Hi everyone-
Here are the questions that were submitted during the live webinar last week. These will be added to the resources saved with the webinar recording shortly. We welcome additional questions at any time.
Is "Cage-Free" the way to be? Rethinking Shelter Housing for Happier, Healthier Cats
(Answers to questions submitted during webinar presented Jan 15 2025)
What cat housing configuration do you recommend for new construction shelters?
· assuming unlimited space and $$? Assuming designed for short length of stay (10 days or less)- I would recommend double compartment cage housing 11ft square floor space or greater for indoor portion and access to outside porch (for the individual housed cat) that could also be controlled access depending on needs/weather etc. Having the ability to monitor cats is a priority and individual housing provides this well and a short LOS will help keep them from being housed too long in close quarters. Also would have a small amount of other housing types, individual room and group housing to best fit individual cat and caregiver needs. Also provide some back of house group housing for hoarding or where multiple cats enter from same location to allow for efficient/safe/low stress care.
· assuming reality (if different)? just to try hard to match needs to housing type chosen
Is there a certain building material to use on walls of group housing rooms? For instance, would the material used for dry erase boards be good? Or just sheetrock like any other room?
Sheetrock will work but it isn't very durable or easily cleanable - though there are some very good quality paints that improve that. One material I often see used is FRP. This is a fiberglass based cleanable panel- generally come in a 4' x 8' sheet size and is cuttable. These can go up say 4' on the wall and greatly improve cleanability and are more durable.
What do you think about cat cafes for housing shelter cats?
They can be another tool to help get cats adopted. Not all cats will adapt well to that environment but some will and some thrive. Managing and monitoring the population is important - as it is in any group housing environment.
How would you recommend housing litters of kittens in the shelter? Current shelter is not open to adopting out from foster. What are square footage guidelines per kitten when a litter is together? Still 18 sq ft?
First choice is that they don't come into the shelter if there are other resources/options for care, having said that they can be housed in double compartment(dc) cage housing - depending on litter size and age - the litter may be split into smaller groups. Preference is for primarily for dc cage housing - so that daily monitoring is effective and efficient. Play time can be offered in out of cage space - x-pen or the like. Don't mingle kittens from different litters. Do get kittens out of the shelter as quick as possible.
If only room or group housing is available for a litter of kittens - would recommend setting it up such that one litter of kittens is in that space at a time. They probably do not need 18 sq ft per cat, but the space should be at least large enough that people can enter comfortably to interact or clean etc. This may use too much space though and would recommend rolling in some double compartment cage banks into these rooms or spaces for kitten housing when its needed.
What are your thoughts about combining healthy, friendly cats from different litters in a communal room?
This is reasonable for healthy adult cats (and juveniles over 5 months of age) that do not show signs of stress in that environment and are housed with 18ft2 or more space and not beyond a max of 4-6 cats in the room and the room is set up well to provide for their housing needs- ample resources, hiding spaces, etc. Do not co-house litters of kittens from different litters due to risks of infectious disease. The one caveat for co-housing of kittens is if you have a singleton -and it's healthy - it may be a reasonable risk to pair it up with another singleton for the socialization benefits. That being said, if the kitten is generally healthy and friendly and old enough for adoption, it should have a short length of stay in care and socialization is less of a priority compared to getting out. If it is too young for adoption then foster care with another healthy kitten would be a better option than group housing in the shelter.
Is there a scientific background for 4-6 cats in social housing?
To our knowledge there is no explicit research to say that 4-6 cats is the exact right maximum number. However, the number does account for a number of scientifically-supported factors that impact feline health and well-being in a shelter environment.
Cats can live happily in relatively stable groups. However, a carefully-managed shelter is not a stable environment as the goal is to help them leave as soon as possible. Constant group turnover is a source of stress for cats who are already primed for stress by being in the shelter environment. In contrast to a shelter, cats in a sanctuary setting may be able to adapt to a larger group since by their nature sanctuaries are more stable, essentially the home for those cats.
Moreover, if recommendations for all-in, all-out management are adhered to, starting with a group of more than 6 unrelated cats will result in limited openings in the room for those cats who will benefit from this type of housing as there will be more waiting for each individual to depart.
Any amount of group housing of unrelated cats carries risks for infectious disease, but when we limit the maximum group size to 4-6 cats, that risk is kept to a level that is reasonable for those cats who behaviorally benefit from the setting.
Finally, in many shelters, going beyond groups sizes larger than 6 cats may not be possible if other recommendations are followed for space- both square-footage (floor space) and housing units (the number of cats the shelter needs to be able to house) - and access to resources. There is a good amount of research demonstrating that when space allocated per cat is increased beyond the minimum cats show more signs of contentment and even play.
How long after spay/neuter would it be ok to move cats into a free-roaming room?
The final decision about this should be made in consultation with your agency's veterinarian. Technically, clean wounds (like a surgical incision) should fully heal within 2 weeks. However, bear in mind it is common practice to release community cats back outside 24 hours after surgery with little evidence of complications.
In our experience exercise restrictions for cats following uncomplicated spay or neuter surgery are often unnecessary, with the exception of rough or prolonged play for cats with abdominal incisions. If you expect a cat to try to engage in a lot of play it may be prudent to wait 5+ days for some healing to occur. Additionally, it is important to have a good post-op pain management protocol AND robust monitoring to ensure cats are not licking their incisions or otherwise experiencing complications following surgery (in any type of housing).
Outdoor access
If we provided outdoor access at the shelter wouldn't we be promoting the idea that it's ok to let pet cats roam outside? We only adopt cats to indoor homes.
If you only adopt to indoor homes and your length of stay in the shelter environment is short - less than about 10 days but no more than 14 for kennel housed cats, or somewhat longer for room or group housed cats, then not providing access to outdoor space is ok and is likely a better housing fit for your mission/goals. That being said, providing a secure outdoor space for cats is an incredible source of enrichment regardless of length of stay, and also an opportunity to model a safe and secure way of allowing a pet cat to spend time outside without put the cat or other creatures in danger.
Is outdoor access still recommended in cold weather climates, or for sick cats?
If this can be provided as a housing choice for the cat - that is optimal. Some of our climates are harshly hot or cold but so long as the animal has the choice to move freely in or out- that is ideal. There are of course some other things to consider - one is practicalness of being able to provide outdoor choice and the impacts on still being able to provide a conditioned environment that is comfortable - that can be a challenge but many locations have great outdoor weather in the shoulder seasons and more mild summer or winters so making the most of your area's weather can make it possible to provide some added enrichment of controlled outdoor spaces in the seasons it best fits and it doesn't necessarily need to be year round it that isn't a good fit. I don't think much different for sick cats - so long as they have a choice. If they are so sick that they aren't able to ambulate well or have some other issue - neurologic disease, etc where their choices might be poor - then house them in such a way - indoor only, so that is not going to be a concern.
With the recent news of bird flu, I've seen a lot of Vets recommend not allowing cats outdoor exposure at all, including not using catios. do y'all think this is overly cautious?
This is a timely topic and undoubtedly there are some risks for bird flu with outdoor access even when its fairly well protected/contained. I would recommend keeping on top of the risks in your area - if things are high risk - lots of bird flu being reported - and I am not sure how we all might access this information but say we are able to know this - then keeping pet cats indoors for some period of time seems a logical move. I am a big advocate for outdoor catios/protected environment space for shelter housed cats that stay longer than a week or so- for enrichment and just space to be a cat.
Housing set up and furnishings
What are your thoughts on covering both sides of the kennel in the individual housing kennels that have a portal for very stressed cats? We always cover the litterbox side of the kennel but when a cat is stressed is it best to move the cover/curtain from the litter box side to the side with food/bed to give them choice to still be able to see out of the kennel on at least one side or is it best cover both?
We like choice. There are often times of the day when things are quiet - including over night, where the cat may choose to explore and look out of the kennel. You could put partial covers over both sides too- as these still allow the choice to look out or hide. One note is that the more the doors are covered the air movement from the room into the kennel will be reduced- another reason for not covering the entire kennel doors.
How much space should be between litterboxes? We have them in several spots throughout the room but have several grouped together in each spot.
Aim for 2-3' and more if possible. Spend some time observing the cats in that room - watch for any resource guarding, and this may change with every change in the cat group and even can change over time with the same group of cats. I think in general your set up is ok but group housing is tricky to insure basic needs are met for all the cats. Thus fewer cats/room can often be helpful.
Cheapest option for hanging cat scratchers in cages? Something easy to put on and remove.
carpet remnant pieces - recommend single use only - it could go home with the cat upon adoption. check out our DIY housing accessories :)
Biosecurity/disease risks
How do you feel about housing FIV+ kitties with FIV- cats in group housing? Which cats should be retrovirus tested before being housed in a group room? The ASV guidelines still recommend combo testing for all group housing - BUT the literature around FIV/FELV continues to suggest that we may be over-testing and/or to only test at-risk cats. We test everyone but it is increasingly expensive. Any thoughts on risk of non-testing balanced with high cost of testing? Especially in spaces where behavior cat/cat interaction can be well monitored and 'risky' cats are still being tested?
The 2020 American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Retrovirus Management guidelines recommends testing of shelter cats who will be co-housed in a group, and though the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines for Standards of Care do not comment on retrovirus testing, ASV has a published position statement recommending retrovirus testing for shelter cats in group housing, while also stating "the decision to test for FeLV and/or FIV in the shelter should be based on current scientific knowledge, available shelter resources, impact on feline population health, and program goals."
Testing for retroviruses is complicated and nuanced, and many shelters no longer routinely test all cats being placed for adoption. The decision to test or not to test the cats you are placing in group housing should be weighed in light of your agency's overall resources- not just the cost of the tests themselves, but the staff time involved in testing, access to a veterinarian who can support test interpretation and help make plans for those cats who test positive, and all of the resources/time that go into responding to those positive tests.
Simply put, a positive retrovirus test in an apparently healthy cat has a statistical chance for being incorrect- either giving positive results for an uninfected cats or giving negative results for a cat who is infected, and either of those scenarios demonstrates some of the risks of co-housing unrelated cats in the shelter. Those risks are present with or without retrovirus screening, though the risk is diminished with testing.
Last but not least, when recommendations for group housing of shelter cats are followed, the risk of retrovirus transmission is minimized. These recommendations include:
- · all in, all out management
- · maximum group size of 4-6 cats
- · plenty of space and resources for all
- · careful cat selection and monitoring of interactions
How strictly should a shelter follow ALL IN ALL OUT? thinking about 1-2 cats left who take up all the space/capacity
All-in, all-out management is beneficial both from a social/behavioral perspective- the cats don't have to figure out a new arrival and "reset" their group dynamics, AND in order to minimize infectious disease risk. Instead of compromising on all in, all out management consider the following strategies
· If available and the cats can handle it, move the last 1-2 cats to individual housing (spacious cage or individual room); office spaces can make nice flex housing options. You can also consider foster placement if putting the cat back in a cage isn't reasonable.
· Market those last 1-2 cats HARD to get the room freed up
Should cats be quarantined before going in and for how long?
No, we do not recommend routine intake quarantines unless there is known or high suspicion of exposure to a specific disease. Instead, use other practices to limit risks: select cats that appear healthy, vaccinate every cat at intake, practice daily rounds and health/behavior monitoring, and promptly isolate sick cats.
How are you disinfecting in the room with sisal-wrapped cat trees between cohorts?
Unfortunately there are some objects/surfaces that you simply can't be certain of effectively cleaning and disinfecting, and traditional cat trees made with wood, sisal rope, and cloth or carpet-covered platforms are a classic example. If you are going to try, soaking with an accelerated hydrogen peroxide product (e.g. Rescue brand disinfectant) is likely to be the most effective compared with other disinfectants that are readily inactivated or require a pre-cleaned surface. UV light (putting objects outside sunlight) can also provide some benefits, but it is often impossible to assess how effective the disinfection is. If cats in the room arrive and remain healthy, these efforts may be sufficient. However, if/when there is potential contamination with a very concerning pathogen like feline panleukopenia virus or ringworm objects and surfaces you cannot confidently fully sanitize should be replaced.
For group housing of hoarded cats, what about a clean break from infectious disease? Would you still recommend groups but maybe smaller, 2-3?
During the webinar when we mentioned group housing for these cats it was specifically because unlike most cats arriving to the shelter group housing is the preferred first line of housing. Most cats from hoarding situations arrive with one or more infectious disease concerns, and contamination of the environment can complicate monitoring of treatment (e.g. ringworm) and pose infectious disease risks. However, the infectious disease risks are largely for new cats housed in the room in the future in the event it is not sanitized well. Unless other details indicate otherwise, all of the cats have already been exposed so pathogens in the environment from cats in this group are unlikely to contribute to ongoing or new cases of illness. However, where possible breaking a larger group into smaller groups will make daily husbandry, providing treatment, and monitoring response to treatment easier while maintaining the benefits of the social contact for these cats.
Behavior and monitoring
Clear boundaries that necessitate rapid separation of two cats include compromised physical well-being (bite/scratches that are breaking skin or other injuries, sicknesses related to stress such as URI or feline idopathic cystitis) or signs of significant stress/distress at any point in time in any cat. When two cats who don't know each other first meet they are often wary and may hiss, vocalize, freeze, retreat, etc. but may start to play or cuddle with a little time, or at the very least co-exist comfortably. However, as long as space and resources are plentiful, this is often stress that a cat can cope with as their choice to interact or not is preserved. Cats who are coping despite conflict and acclimating well to a new living situation are engaging in normal activities like grooming, eating, scratching, stretching, resting comfortably, etc. Daily monitoring of health and behavior for every individual cat is imperative to ensure that any signs that a cat is in distress or not coping can be investigated and acted upon promptly.
The Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff textbook is a great resource to invest in. This handy list (Box 16.6) of specific behaviors is provided in the chapter on cat housing.
Fear Free has this great reference poster as well that can be posted near to or even inside the group room and be used as a training tool to help folks learn to recognize signs of fear, anxiety and stress in shelter cats.
Is there guidance on how long to monitor before pulling a cat, and if that happens - is there data about at what length of time would it be a whole room reset? (all-out)
Rather than a time limit we recommend skillful, consistent monitoring of all individual cats, watching for signs of distress, injury or illness within the group (see answer to previous question). Additionally, we need to remember that arriving to and living in the shelter has already introduced some level of stress for the cats in care, and the amount of stress we are willing to add should be considered with great care. It should also be less than might be tolerated for a cat with a stable home.
As for how to decide if it's reasonable to add a new cat into a group, I am not aware of data that would indicate that a new cat should not be introduced beyond a certain amount of time since the group was formed. Group stability is the general goal, and the decision about whether or not to add a new cat should be based on the needs of the population of cats in your care at any given time (think about why are you inclined to add to the group) and the social dynamics of the group (how are the individual likely to handle the introduction of a new cat?). What you want to avoid is a continuous cycle of cats entering and leaving so that there is no stable group at any point in time.
What is the recommended amount of times that a cat should be moved in the shelter? example - stray cat to adoption Or stray to adoption to group room. Is there a number that is detrimental to the heath of cats?
Research indicates that housing movement is stressful (detrimental) for cats so directly housing into the space the cat will be for their stay is quite beneficial. Even a single move can reactivate herpes virus and result in a URI. However, the general goal is the least amount of moves that are reasonable for any given cat. Remember the idea of trigger stacking that was presented in the webinar (see recording)- if other aspects of the environment and daily care help to minimize stress (e.g. predictable daily schedule, quiet environment) a cat is much more likely to be able to cope with a move when needed.
Housing cats straight up in adoption - if that is their pathway - can serve them well for shorter LOS and reduced risks of illness (we call this open selection). Shelters haven't always been built with that in mind so minimizing housing moves is important to factor in where it is possible. This is another good reason for spot cleaning and not taking cats out of their housing units for daily care.
We generally wouldn't recommend housing a newly admitted cat directly into group housing as the first housing choice as you won't have enough information about the cat's behavior and well-being initially to determine if they are a good candidate or not.
What do you feel is the best way to introduce cats?
Other than watching cats carefully, we don't have a lot of information to share about this. There is a lot of information available online about introducing cats in a home environment, and incorporating some of those principles where possible may facilitate faster adaptation of cats to the space and social dynamics with other cats. However, remember, time spent living in the shelter should be as short as possible, and if any cat isn't quickly adapting to (and enjoying) a group setting it probably isn't the best housing choice for them, say within 1-3 days or so.
Would love to learn some tactics around monitoring! We are primarily "cage-free" and it is absolutely our biggest challenge to figure out!
It is absolutely much harder in group settings. This would be a good one to take to Maddie's Pet Forum (discussion board) or other shelter-specific social media platforms you have access to. More frequent health checks- weighing and hand-on exams in addition to as much watching as possible with understanding of cat behavior - whether official daily monitoring by staff or a robust volunteer presence- are you best tactics. Watching can be done by a person nearby (but not in) the space, or video cameras are another option you could consider.
Do you have suggestions for cats who are cage aggressive but do not like other cats when single-occupancy runs aren't available?
This is a multi-layered question, and also speaks to why it's so imperative to have a variety of housing options available. One of my first thoughts is that this cat is experiencing significant distress, and immediate action is warranted to provide relief.
· Are there any modifications to the cage that alleviate the cat's distress, e.g. a hiding spot, partial visual barrier, perch, larger space/double compartment?
· Is the cage location in the room/or area not a good fit - example: too close to the entry door to the room which can be seen contributing to distress, in an area with too much traffic (people/animals), is there dog exposure, etc.
· Can the cat be returned to the home it had (and/or the location found) prior to shelter admission - are there resources needed and can they be offered?
· Is there an office space in the shelter or a foster home where the cat could be relocated?
· A distant third option if no others are possible is to consider behavioral modification using desensitization and counter-conditioning, and centered around a positive reinforcement approach, such as clicker training.
Most cats entering shelters and given good housing that fits their needs (appropriate housing size and type/set up/care and surrounding housing environment) will acclimate to the shelter environment by about day 3 or so of stay - this is indicated by low observational stress scores(below 3 on the Kessler observational stress score chart) , eating and drinking normally and mostly able to show their true selves. If cats aren't acclimating to their housing within this time frame it is an indication that something is not ok for them, and for an otherwise healthy cat, this is often a housing/housing environment issue. As mentioned above having some housing variety on site can be of help but also an understanding that for some cats, no shelter housing offered will meet their needs and having at the ready - some off site housing/options is almost always necessary if we are to provide humane housing for all the cat possibilities that we may be asked to provide care for.
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Becky Stuntebeck
Veterinarian
UCD Koret Shelter Medicine Program
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-19-2024 11:04 AM
From: Elise Winn
Subject: Is "Cage-Free" the Way to Be? Rethinking Shelter Housing for Happier, Healthier Cats
Date: January 15, 2025 10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. PST
When it comes to caring for cats in shelters, housing isn't just a place to stay-it's a critical factor in their health and happiness. But how do you know when to go "cage-free" or stick with individual enclosures? In this engaging and practical webinar, we'll explore the ins and outs of non-cage housing for shelter cats.
Discover the surprising benefits and hidden risks of room housing. Learn which cats thrive in group environments and which need their own space to feel safe. See real-life examples of smart room setups and furnishings that work for cats, caregivers, and shelter operations alike. Plus, we'll walk you through an inspiring case study that demonstrates how creative housing solutions make a lifesaving difference in disaster response.
What you'll walk away with:
🐾 A clear understanding of the pros and cons of cage-free vs. cage-based housing.
🐾 Insights on designing and furnishing non-cage housing that supports social play, stress relief, and behavioral wellness.
🐾 The skills to make informed decisions on when and how to use group housing to support cats' natural instincts and well-being.
Don't miss your chance to get your questions answered live during the Q&A with shelter design experts Drs. Denae Wagner and Becky Stuntebeck.
PLUS: Get exclusive access to our new, game-changing Cat Housing Assessment Tool - available for the first time ever to live attendees!
Get ready to rethink cat housing like never before. Your shelter-and your cats-will thank you!
#ThankstoMaddie, this webinar is brought to you by Maddie's Million Pet Challenge Learniverse at the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program.
#Conferences,WorkshopsandWebcasts
#EducationandTraining
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
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Elise Winn
UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program - www.sheltermedicine.com
California for All Animals - www.californiaforallanimals.com
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