Wandering cats : Attitudes and behaviors towards cat containment in Australia
- Authors: Toukhsati, Samia , Young, Emily , Bennett, Pauleen , Coleman, Grahame
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Anthrozoos Vol. 25, no. 1 (2012), p. 61-74
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Cat containment is a prominent cat management issue in Australia that provokes strong, and sometimes opposing, points of view. The aim of this study was to explore beliefs and attitudes towards containment in cat owner and non-owner groups, and to examine cat containment practices in owners. A random sample of 424 Victorian residents was recruited to complete the Community Attitudes towards Companion Animals Survey by telephone interview. The results showed that, of 142 cat owners, 80% contained their cat to a property at night but only 41.2% contained their cat to a property during the day. For cat owners, beliefs about the importance of cat containment were related to concerns regarding the protection of cats from injury and the protection of native wildlife. Beliefs relating to the importance of cat containment most strongly predicted containment practices. Conversely, findings from non-owners revealed that support for containment was generally linked to concerns regarding protection for wildlife and protection of community members from harm or nuisance behaviors. These findings indicate broad support for cat containment and suggest that education relating to the advantages of suitably enriched containment to protect cats from injury would be worthwhile in regions with cat curfews in place. © ISAZ 2012.
Exploring the existence and potential underpinnings of dog-human and horse-human attachment bonds
- Authors: Payne, Elyssa , DeAraugo, Jodi , Bennett, Pauleen , McGreevy, Paul
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Behavioural Processes Vol. 125, no. (2016), p. 114-121
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This article reviews evidence for the existence of attachment bonds directed toward humans in dog-human and horse-human dyads. It explores each species' alignment with the four features of a typical attachment bond: separation-related distress, safe haven, secure base and proximity seeking. While dog-human dyads show evidence of each of these, there is limited alignment for horse-human dyads. These differences are discussed in the light of the different selection paths of domestic dogs and horses as well as the different contexts in which the two species interact with humans. The role of emotional intelligence in humans as a potential mediator for human-animal relationships, attachment or otherwise, is also examined. Finally, future studies, which may clarify the interplay between attachment, human-animal relationships and emotional intelligence, are proposed. Such avenues of research may help us explore the concepts of trust and bonding that are often said to occur at the dog-human and horse-human interface. © 2015.