The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare
Homeless cats are a major problem in Europe, with hundreds of thousands abandoned every year. While many die, others can adapt to a lifestyle of roaming freely and establish community cat populations that tend to cluster together in groups. These groups of cats are typically found in urban areas tha...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/10/1586 |
| _version_ | 1797601431358799872 |
|---|---|
| author | Octavio P. Luzardo José Enrique Zaldívar-Laguía Manuel Zumbado María del Mar Travieso-Aja |
| author_facet | Octavio P. Luzardo José Enrique Zaldívar-Laguía Manuel Zumbado María del Mar Travieso-Aja |
| author_sort | Octavio P. Luzardo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Homeless cats are a major problem in Europe, with hundreds of thousands abandoned every year. While many die, others can adapt to a lifestyle of roaming freely and establish community cat populations that tend to cluster together in groups. These groups of cats are typically found in urban areas that offer food and shelter to the cats. Animal welfare organizations often care for these cats, providing them with food, shelter, and medical attention. Despite this, conflicts can arise due to the presence of free-roaming cats, with some individuals advocating for drastic measures such as trapping and killing the cats to reduce their populations. However, it is essential to note that such methods are frequently illegal, inhumane, and ultimately ineffective in most situations. A thorough assessment of the impact of cats on a particular natural area requires a comprehensive cat census, a detailed study of the species being preyed upon, and an investigation into the prevalence of zoonotic or epizootic diseases. Moreover, veterinary experts assert that the public health risks associated with cats are often overstated. This article aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the impact of cats on biodiversity in natural areas, while also discussing their role in transmitting the main zoonotic diseases identified in European countries in recent years, with a particular focus on Spain. Effective cat control programs should focus on non-lethal methods such as trap–neuter–return (TNR) and adoption. TNR has proven to be the most effective and humane method of controlling the free-roaming cat population, but its effectiveness is influenced by several factors, including adoption programs and public education on responsible pet ownership. According to Spanish veterinarians, sustainable and science-based solutions such as TNR programs are the best way to achieve population control of free-roaming cats. The veterinary profession should raise awareness regarding sterilization, vaccination, and identification of cats and the consequences of abandonment. They oppose lethal control and removal of cats from the environment, which are ineffective and unethical methods. To promote animal welfare, veterinary professionals must collaborate with public administrations to implement long-term, sustainable solutions to the problem of cat overpopulation. Greater social awareness regarding the importance of sterilization and identification to prevent abandonment and reduce the number of free-roaming cats is also needed. Despite the challenges presented by homeless cat populations in Spain and the rest of Europe, there are many reasons for optimism. Animal welfare organizations and veterinary professionals are actively collaborating to develop humane and effective solutions to manage community cats, including programs such as TNR and adoption. Furthermore, these initiatives are gaining momentum and support from emerging laws and regulations, such as the recent Spanish animal welfare law. Through these efforts, we can reduce the number of free-roaming cats and improve their quality of life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:00:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98e1deb6f79b4adebe4fbc4fec098db3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:00:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-98e1deb6f79b4adebe4fbc4fec098db32023-11-18T00:09:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-05-011310158610.3390/ani13101586The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal WelfareOctavio P. Luzardo0José Enrique Zaldívar-Laguía1Manuel Zumbado2María del Mar Travieso-Aja3Biomedical and Health Research Institute (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainAbolitionist Association of Veterinarians against Bullfighting and Animal Abuse (AVATMA), 28045 Madrid, SpainBiomedical and Health Research Institute (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainIndependent Researcher, 35412 Arucas, SpainHomeless cats are a major problem in Europe, with hundreds of thousands abandoned every year. While many die, others can adapt to a lifestyle of roaming freely and establish community cat populations that tend to cluster together in groups. These groups of cats are typically found in urban areas that offer food and shelter to the cats. Animal welfare organizations often care for these cats, providing them with food, shelter, and medical attention. Despite this, conflicts can arise due to the presence of free-roaming cats, with some individuals advocating for drastic measures such as trapping and killing the cats to reduce their populations. However, it is essential to note that such methods are frequently illegal, inhumane, and ultimately ineffective in most situations. A thorough assessment of the impact of cats on a particular natural area requires a comprehensive cat census, a detailed study of the species being preyed upon, and an investigation into the prevalence of zoonotic or epizootic diseases. Moreover, veterinary experts assert that the public health risks associated with cats are often overstated. This article aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the impact of cats on biodiversity in natural areas, while also discussing their role in transmitting the main zoonotic diseases identified in European countries in recent years, with a particular focus on Spain. Effective cat control programs should focus on non-lethal methods such as trap–neuter–return (TNR) and adoption. TNR has proven to be the most effective and humane method of controlling the free-roaming cat population, but its effectiveness is influenced by several factors, including adoption programs and public education on responsible pet ownership. According to Spanish veterinarians, sustainable and science-based solutions such as TNR programs are the best way to achieve population control of free-roaming cats. The veterinary profession should raise awareness regarding sterilization, vaccination, and identification of cats and the consequences of abandonment. They oppose lethal control and removal of cats from the environment, which are ineffective and unethical methods. To promote animal welfare, veterinary professionals must collaborate with public administrations to implement long-term, sustainable solutions to the problem of cat overpopulation. Greater social awareness regarding the importance of sterilization and identification to prevent abandonment and reduce the number of free-roaming cats is also needed. Despite the challenges presented by homeless cat populations in Spain and the rest of Europe, there are many reasons for optimism. Animal welfare organizations and veterinary professionals are actively collaborating to develop humane and effective solutions to manage community cats, including programs such as TNR and adoption. Furthermore, these initiatives are gaining momentum and support from emerging laws and regulations, such as the recent Spanish animal welfare law. Through these efforts, we can reduce the number of free-roaming cats and improve their quality of life.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/10/1586feral catsfree-roaming catstrap–neuter–return methodTNRfeline coloniescat management |
| spellingShingle | Octavio P. Luzardo José Enrique Zaldívar-Laguía Manuel Zumbado María del Mar Travieso-Aja The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare Animals feral cats free-roaming cats trap–neuter–return method TNR feline colonies cat management |
| title | The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare |
| title_full | The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare |
| title_short | The Role of Veterinarians in Managing Community Cats: A Contextualized, Comprehensive Approach for Biodiversity, Public Health, and Animal Welfare |
| title_sort | role of veterinarians in managing community cats a contextualized comprehensive approach for biodiversity public health and animal welfare |
| topic | feral cats free-roaming cats trap–neuter–return method TNR feline colonies cat management |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/10/1586 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT octaviopluzardo theroleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT joseenriquezaldivarlaguia theroleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT manuelzumbado theroleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT mariadelmartraviesoaja theroleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT octaviopluzardo roleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT joseenriquezaldivarlaguia roleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT manuelzumbado roleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare AT mariadelmartraviesoaja roleofveterinariansinmanagingcommunitycatsacontextualizedcomprehensiveapproachforbiodiversitypublichealthandanimalwelfare |