Thirty percent of Kiwi cat owners are opposed to keeping their cats inside

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-01-12 10:08

New Zealand

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

Only a small number of NZ cat owners contain their cats, even though letting your feline friend roam outside can be harmful for the cat, native wildlife, and the wider environment. Kiwi researchers surveyed almost 400 cat owners to understand their attitudes to cat containment. Survey respondents fell into four profiles, with 78% of respondents falling into the categories of “ambivalent” or “opposed” to cat containment. Researchers say their findings show that people from each profile have their own unique set of barriers and drivers to keep their cats indoors, and argue there should be a tailored approach to nudging people to reconsider their choices. For example: education around the prevalence of roaming-related accidents (such as vehicle strikes) and workshops on building personalised cat enclosures could both be effective with people who are receptive or even ambivalent to the idea of containment.