Dataset Information

Positive attitudes towards feline obesity are strongly associated with ownership of obese cats.

ABSTRACT: Overweight and obesity (O&O) is a risk factor for several health conditions and can result in a shorter lifespan for cats. The objectives of this study were to investigate (a) cat owners' attitudes towards feline O&O and their associations with O&O in their cats; and (b) the risk factors for feline O&O and underweight, particularly those involving owner practice. An online survey comprising questions related to cat owners' attitudes towards feline O&O, owner-reported body weight and body condition of their cat, and potential risk factors for feline O&O was conducted. Primarily targeting the Australian population, the survey attracted 1,390 valid responses. In response to ten attitude-related questions, more participants (percentage range among the ten questions: 39.1-76.6%) held a disapproving attitude towards feline O&O than a neutral (17.1-31.9%) or approving attitude (3.9-27.7%). A greater proportion of participants had a more disapproving attitude towards obesity than towards overweight. Cats belonging to owners with an approving attitude towards O&O were more likely to be overweight or obese than cats belonging to owners with a disapproving attitude towards O&O. The cats had particularly high odds of overweight or obesity if their owner agreed that 'being chubby says that the cat has a quality life' (OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 2.41-5.82) and 'being fat says that the cat has a quality life' (OR: 4.98, 95%CI: 2.79-8.91). This study revealed, for the first time, that begging for food was a risk factor for O&O in cats. Other important feline risk factors for O&O identified included being middle-aged, being mixed-breed, dry food as the major diet, the amount of feed not being quantified, and frequently spending time indoors. Being over 11 years, receiving no dry food and receiving measured amounts of feed were associated with an increased odds of underweight in cats. As specific attitudes often lead to certain behaviours, reducing approving attitudes towards feline O&O may potentially reduce the frequency of O&O and the risks of O&O-related disorders in cats.

SUBMITTER: Teng KT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7316328 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Positive attitudes towards feline obesity are strongly associated with ownership of obese cats.

Teng Kendy T KT McGreevy Paul D PD Toribio Jenny-Ann L M L JLML Dhand Navneet K NK

PloS one 20200625 6

Overweight and obesity (O&O) is a risk factor for several health conditions and can result in a shorter lifespan for cats. The objectives of this study were to investigate (a) cat owners' attitudes towards feline O&O and their associations with O&O in their cats; and (b) the risk factors for feline O&O and underweight, particularly those involving owner practice. An online survey comprising questions related to cat owners' attitudes towards feline O&O, owner-reported body weight and body conditi ...[more]

PMID: 32584825

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Project description:BackgroundThere are two biotypes of feline coronavirus (FCoV): the self-limiting feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and the feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), which causes feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a fatal disease associated with cats living in multi-cat environments. This study provides an insight on the various immune mediators detected in FCoV-positive cats which may be responsible for the development of FIP.ResultsIn this study, using real-time PCR and multiplex bead-based immunoassay, the expression profiles of several immune mediators were examined in Crandell-Reese feline kidney (CRFK) cells infected with the feline coronavirus (FCoV) strain FIPV 79-1146 and in samples obtained from FCoV-positive cats. CRFK cells infected with FIPV 79-1146 showed an increase in the expression of interferon-related genes and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MX1, viperin, CXCL10, CCL8, RANTES, KC, MCP1, and IL8. In addition, an increase in the expression of the above cytokines as well as GM-CSF and IFNγ was also detected in the PBMC, serum, and peritoneal effusions of FCoV-positive cats. Although the expression of MX1 and viperin genes was variable between cats, the expression of these two genes was relatively higher in cats having peritoneal effusion compared to cats without clinically obvious effusion. Higher viral load was also detected in the supernatant of peritoneal effusions compared to in the plasma of FCoV-positive cats. As expected, the secretion of IL1β, IL6 and TNFα was readily detected in the supernatant of peritoneal effusions of the FCoV-positive cats.ConclusionsThis study has identified various pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon-related genes such as MX1, viperin, CXCL10, CCL8, RANTES, KC, MCP1, IL8, GM-CSF and IFNγ in FCoV-positive cats. With the exception of MX1 and viperin, no distinct pattern of immune mediators was observed that distinguished between FCoV-positive cats with and without peritoneal effusion. Further studies based on definitive diagnosis of FIP need to be performed to confirm the clinical importance of this study.

Project description:AimTo map the factors associated with nurses' positive attitudes towards families' involvement in nursing care and to identify any existing gaps in knowledge.BackgroundSeveral tools have been proposed to assess the attitudes, beliefs and practices of nurses towards families in different care contexts. However, there is a knowledge gap on how the results of these tools can identify the factors that are associated with more positive attitudes of nurses.DesignA scoping review based on the steps proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.MethodsThree independent reviewers searched the databases: PUBMED/Medline; LILACS; Virtual Health Library; PsycInfo; Google Scholar; SCOPUS and CINAHL, from 2006 to August 2021, guided by the question: What are the factors associated with nurses' positive attitudes towards families´ involvement in nursing care, in studies that used one or both of the following two scales 'Families' Importance in Nursing Care- Nurses' Attitudes' and 'Family Nursing Practice Scale'? This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR.ResultsTwenty-six primary studies were identified, in which 9,620 nurses participated. Positive attitudes were associated with three types of variables: (a) personal-longer working career (42.3%) and older age (26.9%); (b) educational-higher level of academic education (30.8%) and family nursing education (23.0%); and (c) workplace-working in primary health care and/or outpatient clinics (34.6%) or in a unit with philosophy/approach to families (23.0%).ConclusionsPersonal variables such as age and time of service are non-modifiable aspects, but educational and workplace variables are subject to intervention to improve nurses' attitudes towards families' involvement in nursing care. Continuing development programmes about family care can constitute important strategies to improve positive attitudes of nurses towards families in practice.Relevance to clinical practiceRecognising the characteristics associated with nurses´ positive attitudes towards families may enable the development of tailored interventions that promote family-focused care.

Project description:People who feed cats that they do not perceive they own (sometimes called semi-owners) are thought to make a considerable contribution to unwanted cat numbers because the cats they support are generally not sterilized. Understanding people's perception of cat ownership and the psychology underlying cat semi-ownership could inform approaches to mitigate the negative effects of cat semi-ownership. The primary aims of this study were to investigate cat ownership perception and to examine its association with human-cat interactions and caretaking behaviours. A secondary aim was to evaluate a definition of cat semi-ownership (including an association time of ≥1 month and frequent feeding), revised from a previous definition proposed in the literature to distinguish cat semi-ownership from casual interactions with unowned cats. Cat owners and semi-owners displayed similar types of interactions and caretaking behaviours. Nevertheless, caretaking behaviours were more commonly displayed towards owned cats than semi-owned cats, and semi-owned cats were more likely to have produced kittens (p<0.01). All interactions and caretaking behaviours were more likely to be displayed towards cats in semi-ownership relationships compared to casual interaction relationships. Determinants of cat ownership perception were identified (p<0.05) and included association time, attachment, perceived cat friendliness and health, and feelings about unowned cats, including the acceptability of feeding unowned cats. Encouraging semi-owners to have the cats they care for sterilized may assist in reducing the number of unwanted kittens and could be a valuable alternative to trying to prevent semi-ownership entirely. Highly accessible semi-owner "gatekeepers" could help to deliver education messages and facilitate the provision of cat sterilization services to semi-owners. This research enabled semi-ownership to be distinguished from casual interaction relationships and can assist welfare and government agencies to identify cat semi-owners in order to develop strategies to address this source of unwanted cats.

Dataset Information

Positive attitudes towards feline obesity are strongly associated with ownership of obese cats.

Publications

Positive attitudes towards feline obesity are strongly associated with ownership of obese cats.

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