization (65%) over euthanasia (35%), aligning with the results of previous research. Cat ownership and feeding unowned cats were predictors of management preferences. Only 29% of respondents were satisfied with the current local council management of the problem. Information on the benefits of management by sterilization could further enhance community support.

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2014Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed‐Mode Surveys 2007Sensitive questions in surveys.1987ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE, AND BEHAVIORS TOWARD WILDLIFE AS AFFECTED BY GENDER 1985American Attitudes Toward and Knowledge of Animals: An Update 2003Evaluation of the effect of a long-term trap-neuter-return and adoption program on a free-roaming cat population 2002Characteristics of free-roaming cats and their caretakers 2005The Caring-Killing Paradox: Euthanasia-Related Strain Among Animal-Shelter Workers1 2014Effect of high-impact targeted trap-neuter-return and adoption of community cats on cat intake to a shelter

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