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Factors Relevant to Adoption of Cats in an Animal Shelter
Abstract
This study performed a multifactor analysis of the effects of the provision of toys, cage location, and cat characteristics (activity level, age, sex, and coat color) on 111 cats available for adoption in a nonhuman animal shelter. The analysis revealed a greater adopter viewing of cats housed at eye level and of those with toys-even though the toys did not affect the cats' behavior. Adopters viewed cats who were active for longer periods of time. The active cats were more likely to be adopted during the 16-week study than cats who were less active.
... Other factors that have been claimed as influential in pet adoption rates and engagement include coat color and age of the animal. Some studies have reported that darker coated animals tend to take longer to get adopted and have less engagement [3]; however, other research indicates a trend in increased positive attitudes towards darker coated animals [22]. Our study was unable to analyze the impact of fur color because very few animals were labeled as black, but future research could explore this by examining the potential connection between animal coat color and adoption influence. ...
Recent statistics suggest that the percentage of animals adopted from shelters or rescue organizations is lower than expected, especially given the number of animals available for adoption. To help increase adoption rates, animal shelters often advertise adoptable animals on webpages and social media. However, little research has examined what information may be more successful in increasing engagement and interest in the animals to ultimately lead to adoption. This exploratory study examined posts of adoptable animals on Facebook pages of 13 different animal shelters in the US to better understand how post content, such as pictures or videos, type/sex of animal, and the environment the animals are depicted in, may influence public engagement. We also sought to examine if there was a difference between posts in 2019 (pre-pandemic) compared to 2020 (pandemic). The findings suggest that posts on social media can successfully promote animals available for adoption, but the type of animal (dog vs. cat) and environment (e.g., home vs. other) can influence the likes and shares of the posts. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift to more online activity may have influenced engagement; posts from Fall 2019 had more likes, while posts in Fall 2020 had more shares. Future research should continue to look for trends in the content of posts, as well as content shared on other social media outlets, to provide further clarification about how these posts influence adoptions.
... Los registros del refugio se deben basar en cada individuo, deben contar con un previo historial clínico a la hora de ingreso al refugio, los animales deben ser chequeados y valorados por un profesional en medicina veterinaria antes de entregarlos en adopción, también cada uno de ellos debe contar con un identificador (microchip) para que los cuidadores del refugio tengan una mayor facilidad a la hora de requerir información de este y así poder actuar de manera efectiva. Cada registro debe contar con un esquema sanitario completo (vacunación, desparasitación, control de ecto y endoparásitos), temperamento, edad, nombre, raza, procedencia, enfermedades, alergias y demás datos de interés para el nuevo propietario o tenedor (Fantuzzi et al. 2010). ...
Se realiza una breve recopilación de los parámetros mínimos que debe tener un refugio, hogar de paso o albergue para garantizar bienestar animal a perros y gatos en estado de abandono, programa de adopción y manutención de animales de compañía en este tipo de establecimientos. Este documento busca ser un instrumento de consulta y guía a manera de orientación para personas relacionadas de cualquier manera con el bienestar animal, manejo de animales en hogares de paso, refugios y albergues, así como las relacionadas con elaboración de políticas gubernamentales orientadas hacia estos centros donde se mantienen animales de compañía. Lo anterior con el fin de tener puntos específicos de referencia que puedan impactar de forma negativa el bienestar animal de perros y gatos, como enfermedades infecciosas, deficiencias en el manejo de los animales, falta de conocimiento y capacitación, deficiencia en los espacios o áreas y escasez de recursos por espacio, nutrición o condiciones higiénico–sanitarias. Se presentan a continuación problemática, aspectos normativos, parámetros básicos de bienestar animal, cuidado y alojamiento, espacios mínimos requeridos, esterilización, educación humanitaria, registros y documentación, programa de bioseguridad, zoonosis, enfermedades frecuentes y unas recomendaciones básicas para tener en cuenta en los albergues. En Colombia se deben establecer lineamientos y estándares para este tipo de establecimientos que garanticen condiciones de bienestar animal en animales de compañía.
... Significant differences in the time spent on locomotion and social play were found between cats in different housing conditions. This is important because other research shows that more active cats are more likely to be adopted (5). Moreover, research by Gouveia et al. (7) shows that the longer cats stay at the shelter, the less active they become. ...
Hair cortisol analysis is a helpful tool for non-invasive measurement of the long-term activity of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. Long-term exposure to stressors affects, among others, animals staying in shelters for homeless animals. The study aimed to assess the hair cortisol level in cats from 8 different shelters. Hair grows on average about 1 cm per month. Therefore, it was concluded that the cortisol level in the hair closer than 1 cm to the skin reflected the cortisol level in cats during their stay in the shelter (A period). In contrast, the cortisol level in the rest of the hair corresponded to the cortisol level preceding the cat’s admission to the shelter (B period). Hair cortisol levels in the cats were higher before they arrived at the shelter than during their stay. Hair cortisol levels in the period before the shelter were higher in females than they were in males. On the other hand, during the stay at the shelter, the opposite was true: the cortisol level in females was lower than in males.
... Fantuzzi et. al. [16] determined that active cats are more likely to be adopted faster. Our study focuses on preparing a dataset and developing a predictive model to determine possible adoption time for animals in Austin Animal Center. ...
Animal shelters in the US provide care for stray or unwanted animals. Animal shelters have become crucial for the welfare of the animals brought to these facilities. This study uses the intake and outcome data provided by the Austin Animal Center from 2013 to July 2022. Main focus of the paper is to study different factors to determine possible stay times of animals in the shelter until adoption and build a predictive model for the future adoption time. For this purpose, first, the intake and outcome data are put into single table format. Then, adoption times are divided into two major groups: Adopted in less than 15 days and more than 15 days. To measure the impact of different attributes, a tree-based boosting method is used. This method is trained, validated and tested with the corresponding splits of the dataset. At the end, we provide an in-depth analysis of the attributes leading to different stay times. We also provide a GitHub link ‡ for the dataset and the trained models in this paper.
... The authors speculated that encouraging these behaviours would improve adoptability, a view shared by Bollen (2015). Grant & Warrior (2019) did not have a separate control group and so it is difficult to assess whether clicker training had this desired effect, although research suggests that active and playful cats tend to be viewed more positively by potential adopters (Gourkow, 2001;Fantuzzi et al., 2010;Sinn, 2016;and Caeiro et al., 2017). An interesting subject for further research would be to assess whether clicker training cats results in a reduced length of stay in the shelter, although future studies of clicker training in cats could compare it to other means of cognitive enrichment to reduce the confounding factors. ...
PICO question
In domestic cats in a shelter setting, does clicker training decrease proxy measures of a stressed emotional state (behavioural or physiological) compared to no clicker training?
Clinical bottom line
Category of research question
Treatment
The number and type of study designs reviewed
Two papers were critically reviewed. One was a prospective quasi-randomised clinical trial, the other was a quasi-experimental before-and-after study with each cat being its own control
Strength of evidence
Weak
Outcomes reported
Both papers reported a decrease in behavioural stress indicators in shelter cats following a clicker training programme. Not all of these decreases were statistically significant and there are large issues with confounding factors in both papers
Conclusion
Preliminary evidence suggests that clicker training can be implemented as one form of enrichment to reduce stress in shelter cats alongside other means. Further evidence is required to demonstrate superiority to other forms of enrichment to reduce stress in shelter cats, especially given the practical limitations of implementing such a programme in most shelters
How to apply this evidence in practice
The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources.
Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.
... A fekete és a pit bull terrierre hasonlító kutyákat hosszabb idő után fogadják csak örökbe, mint más színű, vagy egyéb fajtájú társaikat [10]. Az örökbefogadás valószínűségét befolyásolja az állatok kennelben tanúsított viselkedése [11], a kennelek, ketrecek elhelyezkedése, berendezése [12], valamint az is, hogy szabadtéren vagy beltéren találkozik-e az állat leendő gazdájával először [13]. ...
SUMMARY
Background: The conditions included in the pet adoption contracts of Hungarian animal welfare NGOs are very varied, there is no uniform contract that would
be widely used. An appropriate pet adoption contract must strike a delicate
balance: on the one hand, it must be able to protect the animal and ensure its
long-term welfare, and on the other hand, it must not be so strict as to deter
potential caring keepers. The presence of a large number of stray animals in
Hungary and overcrowded shelters suggest that all prospective keepers should
be able to adopt a pet that can provide the animal with at least as good, optimally better conditions as the host animal welfare NGO.
Objectives: Our aims were to 1) evaluate the system and conditions of pet
adoption conditions of animal welfare NGOs in Hungary and to 2) create a suggested pet adoption contract based on best practices.
Materials and Methods: A comparative analysis of the adoption contracts of
forty Hungarian animal welfare NGOs was carried out. The examined contracts
were used between 1 January 2019 and 1 October 2021.
Results and Discussion: There is no special form of contract in the Hungarian
law that specifically applies to the “adoption” of a live animal, the free transfer
of ownership qualifies as a gift contract. All contracts examined (100%) included
the obligation to neuter the animal and to follow up the subsequent fate of
the animal. 92.5% of the contracts included the obligation to provide annual
vaccinations, regular veterinary care, and the obligation to notify the adopter in
case of escape or loss of the animal. The majority of contracts stipulated that
the adopter would not be responsible for any subsequent illnesses (90%), the
adopter would notify the organisation of any change in contact details (75%)
and the organisation could take the animal back if it was not treated properly
(52.5%). It would be advisable to extend the contract of all animal welfare NGOs
with, among others, the requirement for protection against worms and external
parasites, and a ban on reproduction until neutering has taken place.
ÖSSZEFOGLALÁS
A szerzők célja a magyarországi állatvédő szervezetek örökbeadási feltételrendszerének vizsgálata és egy széleskörű felhasználásra javasolt „örökbefogadási”
(ajándékozásnak minősülő) mintaszerződés megalkotása volt. Negyven szervezet szerződésének összehasonlító elemzésére került sor 2019. január 1. és 2021.
október 1. között. Valamennyi szerződésben szerepelt az ivartalanítás kötelezettsége, valamint az állat sorsának utánkövetése. Javasolt a szerződéseket bővíteni
többek között a férgek és külső élősködők elleni védelem követelményével, ill. az
ivartalanításig a szaporítás tilalmával.
Timely adoption is essential for shelters to prevent unnecessary illness or euthanasia in cats ( Felis catus ). Many studies have examined the role of individual cat characteristics and environmental factors in facilitating cat adoptions, but none have looked at the role the number of cats being adopted plays. In this study, we examined whether or not adopting cats in pairs influences adoption times, in addition to commonly studied factors. We then collected video data on a small subset of cats to determine whether pairs that were adopted together differed behaviourally from pairs who were not. Our results demonstrate that cats who are adopted as part of a multi-cat outcome spent three days (42%) longer on the adoption floor than those adopted individually, independently of other factors such as age and coat colour. This difference increased to 13 days (185%) longer if the cat had a notification indicating they must be adopted together with another cat. While behavioural data show that these pairs of cats engage in significantly more affiliative behaviour with each other than cats who were adopted singly, there was a large discrepancy between which pairs the shelter classified as multi-outcome and those who would be classified that way based on behaviour alone. We suggest that decisions to place cats together should be made carefully given the potential adverse impacts of keeping cats in the shelter longer. Further, we suggest that guidance should be developed to help shelters accurately and consistently identify which cats merit a multi-outcome adoption.
In this chapter, the history and current philosophy surrounding adoption of companion animals out of shelters into new homes is discussed. The first part of the chapter considers the perspective of the adopter when choosing an animal, including research on what adopters are looking for when adopting and empirically based strategies, ranging from initial marketing of the animal to behavioural training, to increase adoption rates. The second part of the chapter considers the role of shelter staff in matchmaking, adoption counselling, and providing resources to new adopters. Additionally, ideas and tools for effective post‐adoption support programs are provided. Together, the information in this chapter will result in the best outcomes for adopters and the companion animals they take into their homes.
Separation from what is familiar coupled with exposure to an unfamiliar environment makes shelters particularly stressful for cats. Environmental enrichment can improve a cat's perception of their environment, resulting in a reduced stress response and improved well‐being. Careful consideration of how to employ enrichment effectively and efficiently is key to the success of any enrichment program. A standard program of enrichment should be provided for all cats, while a more diverse range of enrichment opportunities may be prioritized to meet the needs of individuals expressing certain behaviors or health concerns or that have longer projected lengths of stay. It is also key to assess the impact of enrichment efforts so as to continually optimize the quality of the program overall and its impact on the well‐being of each individual. Placing as many appropriate cats in foster homes as possible is likely to be the most effective enrichment strategy.
Safety and sanitation concerns in animal sheltering can interfere with the ability to provide optimal welfare and well‐being for cats. Because of the unique biology of cats, sheltering additionally presents a number of potential stressors that can adversely affect feline welfare, including unfamiliar people, altered routines, inconsistent husbandry, and the disruption of social bonds. The greatest stressor is the inability to control or escape from confinement. Appropriately designed feline housing is a critical tool and starting point in reducing the stress experienced by shelter cats and ensuring their medical and behavioral health. The quantity and quality of housing spaces should be enriched, functionally complex settings that allow for cats to not only cope with their environment but to encourage them to engage in a wide range of normal behaviors. Housing that upholds the Five Freedoms as well as the Five Pillars of a Healthy Feline Environment that allow cats to meet their physical and behavioral needs not only enhances feline welfare but also facilitates adoption potential. Shelters should provide a variety of housing and enrichment options to help each cat acclimate to the sheltering environment in their own way.
Efforts to meet the welfare needs of captive animals (such as the provision of environmental enrichment and naturalistic furnishings) often compromise visitors’ needs (naturalistic exhibits often decrease the visibility of animals on display even though visitors pay to view them). The literature offers different predictions about how zoo visitors respond to decreased animal visibility in naturalistic exhibits but they require further evaluation. Further, visitor research is currently confined to Europe and America and studies outside these areas are limited. This paper investigates the relationships between exhibit naturalism, animal visibility and visitor interest in a Chinese Zoo. Visitor interest was observed at both naturalistic and barren exhibit designs. The study showed that the influence of animal presence on visitor behaviours was similar at both exhibit designs. Further, visitor interest was not compromised at the naturalistic exhibit when animals were not visible. The results demonstrate that the needs of animals and visitors can be balanced at naturalistic exhibits and support the transformation of exhibits to those representing naturalistic environments.
As adult cats can often be difficult to re-home, they may spend long periods in rescue shelters where barren housing and inconsis-tent handling can reduce their welfare. In this study, 165 adult cats in an animal shelter in Vancouver, Canada, were assigned to four treatments. The Basic Single treatment reflected typical conditions in that particular shelter, with cats handled in an inconsistent manner by various staff and housed singly in relatively barren cages. Three alternative treatments involved more consistent, positive handling by only the experimenter and research assistants, plus three housing conditions: Enriched Single (individual cages with oppor-tunities to perch and hide), Basic Communal (group housing with opportunity for each cat to have personal space), and Enriched Communal (group housing enriched to encourage play and cat – cat interaction). The Basic Single treatment had the lowest percentage adopted in 21 days (45% versus 69-76% for other treatment, and higher stress scores than other treatments. The three alternative treatments did not differ significantly on any measure. Cats euthanised for poor health showed higher stress levels when alive than other cats. In a questionnaire, most adopters cited certain behavioural/emotional traits ('friendly', 'playful', 'happy') as reasons for selecting cats; these were generally associated with lower stress scores. The results suggest that consistent handling combined with a range of improved housing options can improve the chances of adoption for adult cats, perhaps by reducing fear-related behaviours that make cats less attractive to adopters.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate determinants of adoption of cats and dogs from a large municipal animal shelter. The subjects were 4,813 cats and 3,301 dogs impounded by the Sacramento County Department of Animal Care and Regulation and offered for adoption September 9, 1994 to May 26, 1995. The study constructed models predicting the conditional probability of adoption using logistic regression and a final multiple logistic regression model from variables found to be important predictors of adoption. Age, sex, coat color, and reason for relinquishment were major determinants of adoption in cats. Age, sex, coat color, reason for relinquishment, breed, purebred status, and injury status were major determinants of adoption in dogs. Shelter personnel could utilize this information to increase the adoption of frequently overlooked animals. Alternatively, shelters could use this to focus their resources on animals with characteristics the public prefers.
Research activities on the welfare of domestic cats have increased greatly in recent years. Of particular note is the emergence, especially in the USA and to a lesser extent in the UK, of shelter medicine as a veterinary specialist discipline in its own right. Its emergence is immensely gratifying, and is already leading to major improvements and refinements in the ways that overpopulation, one of the most important global issues in cat welfare, is being tackled. Significant advances are being made in the ways shelters are managed and cats are cared for. In addition, we are beginning to understand better why cats end up in shelters, what to do about it and how to promote successful adoptions. As a result, the number of healthy cats and kittens euthanised in shelters has decreased in some countries, although it still remains much too high. There have also been improvements in our understanding of the needs of cats and how they can be met, whether cats are housed in the home, the shelter or boarding cattery, the veterinary surgery or the research facility. Innovative ways of enriching the environment of cats in order to meet these needs and improve their welfare are being developed and applied in practice. By enriching the lives of cats under our care, we also enrich our own lives.
This study provides quantitative conclusions regarding the impact of specific exogenous factors on exhibit viewing time in zoological parks and discusses implications for exhibit design. Three features distinguish this analysis from previous research concerning viewing time: (a) Data collection was preceded by extensive field work, to identify more than 50 variables with potential effects on viewing time; (b) the results of ethnographic interview techniques were combined with on-site observation and objective data to quantify and scale relevant variables; and (c) multiple regression techniques were used to quantify and test unique quantitative effects of independent variables on observed viewing time. The analysis compares recorded viewing times of 501 individuals across 10 exhibits at six zoological parks.
Every year sees an increase in the number of dogs admitted to rescue shelters. However well these dogs are cared for in the shelter it cannot be ignored that being in such a situation is stressful and the time spent in the shelter may change the dogs' behaviour which may in turn influence their chances of being bought from the shelter. This research examined the behaviour of stray and unwanted dogs on their first, third and fifth days in an Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) shelter. A questionnaire was also distributed to members of the public to determine how popular the USPCA was as a place from where to purchase a dog, and what factors about a dog's physical characteristics, behaviour and environment influenced potential buyers. Results revealed no significant difference between the behaviour of stray and unwanted dogs although the public viewed stray dogs as much less desirable than unwanted dogs. Time in the shelter had no adverse effects on the dogs' behaviour. Indeed those changes which did occur during captivity, dogs being more relaxed in the presence of people and eating food more quickly, may be considered as positive changes. The USPCA was viewed as a popular place from which to buy a dog. Off actors influencing the public's choice, the dog's environment and behaviour appeared more important than its physical characteristics. The presence of a toy in the dog's cage greatly increased the public's preference for the dog, although the toy was ignored by the dog. The welfare implications of sheltering dogs are discussed
The majority of sheltered dogs are overlooked for purchase because they are considered undesirable by potential buyers. Many factors may determine a dog's appeal, although of interest here are the dog's behaviour and cage environment which can influence its desirability. People prefer dogs which are at the front rather than the back of the cage, quiet as opposed to barking, and alert rather than non-alert. Potential buyers also prefer dogs which are held in complex as opposed to barren environments. This study examined the behaviour of sheltered dogs in response to environmental change, to determine whether it influenced dog behaviour in ways that could be perceived as desirable to potential dog buyers, and/or had any effect upon the incidence of dogs purchased from the shelter. One hundred and twenty dogs sheltered by the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were studied over a 4-h period. The dogs' position in the cage, vocalisation, and activity were investigated in response to increased human social stimulation, moving the dog's bed to the front of the cage, or suspending a toy from the front of the dog's cage. Social stimulation resulted in dogs spending more time at the front of the enclosure, more time standing, and slightly more time barking. Moving the bed to the front of the cage encouraged dogs to this position, but did not influence activity or vocalisation. Suspending a toy at the front of the pen exerted no effect on dog behaviour, although its presence in the pen may help to promote more positive perceptions of dog desirability. The incidence of dogs purchased from the rescue shelter increased whenever the dogs' cages were fitted with a bed at the front of the pen, whenever the dogs were subjected to increased regular human contact, and whenever a toy was placed at the front of the enclosure. Findings highlight the important role that cage environment can play in shaping the behaviour of sheltered dogs and influencing whether or not an animal will become purchased.
Fantuzzi is now at the Animal Rescue League of Boston Correspondence should be sent to Jacqueline M. Fantuzzi, Animal Rescue League of Boston, 10 Chandler Street Understanding your visitors: Ten factors that influence visitor behavior
- Jacqueline M S Patterson
- D Benefield
Jacqueline M. Fantuzzi is now at the Animal Rescue League of Boston. Correspondence should be sent to Jacqueline M. Fantuzzi, Animal Rescue League of Boston, 10 Chandler Street, Boston, MA 02116. Email: jfantuzzi@arlboston.org REFERENCES Bitgood, S., Patterson, D., & Benefield, A. (1986). Understanding your visitors: Ten factors that influence visitor behavior. American Association of Zoological Park and Aquariums Annual Proceedings, 726–743.