Owner misconceptions leading to unwanted kittens
Common misconceptions about cat breeding may be at the root of large numbers of unwanted kittens, new research has found.
Academics from the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences gathered data from 715 cat-owning households in a cross-sectional telephone survey.
A total of 128 litters were produced by 552 female cats, 80 per cent of which were reported to be accidental litters. Owner misconceptions were found to be common.
Published online this week in the Veterinary Record, the research findings indicate nearly half of the respondents (49 per cent) believed female cats should have a litter before being neutered, or were not sure.
Further, 38 per cent of the owners believed cats would not mate with their unneutered relatives, or were not sure. Similarly, over a quarter of those to respond thought female cats were unable to conceive until one year of age.
According to researchers, multivariable analysis identified owners were more likely to report accidental litters if they believed a female cat should have a litter before being neutered, owned more than one cat, and if they rented rather than owned their home.
Authors of the study commented: "We found that the vast majority of litters born to cats in the UK are unplanned. The number of unwanted litters being born could be dramatically reduced by approximately 850,000 each year if cat owners did not believe that a female cat should have a litter of kittens before being neutered."
Researchers say improving owner understanding of cat reproduction has the potential to significantly reduce the number of unwanted litters born, and, as a result, the number of cats entering animal welfare organisations each year.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
