Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Cats (Felis catus) are, in veterinary care, often seen as patients who are aggressive and difficult to handle. This has led to greater use of coercive methods when handling a cat. The use of coercive methods has a negative implication on cats’ welfare and affects the cat owners view on veterinary care.
The aim of this study was to investigate how the attitudes among veterinarians and veterinary nurses towards cats and how they handle them affects the cat owners. The aim of this study was also to investigate what attitudes the owners have towards their cat and how they interact with them. This gives us useful information on how the people working with veterinary care and cat owners affect one another and could help us specify guidelines when handling cats. Decreasing the use of coercive methods would increase cats’ welfare and lead to a positive change in cat owners’ attitudes towards veterinary care.
This study was conducted through a survey targeting cat owners. The questionnaire consisted of multiple questions, graded questions and questions where the owners could answer in their own words. The questions considered cat owners’ relationship and interaction with their cat, as well as their experiences at a veterinary hospital.
The conclusions that were made from this study was that the owners view of their relationship with their cat was mostly good and that the cat was seen as a part of their family, their best friend or both. The owners’ experiences of the veterinary care varied. Both the treatment from the veterinarians and the veterinary nurses towards the owners and their cats, as well as how the cats being handled by the working staff, affects that experience. This affects whether the owners choose to return to the same veterinary hospital or not.