Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Stress and weight changes in shelter cats adopted by families
By Carlisle, Gretchen K et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2021·University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Exploratory Study of Fecal Cortisol, Weight, and Behavior as Measures of Stress and Welfare in Shelter Cats During Assimilation Into Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Ten shelter cats were adopted by families with children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to see how the transition affected their stress levels. Researchers measured the cats' stress through fecal cortisol levels, weight, and behavior scores at different times after adoption. The results showed that the cats did not experience increased stress after moving into their new homes, suggesting that with proper temperament screening, these cats can thrive in such environments. However, the study had a small number of cats, so more research is needed to confirm these findings.
People also search for: cat stress after adoption · shelter cat behavior with children · autism spectrum disorder and pets · how to help a cat adjust to a new home
Abstract
Cats are a common companion animal (CA) in US households, and many live in families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The prevalence of ASD is one in 54, and many children have behavior challenges as well as their diagnostic communication disorders.Benefits of CAs for children with ASD have been identified, but little is known about the welfare of CAs in these homes. This study explored the welfare of cats (= 10) screened for ideal social and calm temperament using the Feline Temperament Profile (FTP) and adopted by families of children with ASD.Cat stress was measured using fecal cortisol, weight, and a behavior stress measure (cat stress score). Measures were taken at baseline in the shelter, 2-3 days after adoption, and at weeks 6, 12, and 18.Outcome measures suggested the adopted cats' stress levels did not increase postadoption; however, the small sample size limited analytical power and generalizability.This study provides preliminary evidence for the success of cat adoption by families of children with ASD, when cats have been temperament screened and cat behavior educational information is provided. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34552969/