Does the level of outdoor access in feline patients (domestic cats) affect stress behaviours presented during hospitalisation?

Objective: Provide baseline knowledge into the effect of outdoor access in the home environment on stress behaviour during hospitalisation.

Study Design: Prospective, partially blinded, observational study.

Sample Population: Twenty-six participants were categorised as follows: 15% (n=4) ‘indoor only’, 65% (n=17) ‘supervised outdoor access or free outdoor access spending <50% of their time outdoor’, and 19% (n=5) ‘free outdoor access and spending 50% or more of their time outdoors’.

Methods: The researcher observed participant behaviour and awarded participants an ethogram-based stress score. Statistical analysis assessed differences in stress scores between outdoor access of participants in addition to multiple secondary investigations.

Results: No statistical significance was found between the level of outdoor access and stress score at any behavioural observation, despite trends suggesting stress score increases as level of outdoor access increases. Stress in indoor cats increased at each behavioural observation.

Conclusion: Level of outdoor access in the home environment may not affect the stress behaviours presented during veterinary hospitalisation, albeit trends demonstrated in the results indicate similar research should be repeated. Stress increased in all participant categories during behavioural observation

Clinical Significance: Suggestions for veterinary practice include ensuring outdoor cats are provided with larger kennels where available and appropriate, supporting indoor cats by providing increased human interaction after admission. Where needed interventions should be immediate rather than up to 25-minutes after admission where stress scores have increased.