1. Introduction
Much of the research on the links between domestic cats’ environment and their welfare has been conducted in animal shelters or research catteries (e.g., influence of environmental stressors and handling on cat health and welfare) [1,2,3]. In recent years, a number of authors have noted the need for a better understanding of the welfare of privately-owned domestic cats (Felis catus) living in homes, and have expressed concern that needs of these cats are not being met [4,5,6,7,8]. Several studies have suggested that many cat owners lack rudimentary knowledge necessary for optimal cat care, such as how to prevent unwanted litters or provide basic health care, or how to provide an ideal environment for this species [7,9,10,11,12]. This situation may be particularly serious for cats’ behavioral needs [6,13] with many owners lacking the ability to accurately read their cats’ body language [14]. Yet, at the same time, increasing urbanization has altered many cats’ environments. It has contributed to smaller living spaces, higher population densities, complete indoor confinement, and more time spent alone [15], all of which may contribute to increased stress for cats in the home (either due to insufficient resource availability in multi-cat homes, or social isolation from familiar humans or other compatible cats) [13]. Suboptimal handling, management, and environments increase the risk of behavior problems such as aggression and housesoiling in companion animals (e.g., references [4,6,16,17]). Behavior problems (or species-typical behaviors perceived as problems) can have a negative effect on the emotional bond between companion animals and human caretakers [18] which may in turn impact the care and welfare of the cat [4,8,13], creating a negative self-perpetuating cycle by increasing the frequency or severity of behavior problems. The outcome of this cycle for the cats involved is often dire; behavior problems are one of the most common reasons for relinquishment and/or euthanasia of pet cats [19,20,21].
Taken collectively, these issues point to the necessity of conducting a needs assessment [22] to better understand cat owners’ attitudes and practices, with the goals of identifying detrimental gaps in owner knowledge and skills, and thereby targeting educational campaigns to improve owner understanding of normal cat behavior and species-specific needs. Correcting misconceptions and providing accurate, evidence-based information pertaining to domestic cats’ needs can help improve the human-feline bond, and as result, help reduce risks to cat welfare. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to measure the attitudes of current U.S.-based cat owners towards cats as pets, their knowledge about normal cat behavior and environmental needs, and current trends in cat care (such as number of cats in the home, prevalence of declawing, provision of outdoor access, and access/availability of resources known or believed to be important to cats). In addition, owners were asked questions related to their cats’ behavior and the strength of their bond with their cats. Our primary hypothesis, based on the current literature, was that owners with a more accurate understanding of cat behavior, and stronger reported bond with their cats, would also report fewer behavior problems. An additional study goal, as noted above, was to identify the gaps in current cat owners’ knowledge and pet care practices, and explore relationships between these factors, as a prelude to the creation of educational campaigns to correct cat owners’ misconceptions and improve their cat-related knowledge.