PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Common misconceptions by cat owners lead to high numbers of unwanted kittens

2013-12-17
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Joanne Fryer
joanne.fryer@bristol.ac.uk
44-011-733-17276
University of Bristol
Common misconceptions by cat owners lead to high numbers of unwanted kittens Overpopulation in cats is recognised to contribute to high numbers of cats entering rescue shelters each year. New research suggests that the high number of unwanted kittens may be due to common misconceptions held by cat owners.

The research led by academics at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences is published online in the Veterinary Record.

The researchers obtained data from 715 cat owning households in a cross-sectional telephone survey. Demographic and lifestyle factors were assessed for their link with accidental litters and with owner knowledge of cat reproduction.

The study found 128 litters were produced by 552 female cats. Eighty per cent of litters were reported to be accidental. Multivariable analysis identified that respondents were more likely to report an accidental litter of kittens if they believed a female cat should have a litter prior to being neutered, if they had more than one cat and if they rented rather than owned their home.

Misconceptions relating to cat reproduction were common. Despite the fact that female cats can get pregnant from four months of age, 83.5 per cent of cat owning respondents thought that the youngest age a cat could get pregnant was five months of age (or older), with over a quarter (26.4 per cent; 174/659) believing a female cat is unable to conceive until at least one year of age.

Almost half of respondents (49.0 per cent; 334/682) believed a female cat should have a litter before being neutered or were not sure; 38.8 per cent (264/681) thought that unneutered, related cats would not mate or were not sure.

The authors of the study, said: "We found that the vast majority of litters born to cats in the UK are unplanned. The number of unwanted litters being born could be dramatically reduced by approximately 850,000 each year if cat owners did not believe that a female cat should have a litter of kittens before being neutered."

The study recommends that improving cat owner knowledge about how cats breed is likely to have a significant impact on the number of accidental litters born and as a result potentially reduce the number of unwanted cats entering animal welfare organisations each year.

### Paper: Poor owner knowledge of feline reproduction contributes to the high proportion of accidental litters born to UK pet cats, C. Philippa Welsh, Timothy J. Gruffydd-Jones, and Jane K. Murray, Veterinary Record published online 16 December, 2013.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Assessing the impact of climate change on a global scale

2013-12-17
Assessing the impact of climate change on a global scale Thirty research teams in 12 different countries have systematically compared state-of-the-art computer simulations of climate change impact to assess how climate change might influence global ...

Lung cancer death rates continue to fall, helping the decrease in overall cancer death rates

2013-12-17
Lung cancer death rates continue to fall, helping the decrease in overall cancer death rates Annual Report to the Nation includes special feature highlighting the large contribution of other diseases on survival of cancer patients The Annual ...

WSU scientists find burglary-ring-like mechanism in lethal 'Contagion' virus

2013-12-17
WSU scientists find burglary-ring-like mechanism in lethal 'Contagion' virus Pathogen is possible source of pandemic PULLMAN, Wash. - A team of scientists from Washington State University has discovered how one of the planet's most deadly known ...

Researchers discover how a protein complex revs up T cell activation to fight infections

2013-12-17
Researchers discover how a protein complex revs up T cell activation to fight infections St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists find mechanism that launches production of the specialized T cells essential for combating infectious agents ...

Elite technology for gene silencing

2013-12-17
Elite technology for gene silencing Mirimus develops enhanced tools for reversible gene suppression Cold Spring Harbor, New York, December 16, 2013 -- The team of Christof Fellmann at Mirimus Inc., Cold Spring Harbor, New York, developed new technology to address ...

Canadian youth choosing transit-rich urban cores over suburbs, new study finds

2013-12-17
Canadian youth choosing transit-rich urban cores over suburbs, new study finds Young adults want to live close to transit, high-density housing, and urban amenities, says research out of the University of Waterloo appearing in an upcoming issue of the Canadian Geographer. ...

Elective early-term deliveries increase complications for baby and mom, Mayo Clinic study says

2013-12-17
Elective early-term deliveries increase complications for baby and mom, Mayo Clinic study says ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Enduring the last few weeks of pregnancy can be physically and emotionally challenging for some women. The aches and pains, the swelling of the limbs and ...

IU cancer researchers: Retinoblastoma dysfunction promotes pancreatic cancer cell growth

2013-12-17
IU cancer researchers: Retinoblastoma dysfunction promotes pancreatic cancer cell growth INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana University cancer researchers have discovered that a protein that normally suppresses tumors actually promotes the growth and spread of pancreatic cancer. Murray ...

Bedtime for toddlers: Timing is everything, says CU-Boulder study

2013-12-17
Bedtime for toddlers: Timing is everything, says CU-Boulder study The bedtime you select for your toddler may be out of sync with his or her internal body clock, which can contribute to difficulties for youngsters attempting ...

Microprinting leads to low-cost artificial cells

2013-12-17
Microprinting leads to low-cost artificial cells Easily manufactured, low-cost artificial cells manufactured using microprinting may one day serve as drug and gene delivery devices and in biomaterials, biotechnology and biosensing applications, according to a team of Penn State ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people

Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance

Pre-eclampsia is associated with earlier onset and higher incidence of cardiovascular risk factors

Warwick astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep

Soil conditions significantly increase rainfall in world’s megastorm hotspots

NK cells complexed with bispecific antibody yield high response rates in patients with lymphoma

Planetary health diet and mediterranean diet associated with similar survival and sustainability benefits

Singapore launches national standard to validate antimicrobial disinfectant products

Molecular stool test could improve detection of tuberculosis in adults with HIV

Suspected fibrocartilaginous embolus in Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus)

Enhancing heat transfer using the turbulent flow of viscoelastic fluids

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

[Press-News.org] Common misconceptions by cat owners lead to high numbers of unwanted kittens