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Pet rats are still understudied in terms of animal welfare and human-animal interaction research. An extensive online survey targeting German-speaking rat caretakers was conducted (n = 978). One of the study's goals was to investigate husbandry practices, health indicators, rat behaviors that suggest either good or compromised welfare, as well as elements of the human-animal relationship, including interactions between humans and animals, caretaker attitudes, and attachment. The second aim was to explore the associations between caretaker attitudes and attachment, and caretaker behavior, encompassing routine health checks, interactions between humans and animals, as well as the activities and enrichment provided to rats. In some instances, welfare issues were identified: insufficient space (evident in 10.6% of rats), provision of unhealthy snacks (14.6%). The vast majority of rats enjoyed a variety of enrichment objects, e.g., huts/houses (98.4%), nesting material (92.7%), hammocks (91.7%), and tunnels/tubes (83.7%). The average amount of space and time provided for roaming in case of no permanent roaming possibility (13.9 m2 and 2.5 h per day) was positive in terms of welfare. About 79.0% of rats did not suffer from a disease diagnosed by a veterinarian. Repetitive behaviors, which may represent stereotypies, were uncommon (plucking out own fur and cage bar chewing occurred "never" in 99.1% and 81.5%). Indicators of good welfare (e.g., self-grooming, rearing, eye-boggling) were observed several times/day in 89.6%, 46.7%, and 11.6% respectively. Caretakers who formed strong bonds with their rats tended to express positive general attitudes (such as finding rats "lovable" and "fun"), while showing little agreement with statements reflecting negative attitudes (like considering rats "dirty"). About 84.4% reported stroking their rat, 94.9% reported talking to it, and 70.9% mentioned hand-feeding their rat several times per day. Caretaker attitudes and attachment and human-animal interactions and caretaker behaviors correlated weakly but consistently (P < 0.01): respondents who felt more comfortable during positive interactions, stroked, hand-fed their rats, offered rat-friendly enrichment and performed health checks more often. In contrast, higher agreement to rats being "dirty" related to less frequent health checks and less frequent positive human-animal interactions. The identified relationships between caretaker attitudes and behaviors can help design interventions to promote caretaker behavior that is beneficial for rat welfare. • An extensive online survey targeting German-speaking rat caretakers (n = 978) provided insights into husbandry practices, health indicators, and rat behaviors indicative of welfare, as well as elements of the human-animal relationship. • Welfare issues such as insufficient space, provision of unhealthy snacks, and potentially risky supplies were identified. • The majority of rats enjoyed various enrichment objects, with positive space and roaming time provided for welfare. • Most rats did not suffer from diagnosed diseases, and repetitive behaviors were uncommon. • Caretakers who formed strong bonds with their rats expressed positive attitudes and engaged in frequent positive interactions, such as stroking, talking, and hand-feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collar use in cats is a controversial topic. Cat owners do have very different reasons for either deciding to use a collar on their cat or rejecting collar use. We conducted an online survey on cat management, use of and attitudes toward collars. Our survey participants were mainly women (88.8%), mostly came from Germany (88.2%), and owned 2 ± 2 cats. Collar use was reported by 32.9%. Overall, participants showed significantly higher agreement to the subscale risk perception than to the subscale benefit perception (Z = −56.997, P < 0.001, N = 4940). Participants (N = 318) who reported first-time collar fitting on their cat in the past 2 years used most often plastic breakaway buckles (rounded edges: 44.2%; round with edges inwards: 17.9%; rectangular: 10.4%), non-breakaway buckles were used by 14.4% (plastic: 9.4%; metal: 4.9%). The most common objects attached to the collar were ID tags/tubes (32.4%) and bells (22.1%) and tracker (19.7%). Based on lifetime experience, collar users were older, less often first-time owners, more often allowed their cats free roaming, and had less often professional experience with cats. Agreement to risks was lower than in non-users but still higher than agreement to benefits. In contrast, the perception of benefits outweighed perception of risks in recent collar users. Collar use in the past was strongly associated to risks from entrapment. This suggests that owners are willing to try collars but do not continue to use them over time as they may perceive more risks than benefits. • Collar use in cats is controversially discussed by cat owners and experts. • We explored owner attitudes most influential in the decision to use a collar. • Statements regarding risks received higher agreement than regarding benefits. • Recent collar users perception of benefits outweighed perception of risks. • In contrast, past collar users agreed strongly to risks, in particular entrapment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited literature discussing potential risks (and benefits) associated with collar use in free-roaming cats leads to inconclusive recommendations for cat owners. In this study we investigate the incidence of major issues associated with free-roaming and collar use. We collected data from over 5,000 Central European participants through an online questionnaire and set out to provide an overview of the incidence and type of problems caused by collar use and the incidence of major risks of free-roaming. We further aimed to identify factors predicting outcomes of collar problems, traffic accidents, animal-inflicted injuries, and missing cats. Among other results, we found the risk of cats dying from a collar-related incident to be considerably lower than other risks cats encounter while free-roaming; the most common risk of free-roaming was found in injuries resulting from animal conflicts. The deadliest risk of free-roaming was traffic accidents; 70.5% of cats involved in traffic accidents died. We further found that identification and registration in pet registry significantly increased the odds of cats being reunited with their owners. Our results provide a base from which further hypothesis driven studies can explore more specific questions regarding collar use in (free-roaming) cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are multiple reasons for cats to wear collars, among the most relevant are identification and mounting of radiofrequency tracking devices or predation deterrents. Reports on severe incidents with cat collars indicate that both, entrapment of the collar on an object or a body part, have the potential to lead to serious injury or death. Therefore, expert opinions and guidelines concerning the safety of cat collars are controversial. This review focuses on the current state of knowledge weighing welfare risks against potential benefits of collar use in domestic cats (Felis catus). The results of this review show that even "safety collars" (collars with a breakaway clip or elastic parts) do not fully prevent severe incidents, albeit rarely reported. Nevertheless, the use of breakaway collars is considered vital. To further reduce risk of entrapment, good fit (i.e., the collar must not be too loose nor too tight), undamaged material and close monitoring during adjustment periods are recommended. Behaviors such as excessive scratching or rubbing and coat or skin problems such as matting, alopecia or erythema were reported in association with collars. These adverse effects on behavior, coat or skin can be manageable in pet cats. The propensity of a breakaway collar to open/release varies between types of collars and brands. For unsupervised use, a collar that opens/releases easily is recommended to reduce risk of entrapment. However, this feature can limit the benefits of collar use as the intended functions of the collar might no longer be maintained. The main benefits provided by a collar are visible identification and mounting of radiofrequency tracking devices (to locate cats via GPS) or predation deterrents (to reduce the impact of predation on wildlife). Given the risks associated with collars, there are no benefits to cats wearing collars solely for "fashion". Comparatively, collars have a lower inherent risk than other scenarios cats encounter while free-roaming. Yet risks and benefits regarding collar use should be assessed for each individual case. Future directions of research should focus on ways to further reduce or prevent risks of collars. One interesting research direction is whether training cats to tolerate collars can reduce discomfort and risk of entrapment or skin irritation. Paper collars have not been investigated yet, but are cheap and can be replaced at low cost, they can be inscribed with owner contact details and tear easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few data are published about different ferret husbandry practices in terms of housing, enrichment, feeding, social management, and the health status of ferrets. However, these factors are crucial for animal welfare and influence animal behavior. A comprehensive online survey was conducted among 573 German-speaking ferret owners to gain insight into these aspects of husbandry, the occurrence of behaviors potentially indicative of good or impaired welfare and associations between environmental conditions and ferret behavior. To reduce reactance in participants, a forced choice answer format was avoided; therefore, the sample size varied. Ferrets were on average 3.3 ± 2.3 (mean ± SD) years old. 56% were male and 44% were female. 89% of the male and 83% of the female ferrets were neutered. Many ferrets enjoyed good health. Most (73.7%, n = 425) ferrets were not diagnosed with a ferret-typical illness. A high percentage of animals were housed in a dedicated ferret room (32.7%) or unconfined in the flat or house (34.5%). The vast majority had various enrichment items in their main living area (e.g., tubes: 98.1%, boxes: 84.4%, climbing items: 81.3%). Potential stressors and welfare issues were also identified [e.g., single housing (4%), recent bite injuries (4.6%) from other ferrets, ferret-typical diseases, such as cardiac disease and adrenal tumors (6% each), or recent signs of ill health such as diarrhea (7.1%) or parasites (6.2%) and potential problem behaviors, which might strain the human-animal relationship, such as defecation outside the toilet area (daily in 27%)]. The mean age of the latest deceased ferret was 5.8 ± 2.6 years, hinting at a shorter life span than often predicted. Both housing type and recent changes in the pair or group composition, that is, in the social environment, were shown to have an effect on behavior. For instance, repetitive nibbling was reported more often in ferrets living in indoor enclosures compared with animals kept in ferret rooms, unconfined in the flat/house or outdoor enclosures (P < 0.05). If a new ferret had been introduced within the last six months, more agonistic behaviors (hissing, high-pitched screaming, defecating during interaction) were reported (P < 0.05). In sum, according to owner reports, many ferrets enjoyed good health, enriched living conditions, and companionship. However, potential stressors and welfare issues were also identified and associations between husbandry conditions and signs of impaired welfare can built the basis for owner education. • Welfare issues include single housing, shortened life span, and behavior problems. • Maximum ages near the lower range of life span stated in literature were found. • The most common undesired behaviors were hoarding and house-soiling. • Ferrets from indoor enclosures more likely show repetitive behaviors. • Instability of the social environment is reflected in more agonistic behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate the habitat, characteristics, and the health status of cat colonies under supervision of a trap-neuter-return program, the distance of the cats maintained with respect to their caregivers as a measure of the animals' fear of or confidence in humans, and relationships between these factors with regard to animal welfare. Thirteen managed cat colonies in different urban habitats were visited twice (1st and 2nd visit) by a team of two observers. The assessment of health and other welfare parameters was based on direct observation at the feeding sites, caregiver inquiry, and photo analysis. Potential associations between the parameters were analyzed at an individual level (e.g., injuries related to sex and neuter status) or at group level (e.g., percentage of animals with impaired health). Interobserver reliability was high for all indicators. Most cats were in a good state of health, and most were already neutered. The lower the percentage of clean feeding places, the higher was the percentage of thin animals (1st/2nd visit: r s = −0.72/−0.58, P = 0.01/0.04) and the percentage of cats showing apathetic behavior (1st/2nd visit: r s = −0.54/−0.58, P = 0.06/0.04). The larger the group size, the higher was the percentage of cats with hair coat deviations (1st/2nd visit: r s = −0.73/−0.79, P = 0.01/<0.01). There were also some associations between sex/neuter status and health. Intact males were most likely to be injured, whereas no injuries were observed in females. The results suggest that feeding site characteristics, such as group size and cleanliness of feeding places, as well as sex and neuter status can have an impact on the health status and thus welfare of colony cats. If caregivers offered diluted milk or treats, a higher percentage of cats approached to close proximity (1st/2nd visit: diluted milk: P = 0.02/0.01; treats: P = 0.04/0.04). The offering of treats likely strengthened the animal-human relationship. Indicators such as the percentage of very thin animals, cats showing altered, apathetic behavior, cats with hair coat deviations, injuries, as well as the percentage of animals approaching within close proximity to their caregiver seem to be useful indicators for the welfare surveillance of cats in managed colonies in terms of validity, because we found associations with environmental factors, the care provided to the cats, or cat colony characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]