Do intense weather events influence dogs' and cats' behavior? Analysis of owner reported data in Italy

Longitudinal Study on the Effect of Season and Weather on the Behaviour of Domestic Cats (Felis catus)

To date, little is known about seasonal changes in specific cat behaviours, and how these are affected by weather patterns. Using accelerometer data and a validated machine learning model, behaviours including being active, eating, grooming, littering, lying, scratching, sitting, and standing were quantified for seven research cats for a total of 13 weeks spread over one year, with weather data being collected simultaneously. Generalised linear mixed models were used to statistically test for seasonal differences in proportional behavioural data and how behaviour was affected by weather variables. Seasonal differences were found for time spent eating (p < 0.001), grooming (p < 0.001), littering (p = 0.037), lying (p < 0.001), scratching (p < 0.001), and sitting (p < 0.001) but not for active behaviours and standing (p > 0.05). A positive interaction effect of the temperature humidity wind index and daylength was found for time spent eating, lying, and standing (all p < 0.001), while it was negative for active (p < 0.001), grooming (p < 0.001), littering (p = 0.004), and sitting (p < 0.001). Rainfall negatively affected grooming (p = 0.023) and scratching (p = 0.037). These findings highlight seasonality in cat behaviours, influenced by weather conditions.

Epidemiology of cat bites to people in Uruguay: Effects of the age and sex of the victim, season of the year, and the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Cat bites to people are an important public health problem. However, very little information exists on the epidemiology of people bitten by cats at the level of an entire country in Latin America. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced people's lives and their relationships with pets, which could potentially affect the frequency of people bitten by cats.

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of people bitten by cats in Uruguay (2010 to 2020) according to the sex and age of the victim, season of the year, and to compare the prevalence in the pandemic year (2020) with that of the pre-pandemic years (2010-2019).

Methods

Cross-sectional study. Cat-bite notifications for the 2010-2020 period were analyzed using data from the Uruguayan Ministry of Public Health (Uruguay).

Results

The annual cat-bite rate for the 2010-2020 period was 2.1 per 100,000 people. The frequency of cat bites varied with the victim´s sex (p < 0.0001), being greater in females (n = 506, 66.5%) than in males (n = 255, 33.5%). The age at being bitten by cats varied with the sex of the victim, with males being bitten at an earlier age than females (p < 0.0001). Among the age categories of 30-74 years, females were bitten more than males (p < 0.05). Overall, cat bites were much less frequent in the oldest age categories (over 75 years old, p < 0.05). The percentage of cat bites tended to change with the season of the year (p = 0.08), with most bites occurring in spring and summer. The frequency of cat-bite injuries was similar between 2020 and the pre-COVID-19 pandemic years.

Conclusion

In Uruguay, cat bite incidents were affected by the victim's sex (more in females) and age, as well as by the season. During the initial year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of cat bites was no different from those in earlier years.

Association between ambient temperature and mammalian-related injuries in Guangzhou, China, 2014-2019

BACKGROUND

Meteorological factors are associated with various health outcomes. However, it remains uncertain whether ambient temperature affects animal aggressive behaviors and causes mammalian-related injuries (MRI) in humans. The study aimed to examine the effect of daily mean temperature on MRI in Guangzhou, China.

METHODS

Individual cases of MRI were obtained from Guangzhou Injury Surveillance System during 2014-2019. A combination of a distributed lag nonlinear model and conditional quasi-Poisson regression, implemented within a time-stratified case-crossover design, was employed to evaluate the association between temperature and MRI. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sex, age group, education level, and types of mammals.

RESULT

This study included 24,206 MRI cases among which 89.7 % were caused by cats or dogs. We observed a nonlinear relationship between daily mean temperature and MRI. The impact of high temperatures was most pronounced on the current day and remained statistically significant on the next day. Compared with the reference temperature with a minimum risk of injuries (9.3 °C, approximately 2nd percentile of temperature), 75th percentile of temperature (27.4 °C) exerted the greatest relative risk (RR) of injuries (RR = 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.25-1.68) over lag 0-1 days. In subgroup analyses, the effects of high temperatures among males and females were similar. Individuals aged 15-34 years and 35-59 years were more susceptible to MRI at high temperatures compared to other age groups. The risk of injuries caused by cats or dogs consistently increased with high temperatures. We did not find significant impacts of low temperatures.

CONCLUSION

Short-term heat exposure plays an important role in the occurrence of MRI. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing public awareness regarding the high temperature-associated hazards posed by mammals. There is a need for enhanced regulations and measures on the management for cats and dogs to mitigate the harm caused in hot seasons.

How Lazy Are Pet Cats Really? Using Machine Learning and Accelerometry to Get a Glimpse into the Behaviour of Privately Owned Cats in Different Households

Surprisingly little is known about how the home environment influences the behaviour of pet cats. This study aimed to determine how factors in the home environment (e.g., with or without outdoor access, urban vs. rural, presence of a child) and the season influences the daily behaviour of cats. Using accelerometer data and a validated machine learning model, behaviours including being active, eating, grooming, littering, lying, scratching, sitting, and standing were quantified for 28 pet cats. Generalized estimating equation models were used to determine the effects of different environmental conditions. Increasing cat age was negatively correlated with time spent active (p < 0.05). Cats with outdoor access (n = 18) were less active in winter than in summer (p < 0.05), but no differences were observed between seasons for indoor-only (n = 10) cats. Cats living in rural areas (n = 7) spent more time eating than cats in urban areas (n = 21; p < 0.05). Cats living in single-cat households (n = 12) spent more time lying but less time sitting than cats living in multi-cat households (n = 16; p < 0.05). Cats in households with at least one child (n = 20) spent more time standing in winter (p < 0.05), and more time lying but less time sitting in summer compared to cats in households with no children (n = 8; p < 0.05). This study clearly shows that the home environment has a major impact on cat behaviour.