Category: Animals

Since my early childhood, I have been captivated by the wonders of the natural world, and my fascination with animals, in particular, has only grown stronger over the years. Observing the intricate behaviors, diversity, and remarkable adaptations of creatures, both big and small, has filled me with awe and curiosity. This deep-seated passion for animals has fueled my aspiration to become a zoologist. In this essay, I will share my personal reasons for wanting to pursue a career as a zoologist, emphasizing my love for animals, the scientific exploration of biodiversity, the importance of conservation, and the potential to contribute to our understanding of life on Earth.

A Lifelong Love for Animals

From the moment I can remember, animals have held a special place in my heart. Whether watching wildlife documentaries, visiting zoos and aquariums, or simply observing the squirrels and birds in my backyard, my fascination with animals has been a constant presence in my life. This deep love for animals is at the core of my desire to become a zoologist. I want to dedicate my life to studying, understanding, and advocating for the creatures that share our planet.

Scientific Exploration of Biodiversity

Biodiversity, the rich tapestry of life on Earth, is a source of endless wonder and discovery. As a zoologist, I aim to immerse myself in the scientific exploration of this biodiversity. This field offers the opportunity to discover new species, unravel the mysteries of animal behavior, and delve into the intricacies of ecosystems. The pursuit of knowledge about the countless species that inhabit our planet is both thrilling and humbling. I want to be on the front lines of this scientific adventure, contributing to our collective understanding of the natural world.

Conservation and the Protection of Wildlife

One of the most compelling reasons I would like to be a zoologist is my commitment to conservation and the protection of wildlife. Many animal species face unprecedented threats in our rapidly changing world, including habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and poaching. Zoologists play a critical role in assessing the health of populations, studying the impact of human activities, and developing strategies for conservation. I want to be a part of the effort to preserve and protect endangered species, ensuring that future generations can also marvel at the beauty and diversity of our planet’s fauna.

Advancing Scientific Knowledge and Discovery

Zoology is a dynamic field that continually pushes the boundaries of scientific knowledge and discovery. Through research, observation, and experimentation, zoologists uncover the secrets of animal behavior, physiology, and ecology. By becoming a zoologist, I hope to contribute to this ongoing quest for knowledge, adding to the body of scientific literature and deepening our understanding of the animal kingdom. The potential for making groundbreaking discoveries that can benefit both animals and humans is a driving force behind my choice of career.

Fostering a Connection with Nature

In today’s increasingly urbanized and technologically driven world, there is a growing disconnect between people and the natural world. As a zoologist, I see an opportunity to bridge this gap and foster a deeper connection between humans and nature. By sharing my passion for animals, educating the public, and promoting conservation efforts, I hope to inspire others to appreciate and protect the incredible diversity of life on Earth. Connecting people with nature is essential for the well-being of both individuals and the planet.

Advocating for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Ethical considerations regarding the treatment of animals are central to the field of zoology. Zoologists advocate for the humane treatment of animals in research, captivity, and the wild. This commitment to ethical treatment aligns with my own values and principles. I want to be a voice for animals, working to ensure that they are treated with respect and compassion, whether in scientific studies, zoos, or wildlife conservation efforts. Being a zoologist allows me to advocate for the ethical treatment of animals on a broader scale.

Inspiring Future Generations

Another compelling reason for wanting to be a zoologist is the opportunity to inspire and educate future generations. I believe in the power of education and mentorship to instill a love for the natural world in young minds. I hope to inspire the next generation of scientists, conservationists, and wildlife enthusiasts by sharing my knowledge and passion for animals. Inspiring others to pursue careers and interests related to zoology is a meaningful way to contribute to the future of wildlife conservation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my desire to become a zoologist is rooted in a lifelong love for animals, a passion for scientific exploration, a commitment to conservation, and the aspiration to advance our understanding of the natural world. As a zoologist, I want to immerse myself in the study of biodiversity, protect endangered species, and advocate for ethical treatment of animals. I see this career as an opportunity to positively impact the planet and inspire others to appreciate and protect the incredible diversity of life on Earth. Zoology is not just a profession; it is a calling and a lifelong dedication to preserving and celebrating the natural world.

It all started when a replica of a mummy came to haunt and in the process was destroying a bed and breakfast in Pleasantview. Who could it be? George Broderick is one of the suspects, and he is the mummy imposter. George Broderick has the best motive and opportunity, unlike Chester Gibbons.

George Broderick’s motive is money. A letter that George wrote to Agatha asking “ Will you marry me and make me the happiest, the richest man in the world?” This is showing us that he cares about money. (Ashmolean Museum Oxford letter) He thinks Raymond Peabody hid the treasure in the Peabody house, and this is why he is haunting the house. He is trying to ruin the bed and breakfast so that he will be able to buy the Peabody house so that he can find the cat. This cat, that Raymond Peabody hid in the house came from Rakutamen’s tomb, and the Olde Curiosity Shop offered him a great deal for it. (Olde Curiosity Shop letter) George was on the archaeology trip with Raymond. (Professor Peabody and The Curse Of The Mummy) He accused Raymond of stealing the cat. (Agatha’s diary entry)This is why he knows about the cat. Next, he can sell the cat and collect all the money. He is in addition the only one who has seen the mummy. (Letter to the Editor)This is saying that he is the only one to have examined the mummy. He could have made the thing up to make the bed and breakfast fail.

George Broderick has the best opportunity. He lives right next door so nobody would be suspicious if he were to be walking past the Peabody house. (Letter to the editor). That would mean nobody would think twice that he is perpetrating a crime if he walks by.

Chester Gibbons may look suspicious, but George has a worthier motive and opportunity. It may have looked suspicious when Chester was in the house late at night, but right after he left the mummy approached into the house. If it were George, he could have seen that he left. Then went to try to find the cat. Then had to have a disguise there for nobody would turn him in. He also doesn’t want anybody too skeptical of him.

George Broderick has the best motive and opportunity. He desires all the money when he finds that cat. He has the best opportunity because he lives right next door. He is guilty.

There are an estimated 60-100 million feral cats in the United States (Coleman et al. 1997, Jessup 2004). Feral cats continue to be a growing concern due to homeowners being concerned for their welfare since they live outdoors. Concerns also include their own animals since these cats have the ability to pass the diseases or even fight these homeowners’ pets. (Crooks and Soule 1999, Pimental et al. 2000, Lepczyk et al. 2003, Jessup 2004, Kays and DeWan 2004).

Ornithologists and wildlife biologists are concerned with feral cat populations due to their diet consisting of native birds and small mammals. native birds and small mammals upon which they prey (Crooks and Soule 1999, Pimental et al. 2000, Lepczyk et al. 2003, Jessup 2004, Kays and DeWan 2004). Free-roaming cats not only pose a threat to prey species but can do considerable damage to the health of ecosystems. Feral cats can outcompete native predators such as foxes ultimately changing community composition (Crooks and Soule 1999, Hawkins et al. 1999, Kays and DeWan 2004).

Feral cats were managed through the use of trapping and euthanizing (Short et al., 2002; Hess et al., 2009). This caught the attention of people living near the cats. opposing fertility control as management for feral cats. Ethical concerns expressed by individuals included concern over killing animals to satisfy human interests and the protection of the individual animals (Lauber et al. 2007). Therefore, there needed to be a different method of reducing the population because trapping and euthanizing could be potentially dangerous and emotionally upsetting. Another issue with feral cat removal is immigration. When a feral cat colony is removed, a nearby colony will move in because of the newly available resources (Lohr et al., 2013).

Where there is a desire to reduce the negative impacts of feral cats, wildlife biologists, and associated stakeholders need information on the most effective and socially acceptable means of reducing these cat populations. (Loyd and Miller, 2010). Therefore, many jurisdictions in the United States adopted the procedure where feral cats are trapped and sterilized and then returned to the environment to be fed and cared for by volunteers, also referred to as Trap-Neuter-Release(TNR) to reduce feral feline populations (Longcore et al., 2009). Feral cats are felines that have returned to their wild state to survive (Case et al., 2006).

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether TNR programs have a significant impact on decreasing community cat populations. The studies determine this by looking at how many felines are admitted to shelters and euthanatized before and after the program is implemented.

Discussion

A study done by Edinboro et al. (2016) looked at the effects of a shelter-neuter-release (SNR) program on feline admissions at a large municipal animal shelter in Northern California. Shelter-neuter-release means cats are taken from the area, sterilized, and released, similar to trap-neuter-release. The difference is the cats are held at the shelter for vaccines or medical treatment. This sentence seems to just hang out there

Over the 8-year study, shelter intakes were recorded before and after the initiation of the SNR program. The program officially began on March 8, 2010, and included 117,383 cats overall. The cats that were a part of the study included both sexes, included various ages ranging from kittens to adults, and included domestic short-hair, medium-hair, and long-hair breeds.

During the experiment, cats found in the area were taken to the shelter, sterilized, and released if they had no medical issues. To determine the outcome of the program they looked at the number of feline admissions and euthanizations at their shelter before and after the initiation of the SNR program.

Before the SNR program began it was reported that 7,474 of 50,991 (14.7%) cats were received as dead and 43,517 (85.3%) cats were admitted alive. The data reported after the program year of 2010 was that 5,301 of 39,681 (13.4%) cats were received as dead and 34,380 (86.6%) were admitted alive. The number of live admissions decreased significantly (P = 0.009). The proportion of dead cats decreased significantly (P < 0.001) after the SNR program was initiated.

• Live admissions showed a significant difference overall from 2006 to 2012(P = 0.009)
• Dead admissions showed a significant difference overall from 2006 to 2012(P < 0.001)

Adapted from Edinboro et al. (2016)

The proportion of euthanized cats decreased from nearly 70% in 2006 to less than 30% in 2012 (Figure 2). Before the SNR period, 69% of all stray cats were euthanized, and after the SNR program was implemented, 35.8% were euthanized.

• No significance reported

Adapted from Edinboro et al. (2016)

The SNR program appeared to have contributed to a significant decrease in feline admissions. Initiation of the SNR program was associated with a decreased number of cats admitted to the shelter and a lower proportion of cats euthanized. Fewer cats being admitted to the shelter means fewer cats are euthanized due to shelters having more access to resources. These findings are very important for determining the benefit of similar programs.

Research conducted by Levya et al. (2014) assessed the effect of TNR concentrated in a Florida community where there are reported high amounts of cat impoundments. During the 2-year study period, trends in shelter cat intake and euthanasia from the target area were compared to the rest of the county after the TNR program was implemented.

The target area that was selected was considered an urban area where shelter cat intake was higher than in other areas of the country. A total of 2,366 cats were captured to be a part of the TNR program. The cats chosen to take part were all unowned, free-roaming, community cats in the county, regardless of whether they were feral or socialized to people. All cats that were captured and considered healthy and of age underwent sterilization surgery. After the animal was sterilized it had the left tip of its ear removed for visual identification. Once the animal recovered from the anesthesia, they were taken back to the location in which they were originally found.

To determine the effect of the TNR program on the feral feline population, cat shelter intakes before and after the initiation of the program was recorded. Also, the number of felines euthanized at the shelter before and after the start of the program. The number of euthanizations, sterilizations performed, and feline shelter intakes in the target area was compared to the non-target surrounding area.

Overall results displayed that an increase in sterilization was accompanied by a decrease in shelter cat intake and euthanasia. Cat TNR surgeries in the target area increased significantly during the 2 study years (P

• *Significantly different than mean ±2 standard deviations of 3 pre-treatment years.

Adapted from Levya et al. (2014).

• *Significantly different than mean ±2 standard deviations of 3 pre-treatment years.

Adapted from Levya et al. (2014).

During the study, a survey was taken within the community and many residents stated that they enjoyed taking care of the community cats, but felt overwhelmed with kittens, frustrated by noisy cat breeding behavior, or were concerned about aggression towards their own cats. These problems can be resolved with an increased prevalence of sterilization.

The overall outcome of this study showed that fewer cats were admitted to the shelter after the TNR program began. The effect of high-impact TNR and the adoption rate of about 60 cats/ 1,000 residents annually resulted in a reduction of shelter cat impoundment of 66% over the 2-year period. This compares to a long-standing low-impact countywide per capita TNR rate of approximately 8 cats/1000 residents annually.

A study was conducted by Spehar and Wolf (2018) at a municipal animal shelter in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A targeted TNR program was added to a pre-existing community TNR effort. The goal of the study was to examine the effect of the TNR program on feline shelter intake and euthanasia.

Any healthy, free-roaming felines entering the shelter were taken to a spay-neuter clinic to undergo sterilization surgery. A total of 8,851 cats were sterilized as part of the TNR program. All cats entering the shelter and considered healthy were chosen to be a part of the program.

The TNR program targeted areas of the city that were deemed sources of high feline intake. Any healthy free-roaming cat that entered the shelter was transferred to two full-time employees who were hired to operate the program. The employees arranged for the cats to be sterilized at a high-volume, high-quality spay-neuter clinic. After the surgery, cats were ear-tipped for visual identification. If after the surgery, the animal was considered healthy it was returned to where it was captured. To determine the effects of the study, the number of sterilization surgeries, live feline shelter intakes, and euthanizations were recorded and analyzed before and after the initiation of the program.

The results of this study showed that the number of sterilization procedures performed fluctuated over the three years of the experiment. The first year consisted of 3,723 surgeries, the second year had 3,981, and the last year 3,334 surgeries were performed. This finding goes against any preconceived notions that initiating a targeted TNR program should cause a steady increase in sterilization surgeries. This study does confirm the results of the other two studies because it also shows a decrease in feline shelter intake and euthanasia. At the end of the three-year study period, when compared to the baseline of the 12-month period before the start of the program, feline euthanasia at this shelter declined by 84.1%, from 3,023 to 480 total cats. Total shelter cat intake decreased by 37.6%, from 9,776 to 6,102 cats.

• No significance reported

Adapted from Spehar and Wolf (2018)

Overall conclusions of the study indicate that total shelter cat intake and the number of kittens born decreased after the targeted TNR program was implemented. The study took into consideration that the decreased amount of calls to the city about dead cats most likely indicates a reduction in the total population of free-roaming cats presents in the Albuquerque community. To confirm this hypothesis more research needs to be done that focuses on the number of free-roaming cats living within the city.

Conclusion

All three studies need to conduct more research on how many feral cat populations are still in the areas after the TNR programs are initiated. All studies showed that the initiation of a TNR program lead to a decrease in feline euthanizations and shelter intakes. The last study showed a fluctuation in the number of sterilization surgeries, unlike the other studies which showed a steady increase after the initiation of TNR. Therefore, for this study, it is harder to determine a correlation between the TNR program and the decrease in euthanizations and shelter intakes.

The study conducted by Levya et al. (2014) had the strongest evidence of a correlation between the initiation of the TNR program and a decrease in euthanizations and shelter intakes because it compared the difference between the change in euthanizations and shelter intakes in an area that was targeted by TNR and an area that was not. This can help make a strong claim that TNR can cause these decreases in euthanizations and intakes.

The study conducted by Levya et al. (2014) included a survey that looked into how community members who cared for the feral cats felt about them. A majority of the residents concluded that they enjoyed caring for the cats. This debunks the misconception that community cats are a nuisance to community members.

All of the studies’ results showed that TNR reduces the number of cats entering shelters and the number of euthanizations performed. The studies performed by Edinboro et al. (2016) and Levya et al. (2014) showed a significant difference in both the number of cats entering shelters and euthanizations when compared to the beginning of the program. The study conducted by Spehar and Wolf (2018) fell short in their conclusion by not including any measurement for significance.

These studies need to conduct further research on the welfare states of the animals after they are returned to the wild to determine the benefits of TNR programs.

If you heard someone saying that “it’s hard to find a Bengal cat” then this cat’s unique breeding history must be the reason behind this notion. Let’s find out more. So, are Bengal cats rare? The answer would be no. They are not rare. The only thing which makes their availability a little bit difficult is the cost factor involved. Bengal cats are more expensive than other pet cats which makes them special, but not rare. To know more about this amazing cat breed, bear with me till the end.

Bengal cat’s history

Bengal cats’ earliest history dates back to 1889 when an English writer named “Harrison Weir” talked about Bengal cats in his book. But, there was no significant evidence of this breed’s presence at that time. Later in 1924 a Belgian journal took a dig at Bengal cats, but couldn’t find circumstantial evidence of the Bengal breed’s presence. Following the footprints of a Belgian journal, a Japanese journal wrote a story on the ‘possible’ presence of a leopard-like cat in 1941. The existence of Bengal cats was not confirmed until 1963 when a California-based psychologist Jean Mill bred two Bengal kittens.

Interesting story:

Jean bought a leopard cat from a pet store and introduced it to a pet cat. The two animals mated and produced two kittens, one male and one female. However, she couldn’t report this unique kitten to the international cats association. Later in 1982 she imported a pet cat from Delhi (capital of India) zoo and copulated it with one of the female hybrids she bred earlier. This cross was a success and 5-6 healthy kittens were produced from this cross. In 1986 the international cat association (TICA) accepted Bengal cats in their registry and gave this breed a championship award later in 1991.

Bengal cat generations

Although this breed was registered in 1986, they were not domesticated until its 6th generation. The reason behind: Most early-generation males were infertile. And the females were prone to catch different diseases. Bengal cats’ first 4 generations were strictly regulated and monitored in many states. However, the 6th and later generations are easily available for domestication now.

But:

Hybrid breeds are not allowed in New York and Hawaii. This is why you cannot have a Bengal cat if you live in these 2 states. If you adopt a Bengal cat now, it is most probably a 6th generation or an even later one.

Their breeding

Bengal cats used to be rare during the early days of their breeding, but the case is totally the opposite now. According to the international cat association (TICA), there are almost 2000 Bengal cat breeders in the United States in 2019.

A side note: This number has dramatically increased from 125 breeders in 1992. The reason for this amazing growth is that people find this cat an amazing pet. A lot of new pet parents opt for Bengal cats.

Here are a few things you need to know:

Bengal cats are one of the most favored pet cats nowadays, these are the reasons behind this trend.

• They have good health

Thanks to their wild predecessors, Bengal cats have a very good immune system. They do not fall sick very easily, and even if they do, they can cope with it. Once you give your Bengal cat the essential vaccines, there is no need to worry about its health. Seasonal viruses, temperature changes, and exposure to the outdoor environment don’t affect their health.

• They are beautiful

Bengal cats are adored for their striking coat patterns and their soft fur. People adopt them for their eye-catching colors. Most Bengal cats have red, grey, blue, ticked, and brown markings. Their fur is very short and there is a glittery shine in their fur. This fella looks amazingly beautiful in bright sunlight.

• They are talkative

Unlike most pet cats, they make noise and keep their pet parents busy with them. Each time a Bengal cat jumps up or does something interesting it needs your attention right after it.

Picture this: If we call Bengal cats “attention seekers” it won’t be wrong. They need your affection and attention all the time and keep you busy with their little actions.

• They are sophisticated

Now, using the word sophisticated for pets might surprise you. But believe me, these cats are very well-behaved. They know their limits and don’t disturb you during your important activities. Once you define their territory and play area, Bengal cats don’t evade it and stay in their confined area.

Hey:

Aren’t these reasons enough to tell why Bengal cats are one of the top cat breeds being domesticated? How can you get a Bengal cat? Finding a Bengal cat is not a tough job, as I said earlier. You just need to fix a budget for them and let’s start strolling in search of a Bengal cat.

• Firstly, you must know that Bengal cats’ price range varies dramatically.
• You can get a Bengal cat by spending just 200 USD and this amount can rise up to 5000 USD, surprised right?

Here are the reasons:

Pedigree

As I already said above, Bengal cats are a result of a cross between two contrasting types of cats. And their generations are rated based on the “purity” of their genes. You must be confused about what is meant by purity, let me explain. When the first Bengal kitten was produced it had an equal share of genes from the leopard cat and the domestic cat. This first generation was the most expensive as they were the source of increasing this breed. First-generation kittens were called F1 and their price used to vary from 2000 USD to 10000 USD for females. Males were mostly sterile in the first generation which is why their regular price used to be 1500-2000 USD. The cats we get to see now don’t have a mixture of genes and are entirely the Bengal breed. Today, you can get a Bengal female in a price range of 500-2000 USD because they are in abundance now.

Fun fact:

Bengal cats which were not under the surveillance of breeding centers were collected by rescue centers. You can get a Bengal kitten by spending only 200-300 bucks from these rescue centers.

Coat type

Bengal kittens can be spotted, marbled, or snowed. Spots are circular in shape and are in many colors i.e. clue, grey, red, brown, etc. While marbles are in the form of horizontal lines which are mostly dark brown in color. The color and markings of Bengal kittens play a crucial role in their price.

Here’s the deal:

A type called “snow Bengal cat” is the rarest one. Because it has a silver variant in its coat. The silver variant came from the cross of the leopard cat and Siamese cat (which is a very rare species).

Bengal kittens have three types of spots

• Leopard Spots
• Charcoal spots
• Sorrel spots

These spots are very unique amongst Bengal cats and this fact makes them the 2nd most expensive Bengal cat.

An interesting fact:

Some Bengal kittens have glitter in their fur. This glitter is believed to be inherited from the Bengal cat’s Indian ancestor. Remember we talked about the feline that Jean Mills brought from Delhi? So, it’s time, to sum up, the story. Bengal cats are not rare.

You can conveniently buy beautiful felines depending on your budget. Whether you want the rarest snow Bengal or the most common marble cat, depends upon your budget and preference.

Introduction to Vaccines

A vaccine is a preparation of attenuated or killed pathogen that is administered for prevention, betterment, or treatment of a contagious disease Vaccines are one of the most important developments of the modern world and save an estimated 2-3 million lives every year by preventing and controlling infectious disease outbreaks The first person to make a scientific attempt to control infectious disease using vaccination was Edward Jenner in 1796, enabling the eradication of smallpox The first laboratory vaccine using an attenuated pathogen was developed in 1879 by Louis Pasteur against chicken cholera). Today, there are many types of vaccines available for many infectious diseases of different species. Different types of vaccine fall under distinct categories and can be selected depending on different considerations, including the risk factors of the recipient. The categories are Live-attenuated vaccines, inactive or dead vaccines, conjugate or subunit vaccines, viral vector vaccines, and toxoids

Types of vaccines used in cats

The popular vaccine types used in veterinary practice are modified live vaccines (MLV), and inactive or killed vaccines, although other types are on the rise. MLVs contain attenuated pathogens that trigger a response from the immune system. MLVs generally give a higher-quality immune response compared to inactive vaccines, however, they are not appropriate for use in cats that have compromised immune systems. The attenuated virus may still be too strong and there is a possibility of reversion to virulence. Inactive vaccines contain pathogens that have been killed to remove disease-producing capacity. Inactivated viruses tend to produce a weaker immune response than MLV’s, necessitating the addition of adjuvants or making booster injections a requirement for adequate protection

Core vaccines for cats.

A consensus has started to emerge amongst the three international panels providing guidelines on feline vaccination protocols. The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel, the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD), and the World Small Animal Association Vaccine Guidelines Group (WSAVA VGG) have agreed on the three core vaccinations that make up the core combination. These are panleukopenia virus (FPV), also known as feline parvovirus, herpesvirus (FHV-1), and calicivirus (FCV). It is agreed that rabies virus should be added to the core combination where it is endemic or a legal requirement. Booster vaccinations are recommended at intervals of more than one year in line with evidence of the duration of protection from these vaccines

FPV Class Core Core Core

Primary Vaccination of kittens Begin from as early as 6 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age Begin at 6-8 weeks of age, then every 2-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age or older Begin at 8-9 weeks with a second 3-4 weeks (minimum 12w). Consider a final dose at 16-20 weeks of age

Booster Vaccinations Consider at 6 months rather than one year after the primary course, then no more frequently than every 3 years 6 months or one year after the primary course, then no more frequently than every 3 years One year after the primary course, then no more frequently than every 3 years unless special conditions apply

FHV-1 Class Core Core Core

Primary Vaccination of kittens Begin as early as 6 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age Begin at 6-8 weeks of age, then every 2-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age or older Begin at around 9 weeks with a second 2-4 weeks later

Booster Vaccinations Consider at 6 months rather than one year after the primary course, then no more frequently than every 3 years 6 months or one year after the primary course, then every 3 years for low-risk cats. Annual vaccinations for at-risk cats. Annually, especially in high-risk situations

FCV Class Core Core Core

Primary Vaccination of kittens

Begin as early as 6 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age Begin at 6-8 weeks of age, than ever y 2-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age or older Begin at around 9 weeks with a second 2-4 weeks later (not earlier than 12w)

Consider a third dose at 16w in high-risk situations

Booster Vaccinations Consider at 6 months rather than one year after the primary course, then no more frequently than every 3 years 6 months or one year after the primary course, then every 3 years for low-risk cats. Annual vaccinations for at-risk cats. Boost annually

Introduction to the Covid-19 pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first detected in December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020 A series of lockdowns were implemented in the UK in an attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19. On March 26, 2020, the first lockdown measures legally came into force, and further lockdowns were put in place throughout 2020 and 2021

22.9% of adults surveyed by the Office for National Statistics said the pandemic was affecting their household finances. The greatest concern was reduced income (72.9%). 31.9% of adults were using savings to cover their living costs and 22.1% reported they struggled to pay bills at all)

Impact of covid-19 on the veterinary profession

Businesses have been adversely affected by lockdown measures. During the pandemic, veterinary practices were able to operate in line with the UK government’s advice to businesses. In March 2020, veterinary professionals were limited to urgent and emergency services only. Practices then transitioned to and from providing emergency care, to a more normal range of services, keeping in line with the changing guidance The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons advised veterinary professionals should stop elective and preventive care to avoid non-essential travel and protect human health by reducing the use of anesthetic gases, oxygen, and other resources required for frontline human healthcare in the battle against Covid-19 This has caused interruption to the routine vaccination of companion animals. In cases where cats have had a starter course and a booster, they have sufficient immunity to protect them for 3 years. Cats that had the starter course but are late for the first booster only have an extra 3-month period to have the first booster. If these periods expire, the cat is not protected against the core combination diseases and the vaccination course needs to be restarted. These are known as the ‘off-license’ periods

The Investigation

Aim:

The aim of this investigation is to explore the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the routine vaccination of domestic felines in the UK.

Objectives:

To achieve this aim I will collect data from cat owners in the UK regarding vaccine uptake during the pandemic. I will create a survey that will be distributed online in various cat-focused groups and analyze the results.

Hypothesis:

1. The Covid-19 pandemic has harmed the routine vaccination of domestic felines in the UK.
2. A lack of availability of preventative care has left cats at risk of contracting FPV, FHV-1, and FCP.

Materials and method

Materials needed for this investigation were a survey, access to online cat-focused groups, and appropriate data analysis software. The survey was created in Microsoft Forms due to its ability to facilitate different question pathways based on individual answers. Different pathways were needed to determine which cats posed an exposure risk based on the off-license period of vaccines, and the subsequent protection from them. The target demographic for the survey was cat owners in the UK. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the survey needed to be distributed online. Many online cat groups were identified. Contact was made with the admins of these groups to obtain permission to post the survey link, and to collect information from its members. Once permission was obtained, the link to the survey was posted, requesting responses from UK cat owners only. The responses were downloaded into an excel spreadsheet and analyzed. No personal or identifiable information was collected from participants of the survey,

Results

Of the 103 survey responses, 71 cats were already in their homes pre-pandemic. Of these 71 cats, 59 cats would normally be vaccinated. However, during the pandemic, 27 (45.8%) of these 59 cats did not receive their booster and a further 13 (22%) received their boosters late. Of the 27 not receiving a booster, 5 were due to cost, 9 due to shielding, and 12 due to restrictions placed on veterinary practices. During the pandemic, the rate of those not being vaccinated or being vaccinated late rose from 14% (10) to over 70% (50).

Of the 103 survey responses, 32 cats were adopted during the pandemic. 3 cats did not have an initial vaccine. 2 of these were due to restrictions placed on veterinary practices, and the remaining case was due to shielding. A further 19 initial vaccinations were delayed, meaning that 22 out of the 32 cats (69%) were put at risk due to the pandemic. This same cohort of 32 cats had 19 boosters delayed, 15 of which had already had their initial vaccinations delayed.

Of the 103 cats, 83 (80.5%) were either outdoors or spent time outdoors. These cats, therefore, signal a greater risk for infection and the spread of viruses. Of these 83 cats, 34 (41%) did not receive their vaccine or booster, with a further 28 (33.7%) having their vaccine or boosters delayed. In cats adopted during the pandemic, the greater issue was delayed vaccine boosters (18) as opposed to those missing vaccines (2). For cats in established homes, the opposite was true, with missed boosters (32) being more prevalent than delayed (10) ones.

Of the 103 surveys returned, 5 cats were not vaccinated as the owner did not want to vaccinate them. 2 of these are indoor cats

Discussion

Discussion of Results

There were 103 survey respondents from around the UK. The majority of responses came from Southern England, from counties in and around London. These results cannot be generalized to reflect the whole of the UK due to local lockdowns that occurred throughout 2020 and 2021. Local lockdowns were imposed on specific areas of the UK to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic to avoid a country-wide lockdown. This meant some areas were affected for longer than others, and some areas of the country had tighter restrictions

31% of owners that responded to the survey said they adopted their cat during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is known that a high number of animals were adopted during this time. In the week of 16 March to 22 March 2020, 69 cats were adopted from Battersea. That is a 138% increase from the number in the same week of 2019 when 29 cats were adopted from the shelter.

83% of owners declared that before the Covid-19 pandemic, their cat would usually receive their vaccine booster. This is a high percentage compared to the 2020 PDSA Paw report, which surveyed 3875 cat owners. The PDSA report states that 64% of cats were receiving regular boosters This discrepancy is likely caused by the small sample size obtained in the survey. The survey shows Covid-19 lockdown restrictions caused the percentage of cats being vaccinated to fall to 26%. This supports hypothesis 1, the Covid-19 pandemic has hurt the routine vaccination of domestic felines in the UK. As these are adult cats that have received previous boosters, it is likely that some of them still had some immunity, however, cats that had reached the end of the 3-year interval would have been put at risk of catching FPV, FHV-1 or FCP, and would have needed to restart their vaccine course. Two doses 2–4 weeks apart are generally recommended for a restart for all three vaccines, but a single dose of MLV vaccine is considered protective against FPV

27 cats were put at risk due to the secondary effects of Covid-19. This includes financial strain caused by unemployment, mandatory shielding for certain demographics, and restrictions placed on veterinary practices. The NHS reports that there are 3.8 million shielded patients in England and a further 130,000 in Wales. As the human population continues with the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, the number of people shielding will decrease, however, the financial strain is likely to continue, potentially leading to more unvaccinated cats.

Of the 32 cats that were adopted during the pandemic, 3 cats did not have an initial vaccine due to secondary effects of the covid-19 pandemic. 2 of these cats were affected by restrictions placed on veterinary practices, while the remaining cat could not attend a veterinary practice due to mandatory shielding required of the owner. A further 19 initial vaccinations were delayed, meaning that 22 out of the 32 cats (69%) were put at risk of infection due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This same cohort of 32 cats had 19 boosters delayed, 15 of which had already had their initial vaccinations delayed. This included 9 cats whose boosters were more than three months late. These cats fell outside of the vaccination off-license period and therefore needed to restart their vaccination course This supports hypothesis 2, the lack of availability of preventative care has left cats at risk of contracting FPV, FHV-1, and FCP. For cats that required a restart course, some organizations like RVC were able to offer a vaccine amnesty, whereby the owners were charged for a booster instead of the cost of a restart course This is a reasonable offer for those that were affected by lockdown restrictions placed on the veterinary profession, however, more assistance will be needed for those that could not vaccinate their cat due to financial hardship caused by Covid-19.

3.1% of cats owned within the pandemic and 12.7% of cats owned before the pandemic had their vaccination schedule interrupted by their owner’s need to shield. This number will inevitably drop as cat owners are vaccinated against Covid-19, however, some may still need to shield themselves until the vaccine roll-out is complete. This may call for more mobile veterinary services to provide veterinary care for those that cannot attend a veterinary practice.

83 of the 103 cats included in the survey had access to the outdoors, (80.5%). This is slightly higher than the percentage given by the PDSA Paw report, which amounted to 74% This number could be higher due to the margin of error created by the smaller sample size, or it could have increased due to the rise of pet ownership during the pandemic Of these 83 cats that had access to the outdoors, 74.7% were a potential risk for contracting and spreading infectious diseases due to lack of, or delayed vaccination.

21.4% of respondents stated that they do not vaccinate their cats as advised by the veterinary profession. This number is lower than the percentage obtained from the PDSA Paw Report, which amounted to 36%. The PDSA report state that 20% of unvaccinated cats are due to refusal, while another 20% are due to financial hardship. These numbers are closer to the results of this survey, where 23% of unvaccinated cats are due to refusal, and 23% are due to financial hardship not caused by Covid-19. 90% of these unvaccinated cats had access to the outdoors, increasing the risk of contracting and spreading infectious disease to feral and stray cats in the area, and the cats identified that usually would have received their booster vaccines, but could not due to Covid-19.

Improvements

For a greater understanding of how Covid-19 has affected the routine vaccination of domestic felines in the UK, surveys should be undertaken in all counties and compared, taking into consideration the specific local lockdown measures imposed on those areas. A larger sample size is needed to reduce the margin of error, and a confirmation of the core combination vaccines should be included in the survey, to avoid confusion with other non-core vaccines available.

Future surveys should focus on breaches of the off-license period for initial and booster vaccinations. This will help determine the level of risk to cats that have experienced a delay or lack of vaccination due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Questions should also be asked of feral stray cat populations, and cats that reside in multi-cat households. The survey did not distinguish between cats allowed outdoors in cat-proofed gardens, and cats allowed to free-roam. Future surveys should pose these questions to more accurately assess the risk of unvaccinated cats contracting and spreading disease.

The reliability of the data from the survey relies on the honesty of the respondents, that may feel inclined to answer in a way that makes them look more favorable. Although harder to obtain, more accurate reports on vaccine uptake could be obtained from veterinary practices.

Conclusion

The Covid-19 pandemic has hurt the routine vaccination of domestic felines in the UK, leaving domestic cats at higher risk of contracting and spreading FPV, FHV-1, and FCP. As the pandemic is ongoing, the consequences of the secondary effects of Covid-19 for feline populations are yet to be realized. Veterinary professionals should be encouraged to use a surveillance network such as SAVSNET to identify a rise in cases of FPV, FHV-1, and FCV. Cat owners should be educated on the importance of core-combination vaccines.

Domestic cats live shared lives with (their) human companions. They grow up together and influence each other commensally. Unlike other tamed animals, such as dogs, horses, and cattle, cats are not useful and loyal to humans. Thus, the time when cats were truly kept by humans as pets were late, compared to others. Nevertheless, the conjoined relations between cats and humans are different from other domestications. “Humans have domesticated the dog, but it is the cat who has domesticated humans.” (Mauss & Allen 2007) Cat lovers are fond of cats’ charming temper and difficult characteristics. However, cats were not born to be the perfect indoor pets. Pet cats nowadays are already shaped by their histories of contamination with humans before they begin to live with (their) human companions. Despite domestic cats having changed less under the human influence than other domestic animals, the personalities and behavior of cats are still changed little by little through histories of encounters. On the other hand, cats are not the only species that are profoundly polluted by these interspecific interactions. It is an outcome of the collaboration between cats and human beings. Hence, cats and humans are all transformed through encounters with each other. To pursue a better way that how human beings and (their) feline companions live together in a mutually contaminated partnership, it is necessary to understand their conjoined histories, perspectives of human-feline relations from experts in different fields, and also scientific research in cat etiology from the past decades.

It’s undeniable that every species is highly contaminated by past histories of encounters with others. To survive, every species has to collaborate interspecifically, and so do humans and cats. Through these collaborations, which result in contamination, the world and species themselves survive and live more diversely. “Purity is not an option.” (Tsing 2015) We always have to team up with others, human and nonhuman. This also applies to the owner-pet relationship. For instance, in the early modern time, cats were kept as ratcatchers, and humans provided them food to eat and a place to live in return. It was the first time that humans kept cats around in the Western world. (Rogers 2006) This collaboration between human beings and cats was beneficial to both; at the same time, they were all influenced by the existence of the other. They were polluted under this collaboration, which also has an impact on current and future human-feline relations. Through histories of encounters, everyone has already changed by their past before engaging in any new collaboration. Human-feline relations have developed and transformed gradually by feline domestication histories. Cat personalities have been shaped by humans since they were tamed. Many researchers and scholars have begun looking at the “socialization” of cats when they were young. It is proven that cats are capable of building an emotional attachment to an individual person through intimate interactions, which makes them more socialized. (Turner 2017) This collaboration with contamination not only brings benefits but also has its harm to domestic cats, which is related to the problems of human care. During the contradiction between bird protectors and cat lovers in Imperial Germany, bird protectors shaped feline domestication as a scheme of “pet-making” to save songbirds’ lives. (Zelinger 2017) From this example, despite cats changing little under human influence, their ways of living are still changed little by little according to human expectations. However, it’s merely one of the examples in the contaminated histories of human beings and (their) feline companions. No matter how much humans want to deny their influence on domestic cats, it has happened and will happen everywhere.

Cats’ contaminated histories with humans can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Since then, cats have entangled with humans not only in real life but also as symbols and metaphors in art and literature, which are also important in the feline domestication histories. Even before cats were truly domesticated by humans. In ancient Egypt, cats were commonly associated with goddesses and were highly respected by Egyptians. They were fond of cats’ charming characteristics and grace movement and considered them as symbols of feminine allure, fertility, maternity, and the home. These images of animal deities are easily to find in wall paintings, sculptures, and other forms of art from that time. During this period, Egyptians kept cats around not only to kill rodents but also to cherish them as family members due to the sacred symbol behind them. (Rogers 2006) When time-shifted to early modern times in the Western world, cats were easily related to devils and witches; as the result, people burned them to death or tortured them to expel evil from the community. Especially black cats were considered the helpers of witches or devils. In the short story “Black Cat” by Edgar Allen Poe, the main character claims himself as a victim of an agent of Satan, which is the black cat that belonged to him. (Poe 1976) The story is a study of the psychology of guilt and evil that cats were commonly suspected of complicity with at that time. This story presents human’s imagination of cats’ personalities, habits, and evilness. However, these are not true cats’ behavior, in reality, it still has an impact on how humans treat cats around them. Unlike the West, Japanese society holds a different perspective on domestic cats. In the satirical novel “I Am a Cat” by Soseki Natsume, the author creates a nameless tomcat as the narrator to describe the mid-class lives in Japanese society during the Meiji period (1868-1912); especially, the conflicting mix of Western culture and Japanese traditions. (Natsume 1971) The book is a commentary on humankind delivered by a supercilious feline narrator, who criticizes his master and friends’ nonchalant and indolent attitude and calls them “hermits in a peaceful reign.” What Natsume creates is not just a normal house cat, but as well as a bystander in Japanese society. The author perceives and mocks the ridiculous human world through the cat’s eyes and mouth. From the abovementioned examples, cats are all portrayed as symbols or metaphors of something created by the human world. Each cat was rarely seen and discussed as a singular individual during that period. They have been considered as a group since then, even nowadays. How humans saw cats from that period was always human-centered and rarely took cats’ perceptions into the partnership, which should be mutual and commensal for both sides.

How humans had seen cats before has shaped modern humans’ way of looking at cats. Since human beings are in the dominant position of the relationship with (their) feline companions, the abnormal way humans look at cats and other animals is worth to be discussed. Nowadays many people see animals as human puppets in houses and theatre props in zoos. Pet cats in the house become realistic animal toys to children who associate these cats with the stuffed toys owned by them and funny cartoon characters on television. Stuffed animal toys, puppet-like pets, and animals in cages influence how children treat and see animals, and shape their perspective on animals when they grow up. (Berger 1980) Humans’ thoughts about cats have been distorted since they were young and ignorant, which is an issue leading to several common problems in feline domestication. In the scientific world, the research topic in cat etiology changes from predatory behavior to the welfare of cats in the last three decades. This means that the way humans see cats has shifted, and they begin to care for and be interested in these solitary species. (Turner 2017) On the other hand, the outdated realist-Cartesian ways of research, which shape most western practices in ethology, consider observed cats as machine and experiment units in the lab and overlook the singularity of each cat’s behavior and habits. When an observed cat performs anomalously, realist-Cartesian scientists are incapable of perceiving its unusual and individual abilities. They consider it damaging the machinic model that is easy to be expected. Moreover, they never take surroundings and observers into account, all the experiments are done in the lab by professional researchers’ hands. (Lestel et al 2014) However, to create a better entry point in each individual cat’s study, where it lives and who is with it are essential factors that shape the singularity of each cat. Only if everyone, including children and scientists, who joins the partnership with cats sees and treats each cat as an equal and individual being, then a better way of interaction between cats and humans can be discussed and developed.

In recent years, the purpose of ethological research and another academic discussion on cats have been shifting from utilization to the quality of life, also researchers and experts start to take the singularity of each cat into account. The French philosopher, Jacques Derrida, once questioned surrounding the ontology of nonhuman animals and criticizes that the other animals in other Western philosophers’ discourses have already been theoretical and philosophical in the ten-hour address on the subject of “the autobiographical animal” at the 1997 Cerisy Conference. Moreover, in the speech, Derrida shared his own experience of being seen naked in front of his pussycat, and he was ashamed of being ashamed. The pussy cat depicted by Derrida is a real cat living in his bedroom or bathroom, not a symbol or metaphor, and it is an irreplaceable living being to him. Most Western philosophers denied and misunderstood their past experiences of seeing animals. If they interpret animals without “the experience of being seen by it and being seen by it,” then the animals in their discourse are fictitious. (Derrida & Wills 2002) The perspective provided by Derrida is related to the bi-constructivist methodology in animal life and behavior, which may create a better entry point in each individual animal’s study. This method which combines with phenomenological interpretation observes the singularity of animals and also takes the human observer and the surroundings into account. Rather than thinking of these research subjects and their observers as machines, the bi-constructivist approach observes not only behavior but also the perspective of animals who are observed and human observers. Chili-eating cats in a New York apartment are one of the examples observed under the phenomenological approach. The research is conducted on this singular cat group in New York and discards the outdated habits of thinking of animals as a whole to pursue the singularity of animals. In addition, the unexpected behaviors of chili-eating cats in New York apartments are proof of animal “contamination” by humans, and their capacity to open the fridge is also learned from (they’re) human companions. The taste of spicy chilies was only enjoyed by humans in the past. However, the cats in New York apartments are polluted by humans, and develop the habits of searching for and eating chilies joyfully and repeatedly. (Lestel et al 2014) These anomalous behaviors are what Derrida and bi-constructivism pay attention to. Every cat from the abovementioned examples is real-existed and is valued by its individuality, which is different from the past point of view. Hence, this way of thinking should replace the rigid, human-centered observation, which has been long developed in the past, to strengthen the human-feline partnership.

If human develops a relationship with feline companions under commensal communication, their relationship will become much more stable than ever. To reach commensal communication, the radical difference between humans and animals from early modern times should be blurred. Human is no longer the special species on earth anymore. The animal is no longer the machinery creature that humans used to think, of but a presence that owns its specificity. (Lestel & Buchanan 2014) The abovementioned example of chili-eating cats challenges human exceptionalism. By living with humans, the cats in the New York apartments develop to enjoy the stimulating flavor of chili, which was human-exclusive. (Lestel et al 2014) In addition, when it comes to “communication” with cats, it is inevitable to ask “Can the animal respond to humans?” (Derrida & Wills 2002) In the partnership with the animal, there is another question that is important “How can human response to the animal?” or more precisely “How can the human and the animal enter into a relationship in which responses play a central role?” (Lestel 2014) Under these questions, humans should no longer put themselves in the main position in the mutually contaminated partnership with cats. Derrida addresses the question in an original way. He says” I can develop such a relationship if I am (following) the animal [je suis l’animal].” (Derrida & Wills 2002) Humans should be after the animal or be alongside the animal in the sphere of the intimate. If following the animal, the relationship of seeing and seeing will transform into the sphere of intimate communication. And the animal becomes intimate and cultural with humans, not a natural animal. To build a profound partnership with commensal communication, the human should cooperate with the animal, develop their common experience and anecdotes, and make the relationship autobiographical. (Lestel 2014)

“A shared life is more precisely a shared existence – a life that is always lived together from the perspective of the first-person point of view, and with the implied second-person point of view for all living beings.” Which suggests that one should become oneself while being others. (Lestel & Hollis 2013) Humans and cats have shared lives with each other. Under the contents of these contaminated relations, humans have had an impact on cats, but the fact that cats have shaped humans is more important. “The human needs the animal.” (Lestel 2014) To survive, it is inevitable to consume other existences by contaminating them and oneself, which is how this social partnership develops. Furthermore, humans are not just profoundly affected by animals like cats, but they are “fully animals”. (Lestel & Hollis 2013) Although Western thinkers used to deny the animality in humans and build ruptures and abysses in-between humans’ relations with animals. It will create a better entry of commensal communication with other beings by considering humans as part of animals. In this conjoined feline domestication, the human being is the cat, and the cat is the human being. The question here is no longer “Who domesticated whom?” The concept of “domestication” itself is confusing. It is necessary to rethink the conjoined relations. Domestication was all based on utilization before. While the purpose of domestication has been shifting, the already contaminated partnership between humans and (their) feline companions alters. Through the histories of encounters, domesticated cats may lose their animality, but at the same time living with humans may stimulate their potential as well. (Lestel 2014) However, most feline domestication today does not work under commensal communication, and most of the “owners” never think and act from the perspective of cats. It is never easy to make feline domestication conjoined and reciprocal, but it is significant to think and act in the texture of the animality of humans and animals, not the limits of humans.

On the other hand, interferences in cats’ lives by humans should also be faced and reconsidered. In the past few decades, humans have taken action into the problems caused by free-roaming cats in life and medical. Because of the increasing human need for cats, the overpopulation problems, which lead to wildlife being hunted by cats, and diseases carried by cats become issues in many communities. To address these issues, many places change policies towards cats, such as vaccine and TNR programs applied to indoor and community cats. (Slater 2017) These are ways of improving cats’ quality of life from a human perspective, which is efficient and effective, but also ethically controversial. Each domestic cat has its own singularity and it is shaped and contaminated by its human companion and the surroundings in life. A single approach can never solve problems that happened everywhere. The better way to deal with the problems caused by cats is to apply different sorts of approaches that face the problem specifically and come up with a comprehensive solution. Furthermore, if humans truly care about the welfare of cats, the fundamental problems which the unequal relations between humans and cats should be faced and addressed. Pet cats are no longer realistic animal toys, puppet-like pets, or any symbols from literature. They are real animals, like the chili-eating cats in the New York apartment and Derrida’s pussycat. They are familiar and social animals living alongside humans.

Humans and cats share their everyday lives with each other, which develops into relations of emotionally supporter-supported. An adult cat doesn’t need a sense of security and safety from others, but it doesn’t mean that they are not emotionally attached to (their) human companions. (Turner 2017) Modern people living in a city are isolated and even alienated from society. Many people choose to keep a pet cat around as a companion and share their lives, happiness, and anxieties with (their) feline companions. Kittens who have spent their sensitive phase with positive experiences trust humans and feel more secure with humans when they grow up. Furthermore, humans can build relationships with cats through intimate interaction and routine. Spending time with one’s own cat brings benefits to humans by easing negative moods, such as depression, anxiety, and anger. (Turner 2017) EPIK HIGH, a South Korean alternative hip-hop group, recently released “Lullaby for a cat” in their latest album. Tablo, the songwriter, imagines being alone late at night and suffering from insomnia, but there is a cat next to him. This work depicts how modern people get along with their feline companions and seek emotional support from them. (EPIK HIGH 2019) All the abovementioned situations happened from anecdotes and experiences in one’s everyday life with a feline companion. The human develops special and personal intimacy and relations with the cat, which only belongs to them. They are conjoined by the time that they spent together. There is never a correct mode, which can apply to all situations, to live with domestic cats. The human should respect the cat’s singularity and interact with it as an equal. Only if humans can interpret the perception of the cat, their mutually contaminated partnership will become profound and empirical.

In conclusion, to create better conditions for feline domestication, humans should respect each cat’s singularity equally and admit that they are mutually contaminated by their shared anecdotes, interactions, and communication, which these experiences only belonged to them. Through the history of encounters, current feline domestication has transformed from the past one. Without the past histories, the situation will not form the current relations. Everything is entangled together. Humans and cats cannot live without the contaminated past. In this partnership the cat presents as itself not a cohort; thus, humans should no longer see any cat as systematic machinery, unalive puppet toys, and symbolic metaphor. Moreover, it is important to blur the radical opposition between humans and cats by reaching commensal communication, which happens when humans think and act in cats’ perceptions. Simultaneously, it is essential that the cats perform and interpret on their own. Under this condition, humans are fully animals, and cats are intimate and social animals. Their everyday lives are conjoined together personally and every feline domestication becomes vivid and autobiographical.

Pet animals, particularly cats, and dogs, play an important role in societies worldwide. They are important companions in many households, contributing to children’s physical, social, and emotional development and their owners’ well-being, especially in the elderly (Wong et al. 1999). The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is one of the most popular pets all over the globe. According to IFAH Europe (The International Federation for Animal Health Europe), apart from stray cats, there are about 220 million cats throughout the world (Szwabe and Błaszkowska 2017). The oldest archaeological evidence of cat taming was found in Crete dating back to approximately 9,500 B.P. and remains of cats have also been found from Jericho near the Jordan River dated to 8,700 B.P. (Vigne et al. 2004).

The most widely accepted theory of cat domestication states that cats essentially domesticated themselves. Cats usually live in solitude and keep their own territories, making them more attached to places than to people. Rather, the best inference is that people simply tolerated wildcats using human environments, and pet cats gradually diverted from their wild relatives over time and space (Driscoll et al. 2009). Studies have suggested that both human and animal companions are benefited in many ways from the relationship between them (Bernstein 2007). The relationship between human health and pet ownership has been studied from various perspectives, and there is evidence that suggests that pets provide companionship and also probably provide psychological and physiological health benefits (McNicholas et al. 2005).

The risk rates for cardiovascular disease are significantly lower for both current and past cat owners than for non-cat owners (Qureshi et al. 2009). Several studies have found that owning and/or interacting with a pet has benefits for the individual, including mental health outcomes such as reduced anxiety and physical health outcomes such as improved physical activity and immune response (Kaye et al. 2007, Takkouche et al. 2008). In older adults, animals also provide a sense of comfort and social support (Krause-Parello 2008). While animals offer significant benefits to our society, there are well-documented health risks associated with owning a pet. Household pets were found to play a direct role in the transmission of zoonosis (Traversa 2012).

This close contact, however, can also increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases, as pets have been involved in the transmission of more than 60 zoonotic agents (Macpherson 2005). Some of these parasites cause diseases that can be serious under specific circumstances (Baneth et al. 2016). The increasing number of companion animals, including cats, poses serious problems for public health, veterinary and socioeconomic problems throughout the world (Szwabe and Błaszkowska 2017).

Without veterinary care, domesticated free-roaming cats in many countries can cause problems of public health and animal welfare concerns. Indeed, the majority of diseases can be controlled or prevented by the cat owners if they are sufficiently knowledgeable and have the resources to do so (Njuguna et al. 2017). Concerns about the public health hazards of pet ownership have recently increased significantly, and while many potentially zoonotic organisms are associated with cats, enteric pathogens are of particular concern (Beugnet et al. 2014, Giannelli et al. 2017).

A variety of factors affect the epidemiology of cat parasites, including geographical location, the presence of veterinary care, the habits of the local animal populations, and the season of the year (Yang and Liang 2015). Epidemiological surveillance studies reported in different countries show that owned cats permitted to roam outside have high parasite frequencies. Specific hazard factors for endoparasite contamination featured in the ESCCAP guide include the opportunity to wander, contact with canines/felines outside the occupant family, eating flesh or excrement of conspecifics, or eating prey. Additional considerations include animal age (e.g. more frequent deworming of puppies), pregnancy/ lactation status, eating slugs/snails, contact with children or immunocompromised persons (increased zoonotic risk), and travel to certain areas (e.g. endemic Echinococcus spp.) (McNamara et al. 2018).

Cats may harbor a large number of endoparasites, including protozoa, cestodes, trematodes, and nematodes. Gastrointestinal species are considered to be the most important of all the parasites of cats from an epidemiological point of view. Cats have a wide range of helminth parasites, several of which are of zoonotic importance (Khalafalla 2011). In addition to causing disease in cats, the parasites are of zoonotic importance (Yang and Liang 2015). Cat-to-cat roundworm transmission usually occurs by oral or trans mammary route, whereas hookworm transmission occurs by the oral or cutaneous route and whipworm transmission by the oral route.

However, depending on the parasite species and its abundance, infestations can also cause varying clinical signs in cats, such as lethargy, dull haircoat, vomiting, diarrhea, poor growth rate, anemia and sometimes even death, particularly in kittens. (Traversa 2012, Duarte et al. 2016). Kittens and young animals typically have a higher prevalence of infections and associated clinical diseases (Riggio et al 2013). However, adult and wild felids also contribute to the pollution of the environment and hence to the maintenance of life cycles (Otranto et al. 2015).

Cats and other felines can act as reservoirs, carriers, transmitters, and definitive hosts for many intestinal parasites. These animals play an important role in parasite transmission to humans and other animals by shedding parasitic eggs, larvae, cysts or oocysts in their feces (Mircean et al. 2010). Furthermore, these zoonotic parasites can transmit either by close contact with parasitized animals or by exposure to a contaminated environment (Deplazes et al. 2011).

Toxocara cati infections in free-roaming cat populations are of particular concern due to the public health risk and its Neglected Parasite Infection status (Centers for Disease Control, 2016). The infective stage larvae within the egg of the feline roundworm, T. cati, persists for years in the environment and remains transmissible by accidental ingestion. This debilitating disease is most commonly associated with children playing in uncovered sandboxes or on beaches that free-roaming cats can use for a litter box. Transmission takes place through drinking water contaminated with infected copepods or consumption of undercooked 2nd intermediate hosts including amphibians, reptiles, and fish (Wyrosdick et al. 2017). Zoonotic cestodes from cats like Dipylidium caninum and Echinococcus multilocularis may also cause infection in humans. Toxoplasma gondii is of great importance in public health among protozoans.

Both Cryptosporidium and Giardia are immediately infective during host fecal shedding (Wyrosdick et al. 2017). Although cats may carry various zoonotic parasites, research shows that domestic-owned cats are less affected by parasites than stray cats or cats from shelters, breeding kennels or pet shops. Thus, the prevalence of parasites in free-roaming cats is significantly higher than in household cats and, as a result, the free-roaming cat population is the main source of infection with parasites, especially in urban ecosystems (Hoopes et al. 2015)

Our perception of a fictional character derives from our understanding of character to be a set of beliefs, values, moral fiber, and personal traits that within a work of fiction transcend beyond the plot to communicate the complexities of the internal self. However, beyond this definitional understanding, Kristen Roupenian’s contemporary short fiction, ‘Cat Person’, explores how third-person omniscient narration, the use of colloquial language and free indirect speech within the piece’s digital media context, omission of the antagonist’s perspective, and the complexity of the protagonist’s internal thought can ultimately affect the authenticity of the fictional character portrayed, perhaps prompting the reader to make assumptions regarding the truth of a flawed fictional character. These elements in culmination, specifically the third-person omniscient form in narration allow for “forms of ambivalent self-reflection negotiated within the short story’s confines”, (Achilles and Bergmann, 2014). Due to the relatable aspect of Roupenian’s work, as well as these key structural elements, the reader can broaden the scope beyond a chronological, simplistic unfolding of events, to further reflect on the fragility of internal life through the characterization within, arguably making this piece a relevant and compelling narrative today. While the short story as a form is constantly evolving, in recent years, the distinction between nonfiction and fiction has been blurred to an extent, evident in Roupenian’s ‘Cat Person’, as colloquialisms reflective of the 21st Century modern age, can be misconstrued as a real person ‘disguised’ as a fictional character. Many have noted the “discourse around (the story) reflects how the distinction between fiction and non-fiction has collapsed”2 (Berg, 2018). However, “Critical and popular reception of the short story cycles reveals a longstanding celebration of innovation that evinces the influence of a modernist commitment to newness,” (Smith, 2017).

This remains true within the confines of contemporary short stories, as Roupenian’s innovation in form, mimicking these generations’ text-savvy communication, is effective in conveying the intricacies of the mind within a contemporary space. While language is colloquial “I promise I will c u soon,“ the modern approach to character interaction and how this relational dynamic is drastically changing, provoked responses to the piece to be “lauded for its realism” (Zoladz, 2019). From this, the reader gains profound insight into base human propensities within fictional characters, which can be evidently heightened within a technological context, and due to these isolating externalities of communication through social media, the imperfect nature of humanity can be eloquently captured in fictional characters and their interactions with others and the internal scape. Importantly, elements of the external within a short story construct can offer an enriched understanding of a fictional character. In ‘Cat Person’ this is centralized around Margot, the protagonist.

The use of technological jargon exhibits the context of texting culture, “Robert sent her back a smiley-face emoji whose eyes were hearts”, and the simile “there was kind of exhilaration to it as if they were dancing” are both indicative of the character relationship being based predominantly over social media. As a result of the limited face-to-face communication, narrative conflict is heightened, due to the lack of knowledge both the readers and Margot have regarding Robert. However, through Robert’s dialogue, the reader becomes privy to Margot’s internal character, her propensity to over analyze what he says, and how he behaves through a meticulous description of body language, “he didn’t hold her hand or put his arm around her…she was pretty sure that he had changed his mind about her.” This duality through which the reader experiences the narrative through allows Margot’s conflict with her internal thought, to evidence potential abnormalities in Margot’s character, prompting uncertainty in her reliability. Social media is used as a medium to facilitate the unhealthy development of the relationship between Margot and Robert, thus Margot’s internal life becomes a reflection of the fragmentation of her reality.

The intricacies of internal thought particularly characterized in the protagonist ‘Margot’ portrayed in Roupenian’s ‘Cat Person’, can affect the authenticity and reliability of a fictional character to an impressionable reader. It is a lack of communication in Margot’s ‘real’ world that prompts communication with facets of self; fantasy and the imagined. From the outset, the audience is weary of Margot’s predisposition of allowing self-reflection and the imagined, to determine the events of her reality. A fabrication of her reality is immediate, “She could have drummed up an imaginary crush on him,” as her imagination begins to dictate her reality. Through Margot’s commentary of interaction simultaneous to its occurrence, the reader understands the events through the conflict between the events Margot lives through, as well as her internal thoughts. Significantly, this recurring dependence on Margot’s fantasized reality presents the idea that communication with one’s internal self, does not necessarily grant introspection, as Margot’s internal thoughts are focused on fantasies of improving the external rather than herself, “She wished there were a way she could ask him not to do that,” while she envisioned ridiculing him with her “imaginary boyfriend”. Therefore, Roupenian addresses negative human qualities such as self-importance through fictional characters. Another clear commentary on human behaviour is addressed in the underlying cynicism that permeates Margot’s character through the forthright tone in her internal thoughts. Within conversation with Robert, “What do you want to do now?” he asked her. “We should probably just kill ourselves,” she imagined saying, and then she imagined that somewhere, out there in the universe, there was a boy who would think that this moment was just as awful yet hilarious as she did and that sometime, far in the future, she would tell the boy this story, but of course, there was no such future, because no such boy ever existed, and never would.” This exert from ‘Cat Person’ is integral to expressing the cynical undertone to Margot’s characterization, as she believes to live vicariously through her internally constructed scenarios is the closest she could come to a meaningful and real romantic relationship.

Omission within the short story form, while necessary to a degree to function as a compelling narrative, commands the attention of readers to interpret complex characters, while making assumptions about context and characters through impressions of what is told. Margot as a protagonist in ‘Cat Person’, is not the archetypal ‘round’ protagonist as much of the short story plot is focused on the developing relationship between Margot and the antagonist, Robert. Ultimately, through this lack of knowledge and accessibility, there is inconsistency in readers’ interpretation of the fictional character, as an arguable degree to which free indirect style is missing from the character ‘Robert’. As a result, the reader is challenged to connect with the characters, due to the conflation between narration and Margot’s internal thought, the reader is likewise afflicted with what is ‘true’ and who is authentic within the fictional piece. However, postulating Hemingway’s iceberg theory “The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water.” (Hemingway, 1932), Roupenian utilizes a minimalistic writing style to enrich the characters. Furthering this, beyond the humanistic level a motif of cats, introduces another quandary for the reader. Due to the omission of Robert’s free indirect style, “She remembered that he’s talked a lot about his cats and yet she hadn’t seen any cats in the house, and she wondered if he’d made them up,” the reader must interpret which fictional character is reliable.

Thus, omission prompts interactivity with the reader, where our perception of a fictional character is based on little credible information. As a seemingly flawed and emotionally unhinged character, apparent through free indirect speech and dependency on the imagined aspects of self, Margot in ‘Cat Person’, allows the reader to interpret fictional characters to represent exaggerated versions of humanity’s flaws. The climax of the narrative: the sexual encounter between Margot and the antagonist, Robert, has a dual nature, emphasizing the need to separate the perspective revealed by fictional characters, from the truth of the events within a story. While the idea of Robert being pleased by the sexual encounter intrigues Margot “she felt a twinge of desire pluck at her belly, as distinct and painful as the snap of an elastic band against her skin.” This metaphor conveys a distorted perspective of physical and emotional relationships, once again shifting the reader’s perspective of a fictional character to be within herself emotionally damaged. Further, the self-important tone “president, secret service”, suggests an imbalance in Margot’s perception of the relationship she shared with Robert, in effect irrationalising her perspective and thoughts portrayed throughout to the reader. An abnormal approach to relationships, not only in the absence of physical attraction to Robert presenting to be “painful” for the protagonist but Margot’s free indirect speech, exaggerates her imbalanced grasp on romantic relationships. “This is the worst decision I have ever made!”, in contrast with her earlier desire to please Robert as well as the instigation of the sexual encounter, exemplifying Margot as a flawed character of fiction, cementing the reader’s perception of a fictional character to have the potential to be unreliable and flawed. The stability of Margot’s mental state, as well as the legitimacy of internal thought as a reflection of the truth of ‘Cat Person’ is more extensively explored within Margot’s internal escape, “Look at this beautiful girl, she imagined him thinking. She’s so perfect, her body is perfect, everything about her is perfect, … I want her so bad I might die.” The extremity and meticulous tone within the description of Margot’s imagined reality is perhaps Roupenian’s attempt to indicate the disturbed facet of Margot as a fictional character, that in another form could be concealed from the reader. Roupenian’s contemporary short fiction ‘Cat Person’, through third person omniscient narrative and free indirect speech, reinforces the argument that our interpretation of fictional characters may need to challenge, as external elements to the protagonist, the theory of omission, the interplay between the internal scape and reality, can ultimately affect the authenticity and ‘truth’ of a flawed character within a work of fiction.

In A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman uses the cat to symbolize Ove’s firm stance on principles, fairness, and loyalty. The author does this by representing the cat as Ove’s conscience. The cat is a key character in the novel. It plays an important role by acting as a lens that allows the readers to see Ove from a different perspective by discovering his underlying morals. Regardless of how annoyed he was with the cat, Ove would not let it die once he saw it freezing in the snow. Throughout the novel, the cat encourages Ove to make fair decisions. Although Ove does not necessarily like the cat, his loyalty is proven by treating the cat in a just manner. The cat also proves Ove’s belief in staying true to one’s principles.

Throughout the story, Ove is seen as a man who stands up for what he believes in. He is stubborn and does what he sees as fit despite what others may think. He would often worry about what the cat would think about his decisions. He held a firm stance in doing his daily routine and would not let anything or anyone get in the way of it. Ove is a strong believer in having principles and in many instances, the cat encourages his belief. This is shown when the author states, “That disgusting thing scratched Prince!” she manages to say, her eyes wild with fury…“It’s bleeding. So it seems to have ended in a draw,” says Ove. “Like hell. I’ll kill that piece of shit!” “No you won’t,” says Ove coldly”(Backman 52). The purpose of the cat in this scene is to show that Ove has a strong set of principles leading him to have a sense of right and wrong when it comes to the treatment of animals. Ove uses his principles to do good.

Even though Ove may not want to, he looks after the cat because he knew Sonja was fond of cats. This shows his loyalty to Sonja and throughout the novel, he proves his loyalty to the cat as well. An example of the cat encouraging Ove’s loyalty to Sonja is when the author says, “Ove loses his patience and, in a sweeping movement, kicks one of his clogs towards it. Looking back, he couldn’t swear that it wasn’t intentional. His wife would have been furious if she’d seen it, of course”(97). This proves Ove’s loyalty to Sonja because he is concerned about what Sonja would think, even when she’s gone. Ove uses his memory of Sonja to behave to a certain standard that would make her proud. An example of Ove proving his loyalty to the cat is when the author states, “Ove holds up four little socks towards it. He was given them by the veterinarian. Apparently, the Cat Annoyance needs exercise more than anything, and this is something Ove feels he may be able to help it achieve”(172). This shows that the cat encourages Ove’s loyalty because Ove is following the instructions the vet left that explain how to take care of the cat. Ove now has something to care for, just as he cared for Sonja. The cat will cause Ove to have a harder time dying since he is now responsible for another being. Ove felt as if he had no one in the world, but the cat became an anchor for him. It gave him something to care for and a reason to live.

Lastly, Frederick Backman uses the cat to represent Ove’s conscience. This shows that Ove holds a strong belief in being fair. Once Ove took the cat to his home, he treated the cat fair for the most part. He tried not to wake the cat up with the shot of the rifle. Throughout the novel, he showed that the cat’s thoughts on his decisions were important to him. The cat also acted as a link for Ove to his wife. Since Sonja was someone who believed in helping out others, Ove took the job upon himself to take the cat in. This encouraged Ove to be more compassionate. An instance where the cat encourages Ove to be fair and stick to his morals is when Ove attempts to set a trap for Blond Weed’s dog, but the cat prevents him from doing this. The author writes, “And then let’s see how amusing they find it, Ove thinks to himself. The cat tilts its head and looks at the metal sheet. “Like a bolt of lightening up your urethra,” says Ove. The cat looks at him for a long time. As if to say: “You’re not serious, are you?” Eventually, Ove sticks his hands in his pockets and shakes his head. “No…no, I suppose not.” He sighs glumly”(222). Even though Blonde Weed’s dog harmed the cat, the cat’s expression shows that it is being forgiven and does not agree with Ove’s idea. The cat influences Ove and encourages him to stick to his morals and take the higher road.

Overall, In A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman uses the cat to symbolize Ove’s firm stance on principles, fairness, and loyalty. The author does this by representing the cat as Ove’s conscience. The cat’s character is critical to the author’s ability to tell the story. Parvaneh knows that Ove needs something to care for. She says that her girls are allergic to cats, but that’s revealed to be untrue. The reason she says this is so Ove won’t be alone. Keeping the cat around proved that Ove indirectly helped himself by helping the cat. Ove is a strong believer in having principles and in many instances, the cat encourages his belief. Although Ove does not necessarily like the cat, his loyalty is proven by treating the cat in a just manner. Along with encouraging Ove to stick to what he believes in and being loyal to the ones he cares for, the cat also encourages Ove to act fair in all situations despite what he feels towards the people he may be dealing with. The growing relationship between him and the cat had an easing effect on his life. It gave Ove a sense of purpose and overall made it easier for him to let others in.

Introduction

The meaning of Animal welfare is how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. It can simply define as well being of animals. Among them, pet animal welfare is very important. Cats are popular companion animals in the world. Cats that are housed exclusively indoors generally live long and healthy lives, free from diseases and parasites (Landsberg, G.M, 2014).

Owning and caring for a cat can be a source of great enjoyment. Typically, cats live for about 14 years, but some live much longer than this. All cats including those that live predominantly outdoors need a safe and clean environment and protection from hazards. All cats need a safe comfortable place to rest undisturbed (Rachel A.C, et al; 2007).

Geriatric cats living in homes and shelters experience reduced activity levels due to physiological changes and a lack of motivation. This can affect their welfare. Identifying enrichment methods that stimulate them could make them to be active and increase their environmental complexity. The broad categories of enrichment are broken down into addressing social, physical, mental, and natural behavior needs (Heath & Wilson, 2014).

Cats are territorial and become very attached to their own familiar environment. They are naturally cautious in unfamiliar environments, including around new places, smells, other animals, and people. Cats need fresh clean drinking water at all times. Without water to drink a cat will become distressed and seriously ill. Cats need a well-balanced diet to stay fit and healthy, and they all need foodstuffs that can only be derived from meat-based products.

Most cats are playful animals and enjoy socializing with people. Play with people and toys is a valuable source of interaction and cats should have regular opportunities to carry out this behavior. Cats that do not go outside may need extra opportunities to play and exercise indoors.

When we discuss animal husbandry freedom from thirst, hunger, and malnutrition, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury, and disease, freedom to express normal behavior, and freedom from fear and distress are considered. These freedoms have been used to assess the welfare of farm animals, as well as laboratory and zoo animals. These principles can be modified for use in companion animals (Animal welfare act, 2006).

The provision of food and water is very important. A balanced diet that meets the animal’s nutritional needs at every life stage and should be supplied with fresh water. When considering a suitable environment, adequate space and shelter, no extremes of temperature, adequate light, low noise levels, and cleanliness are important factors. Under the provision of healthcare vaccination, sterilization, internal and external parasite control, and prompt access to veterinary care were considered. The provision of opportunities to express most normal behaviors is also important. The last one is the provision of protection from conditions likely to lead to fear and distress (Irene Rochlitz, 2005).

Main welfare issues in cats

With increasing age many physical changes take place. The reduced sense of taste and smell may lead to a loss of appetite and change in food preferences, reduced vision, and increased sensitivity to bright light. And also reduced skin elasticity, and reduced heart and lung function can happen. Heart and/or lung changes may contribute to reduced activity. Diminished bone and cartilage quality leads to painful stiff joints and reduced mobility.

And also there are some physiologic changes; these include a reduction in hunting, reduced ability (increased reluctance) to jump – cats will appear to prepare for a prolonged period before jumping, reduced overall activity – going outdoors less, possibly due to difficulties in using a cat flap or increased insecurity associated with mobility deficits, Increased sleep – spending more time asleep or resting with eyes closed- possibly to avoid painful movement, reduced (difficult) grooming, thinning of the skin and reduced coat quality means the older cat may need help with grooming. – less thorough grooming resulting in clumped fur at the base of the spine and hindquarters where spine flexibility is necessary to perform the grooming function, and also lack adaptability to change and increased vocalization.

Other signs that may indicate a physical problem include, stiffness, lameness, lethargy, balance problems, weight loss, etc. (behavioral aspects of caring for elderly cats/ 19/01/17).

Aging of cats may cause to decline in cognitive function (e.g.: memory, learning, perception, awareness). Clinical cognitive dysfunction may result in various behavioral problems.to treat pet animals, nutritional and dietary therapy, environmental enrichment, drug therapy, etc can be used(Gary Landsberg, D.V.M, et al,2005).

Treating behavior problems in geriatric cats

Behavioral modification and environmental adjustments may be needed to control specific behavior problems. A combination of nutritional therapies, drugs, and environmental management is useful to treat cognitive decline.

Nutritional and dietary therapy can be used to treat cognitive dysfunction.in here supplementing the diet with antioxidants to improve antioxidant defenses.And to reduce the toxic effect of free radicals (Gary Landsberg, D.V.M, et al, 2005).

When we discuss drug therapy anti-inflammatory drugs, and hormone replacement therapy are important.

The effect of environmental enrichment provided the greatest improvement. Abnormal behavior is often taken as an indicator of reduced welfare, we can enrich the environment through modifications to reduce abnormal behavior. Enrichment attempts are also aimed at reducing negative emotional states. These include fear and stress associated with exposure to novel stimuli (Newberry, R.C, 1995) . Previous studies have shown that continued enrichment in the form of training, play, exercise, and novel toys can help to maintain cognitive function.