How and why pet cats are fed the way they are: a self-reported owner survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study used an owner-directed online questionnaire to collect data regarding their food and water provision for their pet cats. The survey was conducted in 2019. METHODS: The anonymous online 30-question survey was available via vetprofessionals.com. RESULTS: A total of 1172 cat owners fully completed the questionnaire. The respondents each owned a median of two cats (range 1-6). They reported being most strongly motivated to feed a particular ration because of palatability, observed and/or expected health benefits, or that the diet was/is perceived as 'natural'. The majority of owners (n = 946, 80.7%) fed their cats exclusively a commercially purchased complete wet food, dry kibble diet or mixture of both. Compared with a previous (unpublished) survey conducted by the same authors in 2013,1 there were substantial increases in the number of owners feeding therapeutic diets (26.6% vs 0.7%) and the inclusion of raw meat in cats' rations (15.6% vs 3.7%). The proportion of respondents providing at least one feeding station per cat was 83.1%, with significant use of enrichment feeding methods (29.1%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Veterinarians need to be aware of changing trends in cat feeding to provide owners with appropriate support. Veterinary advice was frequently sought by owners and can be used as an opportunity to improve cat health and welfare, particularly in multi-cat households, but was not often influential to client decision making.

Understanding the barriers to blood pressure assessment in cats.

OBJECTIVES: A questionnaire was designed to survey veterinarians and veterinary nurses/technicians on blood pressure (BP) assessment in cats, including ocular examination, encompassing current methodology, indications, uptake and barriers. METHODS: An online questionnaire was produced and promoted to more than 2000 veterinary professionals, of whom 545 answered all questions and 85 answered most questions. RESULTS: Of the participants, 572 (90.8%) were based in the UK and almost all (n = 613, 97.3%) had access to a BP monitor. Of those that had a monitor, most (n = 550, 88.4%) participants had access to a Doppler monitor; 367 (59.0%) participants had access to multiparameter monitors; fewer (n = 202, 32.5%) had access to oscillometric BP monitors. Where applicable, Doppler monitors were most commonly chosen for conscious cat measurements (n = 337, 72.2%) due to the greater 'trust' and 'reliability' of these compared with oscillometric machines. Conscious BP measurement typically involved two members of staff (n = 391, 62.9%). Only 156 (29.1%) participants recommended BP assessment at least several times a week in their interactions with cat owners. BP assessment was routinely recommended in cats with ocular target organ damage (n = 365, 87.7%), chronic kidney disease (n = 346, 78.6%), proteinuria (n = 255, 63.0%) and hyperthyroidism (n = 266, 60.9%). Common equipment-related barriers included 'cuff frustration' and difficulties hearing the pulse signal for Doppler users (72.2% and 71.6%, respectively), and oscillometric machines failing to give a reading at least some of the time (52.8%). Situational hypertension concerns affected many (n = 507, 92.0%), as did lack of time to do the procedure (n = 402, 73.0%). Significant owner barriers included difficulties persuading the owner to bring their cat in for BP checks (n = 475, 86.2%) and concerns over costs (n = 445, 80.8%). Most participants had access to a direct ophthalmoscope (n = 527, 96.5%); however, 399 (73.1%) reported that they struggled to interpret ocular findings. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Significant barriers exist to successful BP assessment in cats. Education and support of clinics should focus on improving confidence with equipment and eye examination.

Happy cats: stress in cats and their carers associated with outpatient visits to the clinic.

OBJECTIVES: The importance of the effects of stress on cats is well recognised, with visits to the veterinary clinic a common cause of stress. The aim of this study was to explore owners' experiences of stress, both for themselves and their cat, during veterinary visits, and to gather data on owners' perception of resources within the clinic to reduce stress in their cats. METHODS: A questionnaire aimed at cat owners with recent experience of an outpatient visit to the veterinary clinic was developed and distributed. Questions covered demographics; their most recent veterinary visit; their general experience of visits over the past 3 years; measures taken by the clinic to reduce stress; and awareness of the Cat Friendly Clinic programme. There were various question types, with owners often asked to rate stress from 1 (least stressful) to 10 (most stressful). RESULTS: A total of 277 respondents gave details about their experience of consultations over the past 3 years. Owners rated the stress of travelling to the clinic, other animals in the waiting room and the consultation itself (all median 6, interquartile range 4-8) as the most stressful elements. Most owners reported gentle methods of removing the cat from their carrier; however, almost a third (n = 81/263; 30.8%) had seen their cat scruffed during a consultation. Cat-only waiting rooms were viewed as the most effective measure to reduce stress in the clinic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Veterinary clinics are already taking steps to address stress in cats, and owners have a good awareness of stress in their cats. Future work should focus on trialling specific interventions to determine their effectiveness in reducing stress in feline patients, and measures currently perceived by owners to be highly effective, such as cat-only waiting rooms, should be used where feasible.

Veterinary services during the COVID-19 pandemic: less stressful for cats and their carers?

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic saw major changes to small animal veterinary practice, many of which may have had an impact on stress in cats presented to the clinic. The aim of this study was to examine the nature of feline outpatient visits before and during the pandemic, and examine signs of stress noted in cats before, during and after these visits. METHODS: A questionnaire was used to gather data on cat owner experiences of visits to the veterinary clinic. Data were gathered on the owner's most recent experience of a consultation, with consultations occurring in February 2020 or earlier coded as a standard consultation, and consultations occurring in March 2020 or later coded as COVID-19 consultations. RESULTS: A total of 371 responses were received, with 210 coded as standard consultations and 161 coded as COVID-19 consultations. Consultation type varied significantly between standard and COVID-19 consultations (P <0.001), with emergency consultations more frequent and preventive healthcare consultations less frequent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The area in which the owner and their cat waited also varied significantly between standard and COVID-19 consultations (P <0.001), with standard consultations more likely to involve time in a waiting room while COVID-19 consultations were often called straight in or waited outside the practice. Most owners notedbehaviours associated with stress in their cats, regardless of consultation type, although trying to hide or escape were noted more frequently for cats seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings suggest that outpatient visits to the veterinary clinic were stressful for cats both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some measures taken during the pandemic, for example less use of waiting rooms, could be used alongside existing cat friendly measures to help to reduce stress in feline patients.

Online survey to determine client perceptions of feline chronic lower airway disease management: response to therapy, side effects and challenges encountered.

OBJECTIVES: The first aim of this survey was to report client experiences associated with the administration of common medications, particularly glucocorticoids and bronchodilators, in managing cats with feline lower airway disease (FLAD). The second aim was to ascertain client perception of response to treatment and level of satisfaction. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. An online survey was distributed worldwide to cat owners caring for cats with a chronic cough. Only cats reported to have FLAD were included. RESULTS: A total of 153 complete responses describing cats with FLAD were analyzed. Glucocorticoids and bronchodilators were the predominantly prescribed therapeutics for 140/153 (92%) and 80/153 (52%) of FLAD cats, respectively. Oral and inhalant administration routes were reported most commonly: glucocorticoids (64% oral and 75% inhalant) and bronchodilators (21% oral and 88% inhalant). A review of how air quality could be improved was conducted for 54% of cats. Almost half (43%) of owners reported adverse effects secondary to glucocorticoid administration, the most frequent being polyphagia (26%) and polydipsia (21%). Only 10% of owners reported bronchodilator-associated side effects, with restlessness (9%) being the most common. Difficulties giving glucocorticoid or bronchodilator tablets orally were reported for 33% and 71% of owners, respectively. Glucocorticoid or bronchodilator inhalant therapies were difficult to administer for 28% and 31% of owners, respectively. Frequency and severity of coughing were significantly lower after at least 2 months of treatment, with median numerical input on a slider scale (0-100) of 48 and 42 before, and 10 and 7 after treatment, respectively (P <0.0001). Median numerical input of owner satisfaction was 83%. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite significant improvements in client-reported responses to treatment, challenges associated with the administration of medications and their adverse effects still exist. Promoting awareness of client experiences can facilitate appropriate follow-up, guidance and empathy to further optimize outcomes.

Survey of defecation habits in apparently healthy and chronic kidney disease cats.

OBJECTIVES: Changes in bowel movements (BMs) are an important clinical sign in many diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the purpose of this study was to collect information on BMs and fecal scores in both apparently healthy and CKD cats. A secondary aim was to assess owner awareness of BM frequency. METHODS: Owners were asked to complete an initial online questionnaire about their cat's health and litter box habits (including predicted BM frequency and fecal scores) and were then asked to clean the box daily for 7 days and report results (observed frequency of BMs and fecal scores) daily. Differences in BM frequency and fecal scores between apparently normal and CKD cats were compared using the Mann-Whitney test, and predicted vs observed data were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Difference in percentage of cats defecating more or less than once daily were assessed with Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Survey data from 124 owners of apparently healthy cats and 43 owners of CKD cats who submitted two or more days of daily observations (in addition to the initial questionnaire) were analyzed. Eighty-five percent of apparently healthy cats were observed to defecate one or more times per day and 15% defecated less than once per day. Fifty-eight percent of CKD cats defecated one or more times per day and 42% defecated less than once per day. A significantly higher percentage of CKD cats defecated less than once per day in comparison with apparently healthy cats (P <0.0001). Observed BM frequency was significantly less in CKD cats compared with healthy cats (P = 0.02). Observed fecal scores were not significantly different between healthy and CKD cats. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The observed BM frequency of cats with CKD was less than apparently healthy cats and represents a clinically important variation from normal.

Priorities on treatment and monitoring of diabetic cats from the owners' points of view.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate: owners' perceptions and priorities on the treatment and monitoring of feline diabetes mellitus (DM); the perceived effectiveness of the communication between veterinarians and clients regarding disease management; and the impact DM has on the owners' everyday lives and human-pet bonds. METHODS: An initial questionnaire, then an adapted second questionnaire, were available to owners of cats with DM on vetprofessionals.com . RESULTS: A total of 748 questionnaires were completed. At diagnosis, fewer than half of veterinarians discussed how to recognise unstable diabetes (46%) or home blood glucose monitoring (HBGM) (40%). Owners were disappointed that the importance of diet on diabetic remission/stabilisation and HBGM were not discussed. Only 49% of respondents were supervised by a veterinarian/veterinary nurse while first drawing up insulin and injecting their cat. Websites/online forums that owners found themselves were most useful when learning about their cat's diabetes (76% agreed). Over a third of cats (39%) were not fed a 'diabetic' diet but, impressively, 71% of owners used HBGM. Initial concerns about costs, boarding, the effect on their daily life and potential negative impact on the human-pet bond reduced significantly after initiating treatment (P <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Caring for a diabetic cat requires significant owner commitment, plus support by the veterinary team for the owner and their cat. It is difficult to discuss all aspects of this complex disease with the owner in a single consultation; hence, it is important to involve the entire veterinary team in owner education and provide owners with informative material (eg, useful websites, printouts). Understanding owners' priorities, fears, and which monitoring methods have helped others, is paramount to achieve owner compliance and satisfaction, and so improve the health and welfare of diabetic cats. This study provides useful information on the management of feline DM, which can be instrumental in educating future owners.

Survey of owner subcutaneous fluid practices in cats with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to survey owners regarding their practices and experiences with the administration of subcutaneous (SC) fluids at home to cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to gain insight that might help more owners be successful with the procedure. Methods A web-based survey was advertised online. Owners of 468 cats with CKD participated, 399 of whom administered SC fluids. Results Fifty-nine percent of the cats were domestic shorthairs, with >85% of the cats being 10 years of age or older. IRIS stage 3 was most commonly represented (37%). Ninety-five percent of owners said they discussed giving fluids with their veterinarian, with only 42% of those discussions involving additional educational resources. A large majority of owners (85%) said it was either an easy, somewhat easy/no stress or okay experience for them, and a large majority (89%) reported that the experience was easy/no stress, somewhat easy or okay experience for their cats. To increase tolerance, 57% said they gave a treat to their cat afterwards, and 60% said they warmed the fluids. Sixty-one percent reported using a 20 G or larger needle, with 49% saying size of needle affected tolerance. Seventy-four percent also felt that the length of time it took to administer fluids affected tolerance. One-hundred milliliters was the most commonly given fluid amount. Hydration status was monitored by 40% of owners by various methods, with 40% of those saying they skipped or added fluids based on hydration assessment. Conclusions and relevance A majority of owners gave positive feedback about their ability to learn and administer SC fluids to their cat wth CKD. Owners reported several strategies that they felt improved tolerance of fluid administration. Overall, the protocol should be tailored to the preference of the cat for best possible long-term success.

An online survey of dietary and phosphate binder practices of owners of cats with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives The objective of this study was to learn about owner experiences of chronic kidney disease (CKD), focusing on use of therapeutic renal diets (TRDs) and intestinal phosphate binders (IPBs). Methods An online survey was promoted to UK-based cat owners. Results In total, 859 owners participated. Most cats (n = 620; 72.18%) had two or more clinical signs at the time of their CKD diagnosis. Most common were polydipsia (n = 462; 53.78%) and weight loss (n = 426; 49.59%). In 94 cats (10.94%) CKD was only diagnosed as a result of wellness screening. In total, 371 participants (43.19%) reported that their cat's blood pressure had been measured; 100 of these (26.95% of those where blood pressure had been measured) subsequently received anti-hypertensive medication. In total, 90.80% of all participating owners had received a recommendation to feed a TRD. Five hundred and seventy-one owners (66.47%) reported that they were feeding a TRD as a component of their cat's diet. The most common reason for not feeding a TRD was that the cat did not like it (n = 123; 59.13%). Where a veterinary recommendation to feed a TRD had been received, 564 owners (72.31%) reported feeding a TRD as a component of their cat's diet vs seven owners (7.04%) who had not received a veterinary recommendation to feed a TRD. IPBs had been recommended to 321 owners (37.81%) and for 72 owners (8.38%) the recommendation came from a source other than a veterinary professional. Where used, IPBs were commonly added to a TRD (n = 136; 49.28%) and were generally accepted within 4 weeks (n = 178; 73.86%). Conclusions and relevance Awareness of TRDs was high but much lower for IPBs. A veterinary recommendation to feed a TRD was associated with higher compliance.