The Legal Status of Cats in New Zealand: A Perspective on the Welfare of Companion, Stray, and Feral Domestic Cats (Felis catus)
- 23 March 2010
- journal article
- editorial
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
- Vol. 13 (2), 180-188
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10888700903584846
Abstract
Pinpointing and safeguarding the welfare status of domestic cats is problematic, especially in New Zealand where cats are introduced predators with significant impact on indigenous fauna. Usually the identification of welfare status depends on conservational, legal, and public attitudes that are often contrasting. Cats may rapidly transgress definitions placed on them, confounding attempts to categorize them. In 1 generation, cats can move from a human-dependent state (“stray” or “companion”) to wild (“feral”). Often this categorization uses arbitrary behavioral and or situational parameters; consequent treatment and welfare protection for these cats are similarly affected. Terminology used to describe cats is not equitable across research. However, the New Zealand Animal Welfare (Companion Cats) Code of Welfare 2007 seeks to create a new definition of the terms companion, stray, and feral. It distinguishes between cats who live within and without human social constructs. This legislation mandates that cats in human environments or indirectly dependent on humans cannot be classified as feral. Such definitions may prove vital when safeguarding the welfare of free-living domestic cats and cat colonies.Keywords
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Current Attitudes Toward, and Incidence of, Sterilization of Cats and Dogs by Caregivers (Owners) in Auckland, New ZealandJournal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2009
- Prevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in domesticated and feral cats in eastern AustraliaJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2007
- Prevalence of selected infectious disease agents in cats from ArizonaJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2006
- Serological survey of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens in pet cats and cats from animal shelters and feral coloniesJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2006
- The efficacy of feral cat, fox and rabbit exclusion fence designs for threatened species protectionBiological Conservation, 2005
- Anesthetic and physiologic effects of tiletamine, zolazepam, ketamine, and xylazine combination (TKX) in feral cats undergoing surgical sterilizationJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2004
- The traditional categories of fluoroacetate poisoning signs and symptoms belie substantial underlying similaritiesToxicology Letters, 2004
- The Effects of Implementing a Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program in a Florida County Animal Control ServiceJournal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2002
- Implementation of a Feral Cat Management Program on a University CampusJournal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2002
- Introduced mammals in a New Zealand forest: long-term research in the Orongorongo ValleyBiological Conservation, 2001