Burden of Domestication Measure

Roaming Companion Cats as Potential Causes of Conflict and Controversy: A Representative Questionnaire Study of the Danish Public

“…The study also differs from most of the other studies in that, using a large sample of the general public (n = 2,003), it investigates the relationship between cat ownership, socio-demographic factors, and attitudes to cats. In an earlier publication, where other results from this study were reported, it was found that approximately 21% of Danes live in households with a cat, 13% have previously had a cat in the household, and the remaining 66% have never lived with a cat (Sandøe et al, 2017). In this study we aim to answer the following three research questions: 1) What are the This is a post-print version of an article published in Anthrozoös by Taylor & Francis For more articles on animal ethics, see www.animalethics.net demographic characteristics of cat owners, and how are cats acquired and kept?…”

“…When this study was planned, only biomedical research was covered by ethics committees in Denmark and the University of Copenhagen did not have Institutional Review Boards to address participant protection issues within the social sciences. Further details on response rate, recruitment, sampling, and response mode have been provided elsewhere (Sandøe et al, 2017). The questionnaire consisted of 45 questions.…”

“…One idea, as mentioned above, is to restrain companion cats from roaming freely so as to avoid potential threats to the environment. Another is to allow companion cats some outdoor access, because that will allow them to express their natural behaviors (Van de Kuyt, 2004) and avoid the increased risk of behavior problems that arises when they are confined indoors (Amat, de la Torre, Fatjó, Mariotti, Van Wijk, & Manteca, 2009;Sandøe et al, 2017). Wald, Jacobsen, and Levy (2013) investigated differences in stakeholder attitudes to outdoor cats in the US.…”

“…This study differs from those mentioned above in that it focuses on a northern European country. Compared to, for example, the USA, cats are much less frequently kept as pets in Denmark, as approximately 15-20% of Danish families have a cat (Danmarks Statistik, 2000;Sandøe et al, 2017). Cats in Denmark, unlike those in Australia and North America, have been present in the country for around 1,500 years (Nationalmuseet, n.d.).…”