Encouraging Signs For Cats In Shelters
A May 2016 blog from the ASPCA includes some cautious optimism when it comes to cats in US shelters. The ASPCA’s Research and Development team has access to data directly from shelters and details from surveys conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). After examining annual data, it appears that shelter cat intake may be declining for some communities. While a drop in animal intake may be the result of many different factors – not all of which are positive – there is also anecdotal evidence from shelters that adoptions are increasing.
The author notes that this trend has been evident for several years in New England and that some shelters have been talking about “the lack of cats available for adoption.” There are other reasons why that might happen: colder weather can mean “fewer opportunities to produce litters” and there’s been an increase in spay/neuter in some areas of New England. But is there more to it? Looking at the APPA survey results, Dr. Emily Weiss found something interesting. In 2004, 66 people got a new cat as a result of their own cat having one or more kittens. In 2014, that number was down to 18. Additionally, in 2004 only 88 people from the survey had adopted a cat; in 2014 that number was up to 210.
Of course, we would need more evidence to increase our confidence that these trends are real. If so, however, then this raises the question of why cat numbers are improving in some areas. And how can we encourage the trend to continue? The author points to adoption campaigns, awareness-raising campaigns, and “increasing professionalism in the field” as possible answers. It’s also worth pointing out that the ASPCA itself has programs that encourage good adoption matches and fee-waived adoptions, strategies that could be contributing to the positive trend.
For companion animal advocates, the findings are encouraging even if the reasons for them are not yet clear.
http://aspcapro.org/blog/2016/05/25/where-are-cats