Shelter Cats in Australia

Marston, L.C. and P.C. Bennett, Admissions of Cats to Animal Welfare Shelters in Melbourne, Australia. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2009. 12(3): p. 189 - 213.

Despite a decreasing pet cat population in Australia, feline entries into animal shelters have not decreased. To investigate this, researchers tracked over 15,000 cat submissions in one large shelter in Melbourne over a one-year period in an effort to develop effective strategies to reduce shelter admissions and euthanasia. The majority of cats were strays (81.6%). In addition, the vast majority were not neutered, even among owner-relinquished cats. The sociability of the strays indicated that these animals may have been “semi-owned”. Shelter intake increased over the summer with an influx of kittens. The authors conclude that there is an oversupply of pet-quality cats in the state of Victoria. Strategies aimed at reducing cat admissions to shelters from feral, semi-owned, and casually owned populations are likely to be quite different but equally important. As most cats admitted to shelters are strays, with no identifiable owner, the introduction of mandatory neutering may have a limited effect on this population. [MK]
>> Publisher Abstract

Related articles:
Centonze, L. and J. Levy, Characteristics of free-roaming cats and their caretakers. J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 2002. 220(11): p. 1627-1633.
>> PubMed Abstract

Patronek, G., et al., Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter. J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 1996. 209(3): p. 582-588.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Marston, L.C. and P.C. Bennett, Admissions of Cats to Animal Welfare Shelters in Melbourne, Australia. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2009. 12(3): p. 189 - 213.

Despite a decreasing pet cat population in Australia, feline entries into animal shelters have not decreased. To investigate this, researchers tracked over 15,000 cat submissions in one large shelter in Melbourne over a one-year period in an effort to develop effective strategies to reduce shelter admissions and euthanasia. The majority of cats were strays (81.6%). In addition, the vast majority were not neutered, even among owner-relinquished cats. The sociability of the strays indicated that these animals may have been “semi-owned”. Shelter intake increased over the summer with an influx of kittens. The authors conclude that there is an oversupply of pet-quality cats in the state of Victoria. Strategies aimed at reducing cat admissions to shelters from feral, semi-owned, and casually owned populations are likely to be quite different but equally important. As most cats admitted to shelters are strays, with no identifiable owner, the introduction of mandatory neutering may have a limited effect on this population. [MK]
>> Publisher Abstract

Related articles:
Centonze, L. and J. Levy, Characteristics of free-roaming cats and their caretakers. J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 2002. 220(11): p. 1627-1633.
>> PubMed Abstract

Patronek, G., et al., Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter. J Amer Vet Med Assoc, 1996. 209(3): p. 582-588.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Read More

Understanding Chronic Respiratory Disease in Cats

Johnson, L.R. and P.H. Kass, Effect of sample collection methodology on nasal culture results in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2009. 11(8): p. 645-649.

Feline chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common disease in cats with an unknown etiology. A number of studies have indicated that most cases of upper respiratory disease in the cat are complicated by secondary bacterial infections. Empiric antibiotic therapy is frequently employed to treat feline CRS. This study evaluated the effect of sampling method on culture results in 44 cats. The results indicated that aerobic and anaerobic cultures were positive significantly more often from nasal flush samples than from tissue biopsy samples. Culture results did not differ for Mycoplasma species between flush and biopsy samples though there was discordancy in 8 of 44 sample pairs for Mycoplasma species. This indicates that a failure to culture Mycoplasma species from a nasal flush might not be a true reflection of the absence of Mycoplasma species in the nasal cavity since a tissue sample may be required for isolation of the organism. Nasal flush is the preferred technique though for determining presence in feline nasal disease of potentially pathogenic bacterial organisms. [VT]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Berryessa, N.A., et al., Microbial culture of blood samples and serologic testing for bartonellosis in cats with chronic rhinosinusitis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2008. 233(7): p. 1084-1089.
>> PubMed Abstract

Ruch-Gallie, R.A., et al., Efficacy of amoxycillin and azithromycin for the empirical treatment of shelter cats with suspected bacterial upper respiratory infections. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2008. 10(6): p. 542-550.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Johnson, L.R. and P.H. Kass, Effect of sample collection methodology on nasal culture results in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2009. 11(8): p. 645-649.

Feline chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common disease in cats with an unknown etiology. A number of studies have indicated that most cases of upper respiratory disease in the cat are complicated by secondary bacterial infections. Empiric antibiotic therapy is frequently employed to treat feline CRS. This study evaluated the effect of sampling method on culture results in 44 cats. The results indicated that aerobic and anaerobic cultures were positive significantly more often from nasal flush samples than from tissue biopsy samples. Culture results did not differ for Mycoplasma species between flush and biopsy samples though there was discordancy in 8 of 44 sample pairs for Mycoplasma species. This indicates that a failure to culture Mycoplasma species from a nasal flush might not be a true reflection of the absence of Mycoplasma species in the nasal cavity since a tissue sample may be required for isolation of the organism. Nasal flush is the preferred technique though for determining presence in feline nasal disease of potentially pathogenic bacterial organisms. [VT]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Berryessa, N.A., et al., Microbial culture of blood samples and serologic testing for bartonellosis in cats with chronic rhinosinusitis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2008. 233(7): p. 1084-1089.
>> PubMed Abstract

Ruch-Gallie, R.A., et al., Efficacy of amoxycillin and azithromycin for the empirical treatment of shelter cats with suspected bacterial upper respiratory infections. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2008. 10(6): p. 542-550.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Read More