Shelter Cat Welfare

Question 1

Shelter 1

Answer 1

• Open Admissions humane society
  
  • cats, dogs, and pockets pets
  • relinquished by owers and strays
• 13,000 cats per year
  
  • up to 350 cats at a time
  • operating at 95-100% capacity year round
    
    • over capacity at kitten season
  • 30% placement rate
  • Length of stay 22 days
• Employs:
  
  • 1 full-time and 1 part-time veterinarian
  • 10 full-time caretakers
    
    • can care for 32 cats/caretaker/day
    • 320 cat maximum
    • operates at 110% capacity
  • 50 volunteers provide enrighment
  • turnover is 45% annually
• Housing:
  
  • 48cats/room in 7 rooms
  • No consistant light:dark cycles, or temperature controlled
  • Rooms are near dog housing
  • Single housed in 2 compartment stainless steel cage
    
    • verticall stacked
    • 22x28x22 inch compartments
    • Litter pan in top
    • food/water and bed in bottom
• Holding:
  
  • stray kept in holding 1-3 days
  • cruelty investigation cats held for longer
  • volunteers interact with hoding cats
• Husbandry:
  
  • cages disinected with accelerated hydrogen peroxie daily
    
    • cats moved to clean cage while old cage is cleaned or placed in carrier
  • Toutine occurs betweeen 8:00 to 14:00
  • Caretakers change everyday
• Feeding:
  
  • fed a consistent maintenance diet based on BCS and life stage
  • a bowlful of dry and spoon ful of wet provided 1x daily
  • Fresh water ad libitum
• Preventative Care:
  
  • vaccinated at admission with FVRCP
  • Rabies, microchip, endo- & ecto- parasite treatment are given before placement on the adoption floor
  • All cats sterilized by 4th year vet students
  • Post-op pain meds given at the dscretion of th student

Question 2

Shelter 2

Answer 2

• Limited addmission shelter
  
  • cats and dogs
  • owner reliquished or strays
  • occationally admit overflow from other local shelters
• Admits 1800 cats per year
  
  • houses 160 at a time
  • 90-95% capacity year round
  • 90% placement rate
  • LoS = 29 days
• Employs:
  
  • 4 full-time caretakers
    
    • can see 32 animals a day
    • 128 cat max = 112% capacity
  • 2 full-time veterinarians
  • 2-full-time vet techs
  • 10 volunteers
• Housing
  
  • 40 cats/room 4 rooms
    
    • 12 hours light:dark cycle
    • 72F +/- 4F
  • Located away from dog housing
  • singlehoused 1 stainless steel compartment
    
    • 28x31x30
    • litterpan, blacket for bedding, hide box, elevated resing board, toy, food and water
• Holding
  
  • all cats kept in holdingfor 5 days
  • volunteers interact with cats in holding
• Husbandry:
  
  • Cahes cleaned 1x a day and disinfected with a quaternary ammonium disinfectant between cats
  • cats in exervise room w/toys while cage is cleaned
  • Husbandry and Feeding is 7:00 -10:00 daily
  • 2 caretakers assigned to cat rooms in the AM
• Feeding:
  
  • Fed dry maintenance diet available through donations (changes frequently)
  • measured amount based on BCS and stage develompent each day
  • cnned food provided as treat 2xweekly
  • water ad libitum
• Preventative care:
  
  • At intake:
    
    • Physical exam
    • vaccinted FVRCP and rabies
    • Tested FELV/FIV
    • Treated for endo-ecto- parasites
  • Sterilized before adoption
  • Pain medicatino intra-op and at the discresion of the vet post-op