Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36670811›Full record

ArticleAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2023

The Impact of Lethal, Enforcement-Centred Cat Management on Human Wellbeing: Exploring Lived Experiences of Cat Carers Affected by Cat Culling at the Port of Newcastle.

Rebekah Scotney, Jacquie Rand, Vanessa Rohlf, Andrea Hayward, Pauleen Bennett

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Urban Cat Management in Australia-Evidence-Based Strategies for Success.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. The Wildcat That Lives in Me: A Review on Free-Roaming Cats (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Characteristics of cat semi-owners.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2023
    Article
  16. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Rebekah ScotneySchool of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Jacquie RandSchool of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Vanessa RohlfSchool of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, P.O. Box 199, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia.
Andrea HaywardAustralian Pet Welfare Foundation, Kenmore, QLD 4069, Australia.
Pauleen BennettSchool of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, P.O. Box 199, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5864-4464

Funding

Donors to the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation and Cat Protection Society NSW for publication costs NA
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In urban and peri-urban areas of the world, free-roaming cats often pose management challenges for authorities. Most are wandering owned or semi-owned cats (fed by people who do not perceive ownership). Some are lost or abandoned, or unowned cats who obtain food from humans unintentionally. Unidentified cats are classified as "stray" in shelter data, and by government agencies as "stray" or "feral" based on their behaviour. However, legally feral cats are usually considered to live and reproduce in the wild with no support from humans. Cats classified as feral in Australia can be managed using lethal methods, including shooting, poisoning, trapping, and blunt trauma. The impact of killing animals on shelter staff is well documented. However, no previous research has investigated psychological impacts of lethal cat management on citizens who care for free-roaming cats. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the lived experience of six cat caregivers affected by lethal management of cats by shooting, instigated by the Port of Newcastle in 2020. Results demonstrated strong relationships between the caregivers and cats, and negative impacts on caregiver psychological health and quality of life associated with lethal management. It is recommended that a care-centred approach to cat management be prioritized in future, whereby authorities aid neutering and, if possible, adoption, to improve cat welfare, minimize cat nuisance complaints, and reduce psychological hazards to caregivers. Further, a revision of relevant legislation used to distinguish between domestic and feral cats in Australia should be actioned to prevent unnecessary killing of domestic cats.

Indexed as

animal caregiver stresscat cull impactsfree-roaming catstraumatic stress

Identifiers

PMID36670811
PMCPMC9854822

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.