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Determining priority welfare issues for cats in the United Kingdom using expert consensus
Fiona Rioja-Lang1, Heather Bacon1, Melanie Connor1
1Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, The University of Edinburgh Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh, UK.
Veterinary Record Open
|December 5, 2019
Summary
Prioritizing cat welfare in the UK is crucial. Key issues include social behavior, diseases, obesity, and owner-related factors like delayed veterinary care, highlighting the need for owner education.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Animal Welfare
Background:
- Limited research exists on UK domestic cat welfare.
- Cats are the UK's most popular pets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and prioritize welfare issues for UK cats.
- Utilized the Delphi method for expert consensus.
Main Methods:
- 14 cat welfare experts identified and ranked 118 issues.
- The Delphi method involved online surveys and a workshop.
- Issues were ranked by severity, duration, and prevalence using a Likert scale.
Main Results:
- Most severe issues: social behavior, age-related diseases, obesity, delayed veterinary care, poor pain management.
- Most prevalent issues: neglect, delayed euthanasia, inherited defects, environmental restriction, poor pain management.
Conclusions:
- Owner education is vital for improving cat welfare.
- Further research into cat behavior and welfare is recommended.