Journal Articles

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Surveying pet owners’ attitudes towards roaming cats in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, 2025-08-24) Awawdeh L; Waran N; Pearson M; Forrest RH
Aim: To examine the attitudes of pet owners towards roaming cats in New Zealand. Materials and methods: Data was used from a survey of New Zealand residents aged over 18 conducted online between January and March 2019. Along with demographic questions, the respondents were asked, “Do you think that roaming pet dogs and cats are a problem?” (yes, no, never thought about it) and if they answered “yes”, were invited to explain their answers. Thematic analysis was applied to open-text responses focused on cats, while quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of a total of 2,744 participants, 2,292 answered the question regarding roaming pets, with 72% (n = 1,654) viewing roaming pets as problematic. While gender, ethnicity, and rural upbringing showed no significant association with this view, age, education level, place of residence, and pet ownership did. Explanations for their choice of answer were given by 1,479 respondents and highlighted key concerns about free-roaming pets including cats: compromised animal welfare due to risks and neglect; the need for more responsible pet ownership and owner education; calls for stricter regulations and enforcement, including mandatory microchipping and desexing, and regulating cats similarly to dogs; the negative influence of social media; the importance of desexing to control populations and improve behaviour; increased risks to the roaming animals themselves, other animals, humans, and the environment; nuisance behaviours; and differing opinions on whether roaming cats or dogs are more of an issue. Conclusion: The findings align with previous research indicating a growing but inconsistent public awareness of animal welfare and environmental impacts associated with free-roaming cats. They highlight the need for education and targeted policy to address inconsistencies in attitudes and promote responsible cat ownership. Clinical relevance: Addressing these issues through enhanced public education and policy measures will help to balance animal welfare with community safety and environmental protection.
Pet Ownership in Aotearoa New Zealand: A National Survey of Cat and Dog Owner Practices.
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-02-11) Forrest R; Awawdeh L; Pearson M; Waran N; Paterson M
This study used an online survey distributed between January and March 2019 to adults residing in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) to investigate cat and dog owner practices. Of the 2385 respondents, 885 (37%) owned both cat/s and dog/s, while 652 (28%) and 609 (26%) owned cat/s only or dog/s only, respectively. Nine percent of respondents (n = 212) did not own a cat or dog when the survey was administered. Gaps were identified in the practices of NZ pet owners with regard to regular grooming, immunizations, and deworming treatments. It was also found that many pets, especially cats, were allowed to wander freely both inside and outside the house. Collectively, these gaps in practice raise parasitology and infection concerns which may impact negatively on animal welfare and may increase the prevalence of zoonotic diseases. This study also revealed the need to improve desexing practices, particularly in dogs. Respondents in the survey expressed the wish to have pets regardless of the financial strain they may impose, indicating that future research should focus on reducing the financial burden of pet ownership along with promoting positive pet ownership practices. Our findings suggest the need for better education resources about pet ownership which are easily accessible and target diverse populations. The findings of this study will aid in developing appropriate educational resources to promote animal welfare and increase pet-related knowledge among the NZ populace.
The Diets of Companion Cats in Aotearoa New Zealand: Identification of Obesity Risk Factors.
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-10-02) Forrest R; Awawdeh L; Esam F; Pearson M; Waran N; Leonardi L
One in four New Zealand cats are overweight or obese, conditions associated with poor health outcomes. As part of an online survey that was conducted from January 2019 to March 2019, NZ residents aged ≥18 years were asked demographic questions along with questions related to the body condition, breed and diet of their cat/s. From the responses, possible owner-related risk factors for developing obesity were identified. Of the respondents, 65.5% (n = 1537) owned cat/s; the owners being more likely to be female, live rurally, or live with children. Most of the respondents fed their cat/s biscuits from the supermarket (63%) and wet food (57%). Almost half (45%) fed their cat/s specialised food from a pet shop or veterinary clinic and gave them treats, with 31% of respondents feeding their cat/s raw meat. Feeding cats a variety of food types may make it difficult to estimate the appropriate amount of each needed to avoid excess caloric intake. In addition, approximately 30% of the respondents did not agree with the correct body condition statement, revealing a need for owner education. These findings highlight important areas of cat nutrition requiring future research to better inform the development of healthy weight interventions for NZ cats.

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