Neighbourhood Cat Campaign Survey Report

A cat’s eye view of the neighbourhood

Neighbourhood Cat Campaign Research Report, April 2013

© SureFlap Ltd 2013

i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h

2-7INTRODUCTIONExecutive summaryMethodologyThe survey population

8-27FINDINGS Attitudes to catsCats as part of wildlifeFreedom to roamCat-on-cat interaction

28-29CONCLUSIONS

INTRODUCTION

CONTENTS

2

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CAT CAMPAIGN

SureFlap LtdSureFlap manufactures award-winning microchip pet doors for cats

and small dogs. SureFlap pet doors recognise a resident pet’s unique

microchip number, unlocking only for them and keeping out intruder

animals.

SureFlap believes that providing cats with regular outdoor access is

essential to ensure a happy and enriched life. Always eager to learn

more about the secret outdoor life of our feline friends, SureFlap is

proud to be associated with the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign.

www.sureflap.co.uk

Jon Bowen BVetMed MRCVS DipAS(CABC)

Jon Bowen is a veterinary surgeon and behaviourist. He runs the

behavioural medicine referral service at the Royal Veterinary College,

where he also teaches. Jon carries out research into the biological

basis of behaviour problems at the Imperial College London. He has

contributed to several books, including the current and forthcoming

BSAVA manuals, and the book Behaviour problems in small animals.

Jon is a regular speaker at national and international conferences.

Your Cat MagazineYour Cat is Britain’s best-selling cat magazine, covering all aspects of cat care, with advice from leading experts. There are buyers’ guides and articles on breeds, training, charity work and more. The magazine also covers the lighter side of cat ownership with features on cats and their owners, celebrity interviews, readers’ true cat tales and top quality photographs. The Neighbourhood Cat Campaign was launched with the aim of helping owners cope with issues that are arising in an increasingly intolerant society. Our survey clearly shows that there are easy solutions cat owners can put in place — these, and much more, will be shared with our readers.

www.yourcat.co.uk

2 3

INTRODUCTION 4

Jon Bowen, animal behaviour consultant for the Royal Veterinary College is the leading researcher for the Neighbourhood Cat Campaign supported by SureFlap, the microchip-operated pet door company, and Your Cat magazine.

There are over 10 million pet cats in the UK, but once they leave the house, we know little about their day-to-day experiences or the contribution they make to our neighbourhoods. This research aims to find out more about the secret lives of cats and in particular to explore the issues they face in the artificial habitat of homes and gardens.

Cats are territorial animals that are solitary in the wild, only coming together in groups for breeding or when resources are abundant.

This research aims to identify how cats have adapted to life as a pet and the impact they have on the other animals and humans around them.

The research examined both cat owners’ and non-cat owners’ attitudes towards cats in the neighbourhood and identified that non-cat owners are divided in their opinions of cats; with 44.0% expressing positive feelings and 56.0% negative feelings towards cats.

The most common complaint of non-cat owners (69.4%) was that neighbourhood cats go to the toilet in their garden. This may be due to the lack of suitable facilities provided by cat owners, as the survey found that only 14.7% of cat owners currently provide an outdoor toilet for their pet.

The perceived impact that neighbourhood cats have on wildlife, particularly birds, was also a common criticism, with 48.0% of non-cat owners complaining that local cats hunted birds. However, the survey found that a significant number of cats (44.0%) had not caught a bird within the past year. Furthermore, although many cat owners were reluctant to encourage birds into their garden for fear of predation, there was no correlation between the number of birds in a garden and bird predation rates.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CAT CAMPAIGN4 5

The research investigated inter-cat relations within the neighbourhood and found that 65.7% of cat owners who allowed their pet outdoor access saw a neighbour’s cat in their garden at least once a week and 23.0% of them reported significant problems with neighbourhood cats.

Active, assertive, mature male cats were found most likely to be injured in a fight with a neighbourhood cat. Cats injured in a fight showed significantly higher incidences of hair loss, eye infections, lameness, coughs and sneezes.

The incidence of home invasion, where an intruder cat enters the home of a resident cat (usually via the cat flap) was investigated. 51.0% of households with a non-selective cat flap have experienced a neighbour’s cat coming into the house through the cat flap. For most cats the home forms the core part of their territory and an invasion into this space can be highly stressful, particularly if it leads to aggression from the intruder cat, as has been experienced by 1 in 4 households with a non-selective cat flap. Not surprisingly, cats that had suffered home invasions in the past displayed significantly higher levels of behaviour indicative of stress such as:

• Clawing furniture and walls• Hesitating at the door before going outside• Becoming agitated when seeing a cat in the garden • Being afraid when seeing a cat in the garden

INTRODUCTION 6

There were over 1,000 responses to the survey, including 896 cat owners and 206 non-cat owners. Factual data was captured about their homes and gardens, pet ownership and respondents’ opinions sought on a number of issues.

The questionnaire, completed online between January and March 2013, was piped so that questions were tailored depending on if the respondent owned a cat or not. This meant specific questions could be targeted at each group of people, in order to attain information from ‘both sides of the fence’.

METHODOLOGY


96.4%85.0%

of homes had a garden associated with the property.

of cats had some outdoor access.

THE SURVEY POPULATION

206NON-CAT OWNERS

896CAT OWNERS

2AVERAGE NO. OF CATS PER HOUSEHOLD

81.9% of cat owners whose cats had outdoor access reported that their neighbours also owned cats.

6 7

FINDINGS

CAT OWNERS’ PERCEPTION OF RELATIONS WITH NON-CAT OWNING NEIGHBOURS

Of the 734 cat owners whose cats were allowed outside into their garden:

reported that owning a cat had caused a dispute with neighbours.

confirmed that they had received a complaint from a neighbour, or their neighbour actively discouraged their cats from their garden or home.

said that their neighbours had a close relationship with their cat - feeding, playing games or encouraging the cat into their home or garden and even in some instances buying presents for the cat.

indicated that their neighbours had a positive, but distant relationship which included talking to the cat, stroking it or talking to the owner about the cat.

2.2%25.6%58.4%20.2%

ATTITUDES TO CATS

ATTITUDES TO CATS 8


Non-cat owners were asked to rate their feelings towards neighbourhood cats on a scale of 1 (entirely negative) to 10 (entirely positive).

The average score was 5.2 showing people were much divided on this issue.

People tended to give answers at either extreme, with 25.9% reporting a strong antipathy toward cats and 19.5% reporting a strong positive feeling towards cats.

NON-CAT OWNERS’ FEELINGS TOWARDS CATS

44.0% of non-cat owners LIKE cats

(score 6 - 10)

56.0% of non-cat owners DISLIKE cats

(score 1 - 5)

28.2% of non-cat owners consider cats to be part of the natural world like

wildlife, versus52.7% of cat owners. FEELINGS TOWARDS NEIGHBOURHOOD CATS

NUMBER

OF NO

N-CAT

OWNER

S

40

051015

20253035

1 98765432 10Entirely Negative Entirely Positive

8 9

FINDINGS

WHAT NON-CAT OWNERS LIKE ABOUT CATS

ATTITUDES TO CATS

PERCENTAGE OF OVERALL POSITIVE FEELING0 10 20 30 40 50

46.0%

13.0%5.0%

enjoyed a distant relationship with cats

had a close relationship with cats

liked the pest control benefits

For example:Liked it when cats come for attentionLiked to meet the cats on their streetLiked to stroke cats that come in the garden

For example:Liked cats coming into their homeBelieved cats provide companionshipViewed cats as like their own pets

0

WHAT NON-CAT OWNERS DISLIKE ABOUT CATS

10 20 30 40 50PERCENTAGE OF OVERALL ANTIPATHY

44.0% damage in the garden

30.0% impact on wildlife

21.0% general dislike of cats

5.0% threaten the owners’ pets

69.4% of non-cat owners complained about local cats going to the toilet in their garden.

39.0% complained that neighbourhood cats made it hard to attract birds to the garden.48.0% complained that local cats hunted birds.

10


The good news is that cat owners can do something about the undesirable behaviours mentioned by non-cat owners. However, whilst 69.4% of non-cat owners find that toileting in the garden is a problem, only 9.8% of cat owners had ever been spoken to about this by a neighbour. So, there is a clear communication gap, with non-cat owners often suffering in silence.

Toileting is the main bugbear for non-cat owners, and cat owners can resolve this problem by providing adequate toilet facilities for their cat. These can be either inside the home (litter trays) or outside, in the form of a cat latrine in the garden.

Creating an outdoor cat latrine is as simple as setting aside a secluded square of loose earth that is easy for a cat to dig in.

Both cat owners and non-cat owners should talk to their neighbours about any issues that arise due to the local cat population.Cat owners: tell your neighbours about the steps you have taken to discourage feline behaviours they might find undesirable. Non-cat owners: let cat owners know if you have experienced problem behaviour from their cat. Your neighbour can only try to resolve the situation if they are aware that it exists.

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

PROVIDE ADEQUATE TOILETING FACILITIES FOR YOUR CAT

TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOURS

10 11

FINDINGS

Cat owners were asked to report the number and types of prey caught by their cat in the past year. On average, cats brought home 12 rodents per year, compared with only 3 birds. According to the survey, many cats haven’t caught any prey in the last year.

PREY TYPE

AVERAG

E NUM

BER CA

UGHT P

ER CAT

PER Y

EAR

CATS AS PART OF WILDLIFE

024681012

Bird Rodent Rabbit Squirrel

3.3

12

0.31 0.38

“Since cats bring any prey they catch back to their core territory (the home), this is routinely used as a way to assess predatory behaviour in cats. Cats that don’t bring back prey are probably not catching any.”Jon Bowen

CATS AS PART OF WILDLIFE 12

44.0%39.0%

didn’t bring home any birds.

didn’t bring home any rodents.


Despite the concerns of cat owners wishing to attract wildlife into their garden, the number of birds caught did not correlate with the number of birds seen in the garden or the amount of bird enrichment present (bird feeders, scatter feeding, bird tables or nesting boxes).However, there was a strong relationship between the number of birds in the garden and the presence of bird tables, feeders and nest boxes, as well as with having wild flowers and a wilderness area, trees, bushes, a greenhouse, vegetable patch and compost heap.Therefore, the more active the garden is the greater benefit for bird numbers.

It has recently been found that the survival of young birds is dependent on the presence of worms rather than other sources of food. So, active gardening and the use of a compost heap to encourage worms could be particularly valuable.

THE COMPOST HEAP EFFECT

of cat owners with a garden indicated that they would like to encourage more birds into the garden.

of cat owners with a garden indicated that owning a cat prevented them from attracting more birds to the garden.

61.6%48.1%

12 13

FINDINGS CATS AS PART OF WILDLIFE

Cat Owners whose cats have outdoor access*

Non-cat Owners*

Bird table 34.9 38.8Nest Box 20.6 35.0Bird hanging feeder 55.0 61.7Bird food scatter 24.5 33.5

*percentage of homes providing this resource

RESOURCES PROVIDED FOR BIRDS IN THE GARDEN

The survey found that cat owners provide similar numbers of bird tables and hanging feeders to non-cat owners, but they tend to be more cautious about scatter feeding and nest boxes.

Nesting sites are essential to birds, and there is no evidence in the study that providing nest boxes increases risk of predation by cats.

Scatter feeding can be carried out while the owner keeps the cat indoors to protect ground-feeding birds.

14


The survey found that cat owners can safely attract more birds into their gardens and provide nesting boxes for them. This is not likely to increase predation and will help to support bird populations at a time when natural food sources and suitable nesting sites are diminishing.


Help to increase bird and insect numbers throughout the year with active gardening and by choosing plants that support wildlife. Compost heaps and regularly turned soil encourage worms which are vital to support young birds.

Some garden birds such as robins and dunnocks feed mainly on the ground, making them potentially vulnerable to cats. Be sure to place food on the ground for these birds at least three metres away from cover where a cat could be lurking.

Cat owners who are concerned about scatter feeding birds in their garden can keep their pet indoors for a limited period to allow birds to feed. A cat flap with an automatic timer can be used to ensure that cats are kept indoors at specific times of the day.

Consider positioning nesting boxes close to thorny vegetation to discourage cats from getting too close. Plants such as Hawthorn and Pyracantha also provide fruit for birds over autumn and winter.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ENCOURAGE WILDLIFE INTO YOUR GARDEN

TAKE CARE WITH GROUND-FEEDING BIRDS

PLACE NESTING BOXES OUT OF REACH

14 15

FINDINGS

OF THE CATS WITH POTENTIAL ACCESS TO A GARDEN:

85.0% OF CATS HAVE SOME

OUTDOOR ACCESS

had no cat flap41.8%29.0%29.2% had a seletive entry cat flap

had a non-selective cat flap

FREEDOM TO ROAM

Allowed free access to the outdoors

Kept in at night

Let out when the cat asked

Only let out at certain times

34.8%

23.1%

17.9%10.6%

9.7%5.3%

Indoor Only

Only allowed out on a harness

FREEDOM TO ROAM 16


OUTDOOR RESOURCES

had an outdoor water source50.3%48.1%43.1% had an outdoor structure for the cat to climb

had a shelter for the cat

had access to outdoor buildings26.8%14.7%11.6% had access to food outdoors

had an outdoor toilet for the cat

We asked owners who allowed their cat outdoor access what resources they provided for their pet in the garden. Toileting was highligted as a problem in the gardens of non-cat owners. Although many owners said that they provided their cats with water bowls, shelters and structures to climb, very few provided a designated outdoor toilet for their pet.

16 17

FINDINGS

The vast majority of cat owners in our study have recognised the benefits of giving their pet some degree of outdoor access. However, more than 40% of these pets must rely on their owner to grant them outdoor access, which may be stressful and frustrating for an animal that wishes to establish fixed territiorial routines.

Cats are creatures of habit - they like to patrol their territory at the same times of day every day. In this way cats in densely populated areas can go about their business without having to come into contact with other cats with whom they may (reluctantly) share their territory.

Owners may inadvertently disrupt this routine by failing to let their pet outside at the required time, which can cause stress and frustration for many cats.

Ideally cats should be allowed free access to the outdoors via a cat flap. However, owners who wish to keep their pet indoors overnight can use a cat flap with an automated timer. A cat soon learns when he is and is not allowed outside and can adapt his routine accordingly.

Cats can benefit greatly from regular outdoor access, but only if their external environment provides the resources required to keep them stimulated and active. Make sure that the garden has a mixture of sunny and shady spots for a cat to enjoy, provide bushes and shrubs for him to hide in, as well as elevated perches for him to climb and survey his territory.

ENABLE YOUR CAT TO ESTABLISH A ROUTINE

CREATE A CAT-FRIENDLY GARDEN

FREEDOM TO ROAM


18


The survey revealed a group of households that had experienced severe problems with nuisance behaviour from neighbourhood cats. This group accounted for 16.8% of cat owners.

These households saw significantly more cat activity in their gardens, seeing three or more different cats coming into their garden, a couple or more times a week.

Of the 734 cat owners whose cats were allowed outside into their garden:

reported significant problems with other cats.

saw a neighbour’s cat in their garden at least once a week

23.0%65.7%

reported that their neighbours also owned cats81.2%

CAT ON CAT INTERACTION

18 19

NUISANCE BEHAVIOUR

FINDINGS CAT ON CAT INTERACTION

FIGHTS AND INJURIES: RISK FACTORSA number of factors were analysed to measure their influence on the likelihood of a resident cat becoming injured in a fight with another cat. The injuries analysed were split into minor injuries (not requiring veterinary treatment) and severe injuries (requiring veterinary treatment). The occurrence of minor injuries correlated more strongly with incidences of illness and behaviours indicative of stress. Therefore the findings below focus on the frequency of minor injuries according to each risk factor.

PERSONALITY

LOCATIONNo difference in injury rates (of any kind) were found between rural, village, town and city locations.

The level of assertiveness and activity displayed by an individual cat correlate strongly with the likelihood that they have been injured in a fight with a neighbourhood cat. The population was split into four subgroups according to their score for each of these personality traits.

AVERAG

E NUM

BER OF

MINOR

INJUR

IES PE

R CAT

PER YE

AR

00.20.4

0.60.81.0

High AssertiveLow Active

High AssertiveHigh Active

Low AssertiveLow Active

Low AssertiveHigh Active

PERSONALITY TYPE

20


These statistics are for neutered pets only, which represented the majority of the survey population.Females - 0.36

Males - 1.09Average number of minor injuries (per

cat per year)

GENDER

AGE“We were surprised to see that middle aged cats were the ones most likely to experience minor injuries from cat fights. Perhaps cats value and defend their territory more at this age, or maybe they need time to develop the skill and confidence to take on intruders. This is something that needs further investigation.”

Jon Bowen

0.8

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 15+13-15

AVERGA

E NUM

BER OF

MINOR

INJUR

IES PE

R CAT

PER YE

AR

AGE IN YEARS

20 21


FIGHTS AND INJURIES: IMPACT ON HEALTH & BEHAVIOUR

Cats with a history of minor injuries from fights with other cats also displayed higher rates of behaviour indicative of underlying stress:

Spraying in the home – these cats were nearly 4 times more likely to spray in the house than cats that had not been injured

Becoming agitated when seeing a cat in the garden

Afraid when seeing another cat in the garden

Hesitating by the cat door before going outside

22

Cats that had sustained minor injuries caused by neighbourhood cats showed a significantly higher incidence of certain illnesses compared to those who hadn’t. These conditions included:

Hair loss Coughs and sneezesLameness Eye infections


HOME INVASION

“A violent home invasion by burglars would be a horrific experience for anyone. What kind of society would we live in if nearly 25% of UK households had experienced at least one such invasion? Yet, from our results, that is precisely the situation for pet cats.”Jon Bowen

of households with non-selective cat flaps have experienced a neighbour’s cat coming into the home through the cat flap.

of households with a non-selective cat flap have experienced a cat coming in and fighting with their own cat.

51.1%24.8%

22 23


WHY DO NEIGHBOURHOOD CATS ENTER THE HOME?

It appears that cats generally enter the home to get food, attention or shelter, and that once inside they are more likely to fight with resident cats.

reported that other cats came in to get attention

reported that other cats came in to get shelter

25.5%27.0%

reported that other cats came in to steal food39.4%Of the cats that had free outdoor access through a non-

selective cat flap:

“In the wild, cats eat 10 to 20 small meals each day. The study indicates that a significant proportion of households provide unnaturally restricted access to food which may encourage resident cats to seek food elsewhere, such as in other people’s homes.”Jon Bowen

FEEDING TIMESOnly 45.1% of households reported that they provided food on an ad-lib basis so cats could eat whenever they want.

33.0% reported feeding their cats at specific mealtimes.

24

They also showed significantly higher levels of behaviour indicative of underlying stress such as:


HOME INVASION: IMPACT ON HEALTH & BEHAVIOURCats that experienced home invasion experienced significantly higher levels of skin problems including itchy skin and hair loss.

Clawing furniture and walls

Waiting at the door before going outside

Becoming agitated when seeing a cat in the garden

Being afraid when seeing a cat in the garden

“The rate of clawing is 23% higher in cats that had experienced home invasion compared with those which hadn’t. One of the functions of clawing is to leave a mark that deters other cats from entering an area, so that would make sense.”Jon Bowen

24 25


If a cat belongs to the groups identified to be more likely to sustain injuries in fights with neighbourhood cats (assertive and active male adults), owners should consider how to help thier pets avoid these conflicts. If there is another assertive cat living nearby, an owner could agree a time-share arrangement for outdoor access with their neighbour, allowing their pet outside only when the other animal is safely indoors.

It is essential that a cat has a safe and secure core territory (the home) that he can retreat to; to rest, sleep and escape from other cats living locally. If access to the core territory is open to other cats via a non-selective cat flap, he may become chronically stressed and unhappy, which in time can make him prone to illness.

By installing a secure cat flap, the cat will not have to deal with attacks in his own home, and in time he will come to understand that other cats are not able to enter his core territory, leading to a happier, more relaxed pet.


ASSESS YOUR CAT’S RISK FACTORS

INSTALL A SECURE CAT FLAP

According to our results, having more cats in a household did not seem to act as a deterrent to other cats visiting the garden or stop them being a nuisance! Neighbourhoods where three or more different cats come into the garden more than a couple of times a week are likely to already be overpopulated. This means that there is a greater chance of conflict with neighbourhood cats and it might be better not to add another cat to the neighbourhood.

BE AWARE OF THE LOCAL CAT POPULATION

26


It’s important for cat owners to realise that, if hungry, their pet could become an unwanted intruder in a neighbour’s home in his search for food. By providing food to their cat on an ad-lib basis throughout the day (taking care to follow recommended feeding guidelines on the amount), owners can enable their pet to feed as he would in the wild. This will make him less likely to look elsewhere for food.

AD-LIB FEED YOUR CAT

Sometimes it can be difficult to spot if a cat is displaying signs of stress. However, a reluctance or hesitancy to go outside, frequently running back into the house at top speed, agitation when other cats visit the garden and spraying and scratching in the home are all signs that a cat may be feeling stressed by the presence of other cats living nearby.

If a cat owner believes that their cat may be stressed, it’s a good idea to try using a pheromone diffuser, such as Feliway, to help to relax him. They could also try accompanying their pet outside for short periods of time to help him to build up his confidence as well as to deter other cats that may be lurking in the garden.

UNDERSTAND YOUR CAT’S BODY LANGUAGE

26 27

CONCLUSIONS

CONCLUSIONS

28

With over 10 million pet cats in the UK, multi-cat neighbourhoods where cats live in very close proximity to each other have become the norm. The Neighbourhood Cat Campaign research has highlighted the positive and negative impacts that our cats have on their neighbours, both feline and human, as well as how they interact with local wildlife.

Cat owners must take responsibility for catering to their cat’s need for outdoor access, adequate resource provision and territory enrichment, whilst also considering the needs of their non-cat owning and fellow cat owning neighbours. Fortunately, by providing their pet with the resources that they need closer to home, they are less likely to stray into neighbours’ gardens.

A particular area to be addressed by cat owners is the provision of appropriate toileting facilities for their cat to minimise incidences of cats going to the toilet in neighbouring gardens and also indirectly causing plant damage.

Another concern of non-cat owners is bird predation by domestic cats, and although it is an unavoidable reality that many cats hunt birds, this research has proved that a significant number of cats do not catch any birds, or indeed rodents.

Cat owners can encourage wildlife into their garden without fear of increasing bird predation rates and in particular the provision of nesting boxes and hanging bird feeders can help to sustain local bird populations at a time where naturally occurring food and nesting sites are declining.

Prospective cat owners should assess the density of the local feline population before deciding to acquire a new pet. Spotting three or more cats in your garden at least a couple of times a week is a clear sign that there are already enough cats in the locality and adding another one could trigger or exacerbate conflicts between the local cat population.

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CAT CAMPAIGN28 29

Cat owners living in a multi-cat neighbourhood can minimise the risk of inter-cat conflict by speaking to their neighbours to understand the number, personalities and locations of different cats in the locality. Being aware of the early signs of stress as displayed by a cat’s body language can also help owners to take action as soon as problems occur.

Installing a secure cat flap will minimise the risk of home invasion and enable a cat to establish a safe, secure core territory where he can feel safe from the ‘dangers’ of the neighbourhood. Giving a cat free outdoor access enables him to establish a routine for territorial patrolling to minimise encounters with other neighbourhood cats which may result in conflict and injury.

© 2013 SureFlap Ltd. All rights reserved.Material in this Report is the copyright of SureFlap Ltd, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the Report, and neither the Report nor any part of the Report or any material or any statistics contained therein may be re-produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by means electronic, mechanical, by way of photocopying, recording or otherwise, either in full or part, without the prior permission of SureFlap Ltd. Further, this report has been distributed subject to the condition that it shall not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without SureFlap Ltds prior con-sent other than that in which it has been distributed and if reference is made to any statistic or statistics in the report, with the consent of SureFlap Ltd, the source of the statistic or statistics should always be referred to as the ‘SureFlap Neighbourhood Cat Campaign Research Report 2013’.

i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h

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Neighbourhood Cat Campaign Survey Report