A recent study evaluated the impact of a commercial outdoor containment system on cat welfare and owner perceptions. Conducted in the UK, the survey gathered input from 446 owners who installed the ProtectaPet® system between May and June 2019. Responses indicated a positive shift in both the time cats spent outdoors and owner concerns after installing the system.
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The survey results showed that the installation of the containment system allowed cats to spend significantly more time outside, increasing from a range of 1-2 hours to between 3-7 hours. Additionally, owners reported a marked decrease in concerns regarding outdoor threats such as road traffic accidents and interactions with other cats.
A new feline welfare assessment tool was developed as part of the study, analyzing 21 indicators of cat welfare that were grouped into four subscales: positivity, maintenance behaviors, health issues, and fearfulness. The research found that all these welfare indicators improved significantly after the installation of the system. Notably, over half of the respondents lived in urban settings with small gardens and had experienced traumatic incidents involving their cats prior to the survey.
The findings suggest that a controlled outdoor environment can enhance the quality of life for both cats and their owners, providing benefits without the inherent risks associated with free roaming. The results are significant, given the growing debate over the best housing solutions for domestic cats amid concerns about their welfare and environmental impacts.
The study was approved by the University of Lincoln Research Ethics Committee and represents the first comprehensive assessment of the effects of such containment systems on pet cats.