guardian essays for cat

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Readers reply: should I let my cat outside?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

Should I let my cat outside? Apparently she’s in danger – and is a danger herself. Alicia Burton, Shrewsbury

Send new questions to [email protected] .

Readers reply

Outside cats kill songbirds and small mammals. They use neighbours’ flower beds and children’s sandboxes for litter boxes and spread disease. Cats should be kept inside. PennsylvaniaModerate

Where I live your cat might get eaten by a coyote, so no. Also they are terrible on birdlife. If you must, create a nice catio for outdoor fun. I think cats that have never been indoor/outdoor do OK indoors-only, but it is hard to change from being in and out to in-only. martimart

Cats are outdoor creatures – if you can’t allow them outside, for whatever reason (and there may be good reasons not to in some locations), you shouldn’t have a cat. To keep a cat inside-only means you have put your desires ahead of his/hers. I don’t have a dog because I can’t give one what it needs – the same applies; it’s selfish and cruel. It’s not unlike people who declaw (anyone who does so should have the same done to them) – if you don’t accept the risk of damage to furniture etc, don’t have a cat. We’ve always had a cat flap and so know that the cat chooses to live with us – she could leave at any time but doesn’t. I am not sure it’s healthy to keep an animal trapped with you against their will. bobbitygobitty

My cat was a rescued feral kitten, he barely survived starvation on a Miami street before I saved him. He adores my screened-in porches and lanais, where he can be “safely” outside without actually being outside. I’ve left my front door open by accident and he cringes away from it. He knows what is out there. He sees them (the wild animals) from his screened porch and he wants nothing to do with the outside world. Slinger

People tend to have very emotional responses to questions regarding pets, so this particular debate tends to get quite heated quite fast. My view in general is that it just seems odd we have this weird exception where cats are concerned. If I chose to keep a dog or some other animal and I let it roam around other peoples’ gardens unsupervised doing its business on the lawn they would be rightfully angry with me. But if it’s a cat it’s fine for some reason.

My preference in general is for people to keep their pets on their own property, or otherwise under control (eg, on a lead when out of the house), but where cats are concerned free-ranging has been the norm for so long that it would be hard to put that genie back in the bottle (or that cat back in the bag).

It seems undeniably bad for the cats (we had several that were killed on the roads when I was growing up), and bad for wildlife. Even ignoring the death toll on small mammals and birds, inter-breeding with free-ranging housecats has all but wiped out Scottish wildcats as a separate species. Pode

If you are worried about whether they’ll be OK being indoor-only cats, don’t worry. There are about 75m of them in North America. The vast majority are just fine. In many cities in Canada and the US it’s against bylaws to let cats free roam. If you have space, a catio is the perfect solution. KimberlyCoast

Once I got a couple of chickens (free to roam). Then I got rats. Then I got a cat. Now I no longer have rats. She hunts all night, sleeps all day. She seems to need to touch base with me once a day, but apart from that is doing her own thing. I put that down to me allowing her to fully pursue her instincts, so I am mostly OK with the small mammals she brings in. The bat was like something out of Hammer horror film, though. How a cat catches a bat remains a mystery. lcj4949d

Like everything, it depends. If you live in a high-traffic area, there is an increased risk she could be injured. If you live close to a nature reserve there is an increased risk she could snack on an endangered or protected species. If you live in a quiet-ish neighbourhood and she has a bell on her collar, you’re probably OK. Stroppimare

I’ve shared space with cats and they were all outdoor cats, to be fair I never thought of keeping them in. Sure there are dangers out there, but I feel they have a life much more in tune with their natural instincts being outdoors roaming about, doing their thing. I wouldn’t have a cat and keep them in, I’d feel cruel keeping an animal just for my own selfish pleasure if it couldn’t live as it wanted. As I’m away a lot I don’t have a cat now, however the local neighbourhood has a few cats bouncing around. They mainly seem to laze about, occasionally shagging and fighting with each other. Nice life for them. Liverpooldave

I adore my cat and would never let him outside for the simple reason that it’s an ugly and dangerous world. If I let him outside, he could get hit by a car, he might be injured by some unpleasant and unstable person or he might be kidnapped and I’d never see him again. At home he has his big lovely cat bed to relax on, loads of toys and access to fresh food and water. I think if you truly love your cat you won’t put them outside. Hyufcdtb

I am pretty sure that even if he was capable of making a rational, risk-based decision, my cat would still choose to go outside. The world is dangerous for humans too, but we don’t sit at home scared to go out. whatwasigoingtosay

If possible, harness train. A cat who has a strong urge to go outside will more than likely tolerate having a harness as they’ll start to associate the harness with outdoor access. Keeps them safe while enabling them a bit of freedom. I adopted my cat when she was about six months and harness trained her a few months later. Hilarious floor flops at the first attempt, but the desire to be outdoors over-rode her initial resistance to the harness and now she comes running when I jingle the harness for her. I will likely draw the line at pushing her around in a stroller – witnessed someone in my neighbourhood doing this with their cat last week. The human looked ridiculous, but I must say that the cat looked quite content and imperious. Jammygal

Do not harness train your cat! Cats are flight animals and harnesses impede their ability to run off when they’re stressed or feel a sense of danger. It will have a negative impact on their overall welfare and severely impacts natural behaviours. Please do proper research on cat behaviour. If you want to let your cat outside you should actively play with it for at least 15 minutes a day and feed it a high protein/ real-meat-rich diet – this has been proven to decrease the amount of wildlife cats prey on. Additionally, do not let them out at dusk or dawn but just during the day. GoblinBombardment

This reminds me of one of the Inspector Morse episodes, Who Killed Harry Field? The titular Harry being an artist (and murder victim) with a sideline in concocting bogus coats of arms complete with Latin mottos for the credulous. Here goes ...

Morse: “Felix noctu exponendus” [Laughs]. Lewis: lt’s the way you tell them, sir. Morse: lt’s translated for the Pfeiffers of Chicago as “Happy the man daring to go out into the darkness.” Lewis: What’s it really mean? Morse: “At night, put the cat out.” Mobilepope

• Notes and queries

Most viewed

The Year of the Cat by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett review – reflections on the feline

An affecting memoir that uses cats and our attitudes towards them to explore PTSD, separation, love and family

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email

I found myself reading part of Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett’s account of the first year of her cat Mackerel’s life while I was sitting with Hector, my Norwegian Forest cat (I’ve always been delighted by the fact that Jan Morris also had one of these noble specimens). Hector, a stray who came in from the cold and who turned out to be female, is now blind, and we supervise her meals lest her two housemates, Zsa Zsa, a black and white made cantankerous by juvenile arthritis, and Kiki the kitten, a boisterous and daftly loving tabby, try to edge her out of her dinner. As she finished, I lifted my head from the book and apologised to her for not being more chatty while she ate. Then I kissed her gently on the head. It is this kind of behaviour that The Year of the Cat seeks to analyse and understand: not only the emotional care cat owners often find themselves lavishing on these supremely unknowable little animals, but the reactions to our reactions, especially when they are pejorative.

“Cat lady” is one such charge, sometimes with the intensifier “crazy”, although it was my husband who wept for days when Hector lost her sight, for fear that she would be frightened and confused (she has proved wonderfully adaptable). Women who love their cats inordinately are said to be compensating – most usually for lack of sex or children – and projecting on to them an intimacy they are unable to experience elsewhere.

The most admirable and affecting aspect of Cosslett’s memoir is that she doesn’t entirely reject this thesis. She is all too aware that Mackerel, whom she and her husband walked miles through London to collect in order to avoid public transport at the onset of the pandemic, is allowing her to interrogate several painful areas of her life. Keeping this defenceless creature alive is a way of confronting her own terrors and ambivalences – a way to think deeply about the PTSD that engulfed her after an unknown man attempted to kill her in the street when she was 23, and which resurfaced when she was caught up in terrorist attacks in Paris ; to endure lockdown separation from friends and family, including her beloved brother, who has severe autism and lives in a care home many miles away; and to navigate the clash between her overwhelming desire to have a baby and her fear that she is “too mad” to undertake motherhood.

Beneath these anxieties is another insistent push-me-pull-you argument: will she be able to write, to think, if she pours her energies into creating another human being? The artists whom she most cleaves to – Suzanne Valadon, Louise Bourgeois, Gwen John, Barbara Hepworth and Tracey Emin – have alighted on different answers to this question. They have also often had to contend with the way that women who make art are treated: as outsiders, as eccentrics, as creators whose work must resist the accusation that its relation to their own lives renders it somehow lesser, “little more than an excretion”, merely “expunged from your feminine brain, just as you expel blood and milk from your feminine body”.

But being involved in the physical care of another being dependent on you does, as Cosslett discovers when Mackerel swallows a length of string, often come down to dealing with shit. She recalls her brother dropping his trousers in the flowerbed of a supermarket car park and the response of her therapist, who told her it was inappropriate to laugh about it. “Doesn’t everyone have a story involving faeces, or know someone who does?” she wonders. “Isn’t it a bit patronising to exclude disabled people from this well-mined field of human comedy?”

She is dead right. If no man is a hero to his valet, then no cat’s much-vaunted dignity emerges entirely unscathed to their litter-tray emptier, which is a good thing: dignity is an overrated virtue when it comes at the expense of acknowledging another creature’s corporeality. We are all shit-sifters looking for string, in the end, and all the better for it.

• The Year of the Cat is published by Tinder (£16.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply.

{{topLeft}}

{{bottomLeft}}

{{topRight}}

{{bottomRight}}

{{heading}}

• Autobiography and memoir
• Book of the day
• Mental health
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on WhatsApp
• Share on Messenger

{{#isVideo}} {{/isVideo}}{{#isGallery}} {{/isGallery}}{{#isAudio}} {{/isAudio}} {{#isComment}} {{/isComment}} {{headline}}

• {{ title }}
• Sign in / Register

Switch edition

• {{ displayName }}

• CATKing Dashboard
• CATKing Portal

• Meet the Directors
• Top Colleges
• Rocket Batch Bootcamp
• HUL Foundation School 2024
• Announcement
• Sprint Workshop
• Login/ Signup
• CATKing Profile Portal

Best Resources To Prepare For Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

VA-RC in CAT checks the individual’s ability to read the text, process it, and understand the passages given. Reading comprehension also checks the ability of one’s vocabulary and text comprehension. In the CAT exam, Reading comprehension (RC) questions hold more than 50% weight in the verbal ability section. As per the recent trends, out of 34 questions in the verbal section, 24 questions will be based on RC. Hence in order to score well in the verbal section, you need to score well in RC. 

1. McKinsey Insights

2. the   guardian, what is the guardian, the guardian is a 200-year-old british daily newspaper, trusted by millions across the globe for quality news reporting and daily updates., 3. aeon essays, 4. national   geographic  , 5. the hindu  , 6. world economic forum  , some other sources of va-rc.

• Newspapers: While reading the newspaper focus on topics such as Social Science(History, Civics, Geography), Natural Science, and Philosophy/Psychology. Read Speaking Tree from Times of India Newspaper daily. You can read newspapers like The Hindu, Economic Times, Times of India, Economist, etc.
• NewYork Times : It is an American Newspaper of New York City. It is one of the expected sources for the Reading Comprehension for CAT. But it is a paid subscription and is not available free.
• The Atlantic: It covers areas like politics, sports, news, health, technology, etc. They have various videos, magazines, Puzzle on various topics.
•   Blogs: You can also read blogs they provide good content and opinions. Some of the famous people blogs you can follow are Swaminomics, Wall Street Oasis for finance, Hubspot for Marketing, Curious Cat and Freakonomics for Economics, Forbes, and Harward Business Review for Business and Quartz for Analysis.
• Websites: You can follow websites like www.aldaily.com and www.magportal.com for the articles on the topics you are interested in.
• Books: Books are the another sources of Reading Comprehension. Some of the books which you can read are Animal Farm, 1984, India Unbound, Business Legends, etc. For more books click here.

Reading Comprehension Sources for CAT Exam Questions

• Newspapers:  While reading the newspaper focus on topics such as Social Science(History, Civics, Geography), Natural Science, and Philosophy/Psychology. Read Speaking Tree from Times of India Newspaper daily. You can read newspapers like The Hindu, Economic Times, Times of India, Economist, etc.
• Aeon Essays :  It is one of the common sources of Reading Comprehension for CAT.
• The Guardian : The Guardian is a free blog where you can read articles subject wise. Focus on topics like social sciences, Technology, Sports which are common in CAT. It is one of the important sources of CAT RCs.
• The Atlantic:  It covers areas like politics, sports, news, health, technology, etc. They have various videos, magazines, Puzzle on various topics.
•   Blogs:  You can also read blogs they provide good content and opinions. Some of the famous people blogs you can follow are Swaminomics, Wall Street Oasis for finance, Hubspot for Marketing, Curious Cat and Freakonomics for Economics, Forbes, and Harward Business Review for Business and Quartz for Analysis.
• Websites:  You can follow websites like  www.aldaily.com  and  www.magportal.com  for the articles on the topics you are interested in.
• Books:  Books are the another sources of Reading Comprehension. Some of the books which you can read are Animal Farm, 1984, India Unbound, Business Legends, etc.  For more books  click here.

Anisha has done MBA in Marketing from NMIMS And Executive Management(PMNO) from Harvard Business School. She has been instrumental in growing CATKing Digital with her experience with Marico and Henkel in the past.

Comments are disabled for now

• CAT Preparation Strategy
• CAT Success Stories
• CAT Toppers
• MBA Preparation Tips
• IIM Interview Experiences
• IIM Ahmedabad Interview Experiences
• IIM Bangalore Interview Experience
• IIM Calcutta Interview Experience
• IIM Indore Interview Experiences
• IIM Lucknow Interview Experience
• Bschool placements
• IIM Ahmedabad
• IIM Bangalore
• IIM Calcutta
• IIM Composite Scores
• IIM interview experiences
• IIM Kozhikode
• IIM Lucknow
• Bank Exam Eligibility
• General Awareness

Table of Contents

Selected RCs Relevant for CAT Exam :

Reading Articles For CAT Details

Genre involved in the CAT reading articles will be :

BREAKING DOWN ‘Reading Comprehension’

• Higher retention – 40%
• Fast reading speed – 30%
• Ability to gauge the tone – 20%
• Vocabulary – 10%

How to Maximise the Reading Articles For CAT

What you have to do?

• You need to daily read one article and summarise it in your Mind.
• Apart from that you will need to practice 3 RCs per day.
• Within 2 months of this excercise you’ll be able to see some major improvement.

Importance of Reading For CAT

To ace the CAT Reading Comprehension section, you need to develop a reading habit. Habitual reading helps you gain focus, comprehend and improve your vocabulary. Reading is the best strategy for CAT hence finding the most relevant reading articles for CAT also becomes important. Subscribe to an editorial, or newspaper; read blogs, online essays, short stories, anything you can find. Go for different genres as the CAT RC passages are also related to different genres, such as, History, Science & Technology, Economics, Philosophy, Literature, etc. Reading also helps with increasing your knowledge in certain domains.

A regular reading habit increases your focus by several folds. Make sure that while you read, you also analyse the tone of the passage and what the author wants to convey. Try summarizing it later for a better understanding.

250 Genre wise Reading Articles For CAT by iQuanta

To access, visit: https://www.iQuanta.in/test/iconcept and check Reading Materials Section there. There you will discover multiple Genre-wise articles for reading comprehension from those sources from where CAT has been giving RCs in recent years along with their Summary.

All you have to do is read daily 1 article at least, from any genre you want to get comfortable with.

Practice 3 RCs per day , for which you can use Past CAT RCs , here https://www.iquanta.in/test/cat-previous-papers

Doing these for next 2 months everyday will improve your CAT Reading Comprehension significantly.

For comprehensive guidance on the CAT course and other details make sure that you follow the link mentioned below. A limited period discount coupon is running:

To join India’s largest CAT preparation community and for free 24*7 doubt clarification, join the group linked below.

• CAT RC Practice
• cat reading articles
• CAT Reading Comprehension
• reading articles for cat
• VARC for CAT

Popular Articles

Each template in our ever growing studio library can be added and moved around within any page effortlessly with one click.

Latest Articles

Most popular.

© tagDiv. All Rights Reserved. Made with Newspaper Theme.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

2IIM CAT Preparation Blog

The Best CAT Online Coaching

Best Online CAT Coaching

Bharath’s curated reading list for cat exam.

I am Bharathwaj from 2IIM. I have taken 8 CATs in the last 10 years, have been associated with CAT Preparation since 2015. I have managed to score a 99.21 percentile in the Verbal Section of CAT 2019. I attribute my score to Reading from a wide variety of sources and ability to not be under pressure during the exam (having completed an MBA helps in handling pressure, but to know more about my take on how to handle pressure better, head on here ).

What is this CAT Reading List?

This CAT Reading list is created by me, as a result of spending several thousand hours in reading thousands of articles and picking articles that can help a CAT Aspirant in VARC Preparation for CAT, and has about 1000+ articles in this collection. Most of the articles in this list are going to be much longer than your passage that appears in CAT. It is done intentionally to help one retain the understanding from reading an article and not facts. It is a collection of all articles I have shared across since 2018 on a daily basis. This will also get updated as and when I post new articles. We are also planning to have a weekly list of articles.

How to Make use of CAT Reading List?

Bookmark this CAT Reading List page. (press ctrl + D if on a PC, or press the star on the right of the url bar, if on chrome either on mobile or pc). Keep coming back to it on a daily basis. Reading everyday helps tremendously in your CAT Preparation in two ways to start with: 1. Your VARC Prep takes care of itself. 2. You get more time to spend on Quantitative Aptitude and DI LR Sections.

This page provides you with meticulously curated articles to improve your English Comprehension, especially if you are preparing for Management entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, IIFT etc.

Find articles classified broadly under 6 different major categories. Click on the Category button to view collection of hand picked articles under that category. You can also scroll down to find recent articles from each category listed under tabs.

Reading List – This Week

Reading List | This Week | April 3rd Week 2024

April 21, 2024 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Reading list from 3rd Week of April! In case you have missed any of the articles from last week, check out this post! Read on to Nail CAT VARC!

More Posts from this Category

Categories listed are:

• Technology, Industry and Science ( part 1 50+ articles | part 2 60+ articles)
• Psychology and Philosophy ( part 1 48 articles | part 2 40+ articles)
• Humans and Culture ( part 1 60+ articles| part 2 60+ articles)
• Politics, Law and Crime ( part 1 50+ articles| part 2 20+ articles )
• Economy and Business ( part 1 20+ articles)
• Fiction and Others ( part 1 8 articles)

Share this:

Reader interactions.

March 21, 2020 at 11:39 AM

Please add me in bharat sir curated reading list mail id so that i can get the email whenvever sir posts the new article Thanks.

April 21, 2020 at 5:57 PM

May 26, 2020 at 10:34 AM

could you add average reading time and goal reading time (best to achieve) along with the links? this way we could time ourselves.

May 26, 2020 at 10:29 PM

August 15, 2020 at 10:07 PM

August 16, 2020 at 11:34 AM

Please sir add me for updates related to new article

August 31, 2020 at 12:39 AM

Can I get the regular updates of articles whenever they posted ?? If yes,how??

September 1, 2020 at 12:58 AM

Hi Megha, we have been posting articles almost daily. Visiting https://online.2iim.com/cat-exam/blogs/ daily once is a routine you must definitely consider starting.

September 2, 2020 at 6:25 PM

I am very very thankful to you sir thank you so much for this free material now a days no one gives this much material free thank you so much.. . ??

September 5, 2020 at 11:52 PM

Glad the Reading List if of use, Netra. The articles are carefully curated. A lot of effort goes into picking and choosing the right kind of articles while also keeping in mind diversity in genres and themes. These kinds of positive feedback are really important to us 😀

September 6, 2020 at 10:28 PM

Thank you So much for curating this wonderful list.Feeling so grateful !

September 17, 2020 at 1:53 PM

Like I keep saying, a lot of effort goes into curating this list. The articles are carefully chosen to maintain diversity of topics and ideas, while ensuring they are of the highest standards as well. Happy that you are finding it useful!

September 20, 2020 at 11:04 AM

Sir…is just reading enough?? Or should I make some summary from it??? Which would be better??? Please help me..I am still worried about my VARC scores??? I don’t know how much this could help me…

September 21, 2020 at 12:02 PM

Going to CAT exam on the D-day with 400 to 500 hours worth solid reading is better than anything else. Read vigorously and continuously, even if there are articles or passages that make you feel like you do not understand anything.

April 16, 2021 at 5:58 PM

Thank you so much for this reading list 🙂

April 24, 2021 at 1:40 AM

Exactly sir sometimes I feel just I am reading and reading actually most of the time during reading and I face lots of obstacles to complete the article rather then skip anything I just read it take more than 20 minute to read the whole article about any article what should I do?

May 6, 2021 at 3:25 PM

It is ok to take 20 minutes to read an article. Do not lost hope. Keep reading. Bharath.

August 28, 2021 at 10:48 PM

August 28, 2021 at 10:50 PM

You can follow us on YouTube, Facebook or telegram to get the article delivered daily to your inbox. https://t.me/twoiim

December 29, 2021 at 12:34 PM

Since November 3rd week I couldn’t find Bharath’s reading lists Can you please help me? Or Is there any other way to find it?

December 29, 2021 at 12:39 PM

Hello! We are starting off reading list for cat 2022 in a few days!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Bodhee Prep-Online CAT Coaching | Online CAT Preparation | CAT Online Courses

Daily Article of the Day to improve reading comprehension for CAT

This page is created for aspirants who are looking for some best English articles to improve CAT reading comprehension.

What is this ‘Article of the Day’ all about?

You all must be aware that CAT reading comprehension is one the most important areas that are tested in CAT; in fact, CAT reading comprehension comprises almost 75% of the entire CAT verbal ability and reading comprehension section.

Moreover, a number of other entrance exams such as IIFT, NMAT, XAT and SNAP test the aspirants in this area. Therefore, it is advisable that the aspirants master the reading comprehension, to maximise their chances of scoring well in the CAT verbal ability and reading comprehension section.

Why did Bodhee Prep start with the ‘Article of the Day’ series?

Over the years, we observed that students often fail to do well in CAT reading comprehension. After analysing the weaknesses of a number of students, we realized that students are weak in reading comprehension because:

• They have very poor reading skills, as a result of which they fail to grasp the central idea of the passage
• They don’t have access to good articles that are similar to the ones that come in the CAT exam.
• They are not able to develop a regular reading habit

To address these three areas, we have started with the ‘Article of the day’ series.

Also recommended: How to Read RC Passages

What kind of articles do we cover in this series?

In the ‘Article of the day’ series, you will find articles that are quite similar to the ones that come in entrance tests. If you go through the CAT reading comprehension section of past year papers , you will notice that most of the passages come from

• Science and Technology
• Business and Economics
• Humanities.

Most of the articles are complex and focus on some specific problem about which you would never have read before. Thus, we feel that students should read something with which they are less familiar, in order to easily and quickly adapt to the reading materials that are likely to come across in CAT reading comprehension.

Through our ‘Article of the day’ initiative, we want to expose the students to a wide range of articles from a wide range of subjects, making them aware of plenty of issues and arguments.

Enjoy this series, and do share a word about this initiative of ours.

List of Articles of the Day

• RC article of the day 192
• RC article of the day 191
• RC article of the day 190
• RC article of the day 189
• RC article of the day 188
• RC article of the day 187
• RC article of the day 186
• RC article of the day 185
• RC article of the day 184
• RC article of the day 183
• RC article of the day 182
• RC article of the day 181
• RC article of the day 180
• RC article of the day 179
• RC article of the day 178
• RC article of the day 177
• RC article of the day 176
• RC article of the day 175
• RC article of the day 174
• RC article of the day 173
• RC article of the day 172
• RC article of the day 171
• RC article of the day 170
• RC article of the day 169
• RC article of the day 168
• RC article of the day 167
• RC article of the day 166
• RC article of the day 165
• RC article of the day 164
• RC article of the day 163
• RC article of the day 162
• RC article of the day 161
• RC article of the day 160
• RC article of the day 159
• RC article of the day 158
• RC article of the day 157
• RC article of the day 156
• RC article of the day 155
• RC article of the day 154
• RC article of the day 153
• RC article of the day 152
• RC article of the day 151
• RC article of the day 150
• RC article of the day 149
• RC article of the day 148
• RC article of the day 147
• RC article of the day 146
• RC article of the day 145
• RC article of the day 144
• RC article of the day 143
• RC article of the day 142
• RC article of the day 141
• RC article of the day 140
• RC article of the day 139
• RC article of the day 138
• RC article of the day 137
• RC article of the day 136
• RC article of the day 135
• RC article of the day 134
• RC article of the day 133
• RC article of the day 132
• RC article of the day 131
• RC article of the day 130
• RC article of the day 129
• RC article of the day 128
• RC article of the day 127
• RC article of the day 126
• RC article of the day 125
• RC article of the day 124
• RC article of the day 123
• RC article of the day 122
• RC article of the day 121
• RC article of the day 120
• RC article of the day 119
• RC article of the day 118
• RC article of the day 117
• RC article of the day 116
• RC article of the day 115
• RC article of the day 114
• RC article of the day 113
• RC article of the day 112
• RC article of the day 111
• RC article of the day 110
• RC article of the day 109
• RC article of the day 108
• RC article of the day 107
• RC article of the day 106
• RC article of the day 105
• RC article of the day 104
• RC article of the day 103
• RC article of the day 102
• RC article of the day 101
• RC article of the day 100
• RC article of the day 99
• RC article of the day 98
• RC article of the day 97
• RC article of the day 96
• RC article of the day 95
• RC article of the day 94
• RC article of the day 93
• RC article of the day 92
• RC article of the day 91
• RC article of the day 90
• RC article of the day 89
• RC article of the day 88
• RC article of the day 87
• RC article of the day 86
• RC article of the day 85
• RC article of the day 84
• RC article of the day 83
• RC article of the day 82
• RC article of the day 81
• RC article of the day 80
• RC article of the day 79
• RC article of the day 78
• RC article of the day 77
• RC article of the day 76
• RC article of the day 75
• RC article of the day 74
• RC article of the day 73
• RC article of the day 72
• RC article of the day 71
• RC article of the day 70
• RC article of the day 69
• RC article of the day 68
• RC article of the day 67
• RC article of the day 66
• RC article of the day 65
• RC article of the day 64
• RC article of the day 63
• RC article of the day 62
• RC article of the day 61
• RC article of the day 60
• RC article of the day 59
• RC article of the day 58
• RC article of the day 57
• RC article of the day 56
• RC article of the day 55
• RC article of the day 54
• RC article of the day 53
• RC article of the day 52
• RC article of the day 51
• RC article of the day 50
• RC article of the day 49
• RC article of the day 48
• RC article of the day 47
• RC article of the day 46
• RC article of the day 45
• RC article of the day 44
• RC article of the day 43
• RC article of the day 42
• RC article of the day 41
• RC article of the day 40
• RC article of the day 39
• RC article of the day 38
• RC article of the day 37
• RC article of the day 36
• RC article of the day 35
• RC article of the day 34
• RC article of the day 33
• RC article of the day 32
• RC article of the day 31
• RC article of the day 30
• RC article of the day 29
• RC article of the day 28
• RC article of the day 27
• RC article of the day 26
• RC article of the day 25
• RC article of the day 24
• RC article of the day 23
• RC article of the day 22
• RC article of the day 21
• RC article of the day 20
• RC article of the day 19
• RC article of the day 18
• RC article of the day 17
• RC article of the day 16
• RC article of the day 15
• RC article of the day 14
• RC article of the day 13
• RC article of the day 12
• RC article of the day 11
• RC article of the day 10
• RC article of the day 9
• RC article of the day 8
• RC article of the day 7
• RC article of the day 6
• RC article of the day 5
• RC article of the day 4
• RC article of the day 3
• RC article of the day 2
• RC article of the day 1

List of Articles on CAT Verbal Ability

• How to prepare for CAT Verbal Ability
• How to improve accuracy in Reading Comprehension
• How to Read RC Passages
• Reading Comprehension: Aricle of the Day
• 7 Easy Tips for CAT [RC] Reading Comprehension
• CAT RC : Macro and Micro Approach
• Types of Reading Comprehension Questions
• How to identify Tones of the RC Passages
• How to find main idea or central idea of the RC Passages
• How to solve inference based RC questions
• Types of Reading Comprehension Passages
• 5 most common mistakes made by students in CAT RCs
• How to approach CAT parajumbles
• CAT Para Summary Questions
• How to Solve CAT Odd sentences
• CAT Reading Comprehension: Should we read the questions first?
• If CAT Verbal Section is troubling you, read this

CAT Verbal Ability (topic wise) Questions with Solutions

Cat online courses.

© 2022 All rights reserved​

FREE CAT Prep Whatsapp Group

CAT 2024 Online Course at affordable price

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Animals (Basel)

The Impact of COVID on Cat Guardians: Veterinary Issues

Lori r. kogan.

1 Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

Phyllis Erdman

2 College of Education, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA; ude.usw@namdrep

Jennifer Currin-McCulloch

3 School of Social Work, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; [email protected]

Cori Bussolari

4 Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA; ude.acfsu@iralossub

Wendy Packman

5 Department of Psychology, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA; ude.uotlaolap@namkcapw

Associated Data

Data available by contacting the corresponding author.

Simple Summary

COVID-19 has impacted veterinary medicine and cat guardians in numerous ways. The purpose of this study was to better understand cat guardians’ fears and concerns pertaining to veterinary care and the ability to obtain pet care products and food during the initial months of the COVID pandemic. We distributed an anonymous online survey to cat guardians that included questions pertaining to guardians’ relationship with their cat and their veterinary related concerns and experiences as a result of the pandemic. The results, from 956 participants revealed that the increased amount of time guardians spent with their cat had a positive impact on their bond. Participants’ primary veterinary related concerns centered around the availability of their veterinarian for both emergency and non-emergency care. Other concerns they shared included fears about the ability to afford emergency veterinary care and obtain cat food and supplies. Awareness of these concerns can help veterinarians better meet the needs of cat guardians by directly communicating their continued availability and presence in the face of a pandemic as well as other challenging times.

The onset of COVID has impacted the field of veterinary medicine and the lives of cat guardians in numerous ways, yet the subject remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study was to better understand cat guardians’ fears and concerns pertaining to veterinary care and obtainment of pet care products and food during the initial lock down phase of the COVID pandemic to better address these concerns now and in the future. To this end, an anonymous online survey was distributed to cat guardians during the first two months of the pandemic. The survey included questions pertaining to guardians’ relationship with their cat and their veterinary related concerns and experiences as a result of the pandemic. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 956 participants. The results revealed that the increased amount of time guardians spent with their cat had a positive impact on their bond. Participants’ veterinary related concerns, particularly for participants between 18–29 years of age, centered around availability of their veterinarian for both emergency and non-emergency care. Other concerns included fears about the ability to afford emergency veterinary care and obtain cat food and supplies. Awareness of these concerns can help veterinarians better support cat guardians by directly communicating their continued availability and presence in the face of a pandemic as well as other challenging times.

1. Introduction

An estimated 67% of US households have at least one pet, and 38% of these homes include at least one cat, leading to approximately 94.2 million companion cats in the US [ 1 ]. These figures are comparable with Canada, where 37% of homes have a cat [ 2 ]. While still substantial, although slightly lower, 27% of Australian homes have a cat [ 3 ] and in the UK, 24% of adults have a companion cat [ 4 ]. Cats are also common in Brazil, with 17.7% of homes containing at least one cat [ 5 ]. Regardless of geographical location, the majority of cat guardians reported feeling that their cat is a family member and that the positives of having a cat outweighed any negative aspects, with key benefits including love, affection, companionship, and the ability to make their guardians happy [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]. Yet, with these benefits comes responsibility, not least of which is the provision of veterinary care [ 2 , 3 ].

Although dogs and cats are the most common type of companion animals [ 1 ] and share some similarities, there are many differences between the two species, including how they are perceived, how they interact with their guardians, and the characteristics of guardians themselves. Cats interact with people differently than dogs; cat-human interactions typically involve signals used in cat–cat encounters with some modifications. For example, meows and purring are often employed as attention-seeking vocalizations that are encouraged and rewarded by cat guardians [ 7 ]. Another form of interspecific communication between cat and guardian involves the eye. The slow blink, involving a series of half-blinks followed by an extended narrowing of the eye or a full eye closure, has been found to be a form of cat–owner communication [ 8 ]. So, while it is increasingly clear that cats communicate regularly with their guardians, perhaps due to their divergent domestication histories [ 9 ], these forms of communication can be quite subtle and not as easily read and interpreted as overt dog communication [ 7 ]. Another important distinction between dogs and cats is how they are typically acquired. As Dotson and Hyatt noted, people typically proactively acquire a dog, while many cat guardians report feeling that their cat chose them [ 10 ]. In addition, animal guardians appear to place a higher economic value on dogs compared to cats, evidenced by a willingness to pay more for veterinary care [ 11 ].

Beyond differences between interspecies communication and interaction, there appear to be personality differences between cat and dog guardians [ 12 ], with dog guardians seen as more extraverted, conscientious, and agreeable than cat guardians [ 13 ]. Furthermore, a recent study exploring differences between dog and cat guardians found that dog guardians reported higher self-esteem than cat guardians or people without companion animals, while cat guardians reported lower self-esteem than people without companion animals [ 14 ]. These studies suggest that there are many differences between the interspecific relationship of cat/human and dog/human, as well as the characteristics of dog and cat guardians. It is therefore hypothesized that cat guardians may respond differently than dog guardians to the veterinary related challenges associated with the COVID pandemic.

The onset of COVID in March 2020 brought countless changes which immediately impacted the field of veterinary medicine. In many countries, including the UK, the US, Australia and Canada, and throughout Europe, veterinary hospital protocols were suddenly altered as attempts were made to continue offering veterinary care in as safe a way as possible. Common changes include limiting services to essential/emergencies, a shift to ‘curbside care’ in which clients wait outside while their pet is taken inside by veterinary professionals, and different forms of telemedicine [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].

Entities like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Veterinary Clinics Treating Companion Animals in April 2020, and subsequently has provided frequent updates (the latest update was in August 2020) [ 19 ]. The report is designed to provide guidance to veterinarians and their staff who are treating or advising on companion animal medical care during the pandemic, with the intent of “ facilitating preparedness and to ensure practices are in place in a companion animal veterinary clinical setting to help people and animals stay safe and healthy ”. Yet, even with these CDC suggestions regarding procedural strategies [ 20 ], studies found significant variation in how veterinary hospitals interpreted and implemented these suggested policies during the first several months of COVID [ 21 ]. Faced with an increased demand for services, as well as staffing shortages, most veterinary hospitals continued to provide care, but others that were not able to provide care referred cases back to the guardians’ primary care veterinarian or provided minimal treatment with additional monitoring by the guardian. Hospitals also reported dealing with issues of safety protocols, shortages of staff, and financial impact [ 22 ].

In addition, the AVMA, as well as similar entities in other countries also worked to educate veterinary professionals and pet guardians about the risk of pets infecting humans and visa versa [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Because, in addition to the uncertainty surrounding veterinary care services, the early months of COVID were also marked by uncertainty regarding the possibility of passing COVID from human to companion cats or from cats to their guardians. While these publications and subsequent studies focused on suggested and implemented operational strategies and helped to provide information on how to plan and prepare for possible next steps, none addressed pet guardians’ concerns.

One of the first studies pertaining to veterinary clients’ perspectives was conducted by Banfield Pet Hospital [ 26 ]. In this study, a sample of 1,000 dog and cat guardians responded to a range of questions regarding how their personal wellbeing and concerns about their pets’ health had been impacted by COVID. A third of respondents reported feeling more attuned to their dog or cat than before the pandemic began, and 37% said they were paying more attention to their pet’s personal care. They also found that 41% of people said they had contacted their veterinarian during the early months of COVID related quarantine and Banfield noted that their call line, a service providing guardians with general pet care advice and triage support, caseload had increased nearly 90% since before COVID [ 27 ].

Another recent study found that while having pets during the lockdown phase of COVID brought people many benefits, it also created some stressors, including the ability to acquire pet supplies and concerns related to accessing veterinary care. In this study, US pet guardians indicated concern accessing veterinary care when needed, as well as trepidation regarding new curbside protocols at veterinary clinics that do not allow pet guardians to accompany their pets during appointments [ 28 ].

These findings suggest that the early quarantine months of COVID impacted pet guardians in many critical areas, yet the subject remains largely unexplored. Understanding the impact of COVID on cat guardians can help veterinary professionals best address their clients’ concerns and needs during a pandemic or other form of crisis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand cat guardians’ fears and concerns pertaining to veterinary care and obtainment of pet care products and food during the lock down phase of the COVID pandemic to be better prepared to address these concerns now and in the future.

2. Materials and Methods

An online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey (in Supplementary Materials ) was developed using Qualtrics (Qualtrics, Inc., Provo, UT, USA). The survey was designed, reviewed, and tested by the co-investigators and their colleagues (veterinary and social science professionals) after seeking input from cat-owning representatives from the community. The survey was pilot tested for ambiguity and/or potentially missing or inappropriate response options, with revisions made based on the results of the pilot testing. The final survey (see Supplementary Materials ) and study design were approved by the Colorado State University Institutional Review Board (IRB # 20-10003H). Survey respondents were recruited through social media outlets and human animal focused organizations (e.g., Facebook cat-focused groups, Human Animal Interaction Section of American Psychological Association) between 30 March 2020 to 1 May 2020.

In order to maximize our understanding of the impact of COVID, cat guardians over the age of 18 from any country were encouraged to participate with the recognition that countries’ veterinary services (within countries as well as between) might be impacted differently. Demographic data were collected (e.g., age group, gender, country of residence, current level of COVID restrictions, number of adults, children and cats living in the home). Respondents were asked to indicate their social support before COVID and at the time they completed the survey and questions about the psychological impact of their cats during COVID restrictions (analyses of these items not included in this paper). Additionally, they were asked about changes in how much time they spent with their cat (in general and actively engaged). Next, they were asked about their perception of any changes in the bond they have with their cat before COVID and currently with two bond rating questions that asked them to rate their bond with their cat on a scale from 1 (not at all bonded) to 10 (extremely bonded). For people who indicated they had more than one cat, they were instructed to answer the survey questions for their cat whose name starts with a letter closest to the beginning of the alphabet (“for example, choose to answer about Fluffy rather than Sylvester since "F" comes before "S" in the alphabet”).

The next section of the survey included questions related to veterinary care and non-veterinary cat related concerns using a 4-point Likert scale (no concern to great concern). Veterinary related questions included concern level about their ability to afford veterinary care (emergency and non-emergency both now and in the future) and concern about the availability of their veterinarian for emergency and non-emergency issues. Additional veterinary related questions asked about their veterinary care experiences during COVID restrictions.

The next set of questions pertained to cat supplies (affordability and access), caretaker concerns, and zoonotic risks. These questions included the ability to afford or acquire cat food/supplies now or in the future. Guardians were also asked if they had designated a caretaker in case they were unable to care for their cat in addition to concern level for the ‘ability to play with your cat if you get COVID’ and ‘ability to keep your cat because of changes due to COVID’.

Potential changes in guardians’ perceptions of cat behaviors were assessed with two questions. The first question asked guardians to indicate, right before the COVID-19 outbreak, how frustrated they felt about their cats’ undesirable behaviors on a scale from 1 (minimal/no frustration) to 10 (extremely frustrated). They could also select ‘no undesirable behaviors’. This question was followed with a similar question asking guardians to rate their current frustration level with respect to their cat’s behaviors.

Data were analyzed using SPSS (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were calculated to characterize current attitudes and patterns in cat care during COVID restriction times. Paired t -tests were used to assess changes in bond score and frustration level with behaviors from one month before COVID to ‘current’ time. Associations between demographic variables and concern related questions were investigated using Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance. Significance level (α) was set at p = 0.05 and all tests were two-tailed.

The total number of responses to the survey was 956, with the largest number of respondents from the United States. At the time of this survey, most participants reported restrictions in their city at the level of ‘all non-essential stores/businesses closed and ordered/strongly recommended to stay at home’ ( Table 1 ).

Demographics of participants: Country and level of COVID restrictions.

When queried about the number of people and cats in the home, the most common response for number of adults was two (489, 51.2%), followed by one (339, 35.5%). The majority of participants did not have children under the age of 18 living at home (868, 90.8%), followed by one child (65, 6.8%). Most participants owned two cats (318, 33.3%) with many others reporting owning one cat (294, 30.8%) or three cats (134, 14.0%).

The age range of participants ( n = 938) was 18–86 (X = 53.88 (SD 3.94)). For analysis, ages were categorized into younger than 30 (69, 7.4%), 30–39 (109, 11.6%), 40–49 (144, 15.4%), 50–59 (253, 27.0%), and 60 and older (363, 38.7%). The majority of respondents were female (975, 91.9%), with 74 (7.8%) males and 3 (0.3%) identifying as non-binary (4 did not answer).

3.1. Bond and Activities with Cat

Participants were asked to indicate their bond level with their cat both one month before COVID and ‘currently’ on a scale of 1 (not bonded at all) to 10 (extremely bonded). The mean score for one month before was 8.98 (SD 1.55) and ‘currently’ was 9.28 (SD 1.27) (paired t -test = 10.31, p < 0.001). Cat guardians were asked to reflect on their frustration level with their cat’s undesirable behaviors one month prior to COVID and ‘currently’ on a scale of 1 (minimal/no frustration) to 10 (extremely frustrated) (or they could select no undesirable behaviors). The mean score for one month prior was 2.36 (SD 3.02) and ‘currently’ was 2.44 (SD 3.03). This difference was not significant (t = 0.12, p < 0.906).

When asked whether COVID restrictions had changed the amount of time they spent with their cat, the majority reported spending more time with their cat (616, 64.4%), while 327 (34.2%) reported the time had not changed and 13 (1.4%) reported less time. For those who reported spending more time with their cat, they were asked if this increased time strengthened, strained, or both strengthened and strained the bond. Over half indicated it strengthened the bond (374, 61.6%), 157 (25.9%) reported no change, 67 (11.0%) reported strengthened and strained, and 9 (1.5%) reported strained (9 did not respond).

3.2. Veterinary-Related Iissues

Participants were asked to indicate their concern level with several veterinary issues ( n = 935). These items included the ability to afford emergency and non-emergency care now and in the future, concerns that their veterinarian would not be available for emergencies or non-emergencies, and concern about needing to leave the house if their cat required veterinary care. The issues of most concern were whether their veterinarian would be available if they needed them for emergencies and non-emergencies ( Table 2 ). Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance was used to assess for age differences in stated concern level for these veterinary related issues (excluding those who responded NA). Participants under 30 years of age, compared to older guardians, were significantly more concerned that their veterinarian will not be available if they needed him/her for emergencies ( n = 871) (H = 11.50, p = 0.022) and less concerned about the ability to afford non-emergency care in the future ( n = 862) (H = 17.41, p = 0.002) No other concerns were significantly different based on age.

Stated concern for veterinary issues.

Participants were also asked to indicate their concern level with several animal, non-veterinary-related issues ( n = 935). These included the ability to afford or acquire cat food/supplies now or in the future, a caretaker for their cat if they themselves became ill or were unable to play with them, and whether the virus could be passed between cat and guardian. They were also asked to indicate their concern about their ability to keep their cat due to COVID changes. The areas of most concern were the ability to play/exercise with their cat or obtain a caretaker for their cat if they contracted COVID ( Table 3 ).

Stated concern for non-veterinary cat issues and impact of age.

1 Statistically ignisficant age difference.

Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance found that participants between 40–59 years of age, compared to older and younger guardians, reported greater concern about the ability to afford cat food/supplies now and in the future. Participants 40 years of age and older reported higher concern, compared to younger guardians, about acquiring a caretaker for their cat if they contracted COVID, and the ability to keep their cat because of COVID-related changes.

Participants were asked if they had identified someone who could care for their cat if they, as guardians, became sick ( n = 931), to which 580 (62.3%) reported yes, and 351 (37.7%) reported no. Older guardians (50 and older) were more likely to have identified a caretaker than younger guardians (X 2 = 24.21 (4), p < 0.001) ( Table 4 ).

Age as a factor in identified caretaker of cat ( n = 913).

When asked if they had agreed to care for someone else’s cat if that guardian were to become ill ( n = 931), 116 (12.5%) reported yes, 774 (83.1%) reported no because they had not been asked, and 18 (1.9%) reported no, they had been asked, but could not commit to this responsibility.

3.3. Veterinary Care during COVID

Participants were asked if their cat had required veterinary care since the COVID outbreak ( n = 931) to which 159 (17.1%) reported yes and 772 (82.9%) reported no. Of those who said they required veterinary care, the majority reported taking their cat to a veterinarian (112, 70.9%). Those who reported going to the veterinarian were asked to indicate all the reasons for the veterinary visit(s). The most common reasons were vaccinations, monitoring an illness/disease or wellness exam. The numbers for each type of visit are listed in Table 5 .

Reasons for veterinary visits since the COVID outbreak.

Participants were asked about the procedures in place when they visited their veterinarian ( n = 110). The largest percent reported they were met in the parking lot and not allowed inside the hospital (65, 59.1%), followed by allowed in both the reception area and exam room (24, 21.8%), and then allowed in reception area only (8, 7.3%). Most of the ‘other’ responses (13, 11.8%) reported that the protocols changed over time and they had experienced more than one protocol.

Lastly, participants were asked to describe their most recent veterinary visit experience since the COVID-19 outbreak, during a time where, in most instances, humans were not allowed in the clinics. Several pertinent issues emerged. The most prominent theme reflected participants’ concerns regarding their inability to be present with their cats in the veterinary clinic. Cat guardians felt the need to be with their cat to support and take care of them and experienced stress as a result, even with minor procedures. One participant noted: “ She needed a blood test for her thyroid to ensure we’re giving the right amount of meds, I sat in my car and they took her in and then back out to me. I actually really hated it because I know how stressful the vet is for her, but I couldn’t be there for comfort .” Another participant noted: “ It was stressful because I wasn’t allowed in which made me feel sad anxious and concerned that my fur baby was going to be under distress because I wasn’t there or handled quickly because of the COVID-19 .”

Many participants were appreciative of their veterinarian’s communication pertaining to COVID-19 transmission risks and the extra safety precautions their hospitals implemented. As one participant noted: “ My vet … is the best! I had to take my cat there because she had a follow-up appointment to her full teeth extraction surgery. They had precautions in place for COVID- 19 and had me park in front of the clinic. Then they came out to pick up my cat and I just waited for their call to give me a summary and recommendations and then they brought her out with some dental treats. It was seamless ”. Another participant stated: “ When we first took our cat to the vet the virus was just out breaking in our state and as the illness continued over the span of just two weeks we noticed more measures being implemented for patient and worker safety. Our vet and her staff did a great job to still make us feel like we were being taken care of… ” Conversely, some participants noted they felt stressed by the imposed restrictions. For instance: “ I was a bit more anxious as I couldn’t be with my cat and only interacted with vet via phone .” Another participant stated: “ Outside clinic. On the parking lot. Don’t like it .” It seems that cat guardians felt more comfort with the veterinary services, despite the separation from their cat, when there was additional consideration for human safety and a high level of interpersonal engagement with the clinic.

4. Discussion

This study was conducted during the initial months of COVID, an unprecedented time of quarantine that caused many a great deal of anxiety and uncertainly about the future. The sudden mandated changes encompassed all areas of daily living including veterinary medicine and the ability to care for companion animals [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ], creating concern among pet guardians across the world [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], and cat guardians in particular. Because of the unique aspects of the cat/human relationship [ 7 , 9 ] the impact of COVID on cat guardians to determine if cat related concerns and experiences differ from those of dog guardians was assessed.

The changes accompanying COVID, in which most people began spending more time at home, appears to have positively impacted their relationship with their cat. Over 60% of guardians reported spending more time with their cat and felt that this additional time strengthened their bond. Additionally, even though people reported more time with their cat, most did not report an increase in frustration over any undesirable behaviors. This positive impact on the bond between guardian and companion animal during COVID lockdown times has been noted in previous studies [ 29 , 30 , 32 ].

When cat guardians were asked about veterinary related concerns, the most common concerns during this time were availability of their veterinarian for both emergency as well as non-emergency care. The concern regarding the availability for emergencies was felt most acutely by cat guardians 18–29 years of age. These results are similar to the sentiments expressed by dog guardians in a recent study whereby younger dog guardians voiced more concern regarding availability of veterinary services than older dog guardians [ 32 ]. Perhaps younger guardians are used to nearly all services and products being consistently and reliably available almost instantly (and have this expectation) [ 33 ], they were more impacted by these initial uncertain times.

Veterinary professionals can help mitigate the worries of pet parents by communicating regularly with their clients and reassuring them that they plan to remain open and available. Although many veterinary hospitals have seen an influx of business since the onset of COVID [ 34 , 35 ], and some are struggling to handle the increased caseload, it is more important than ever to prioritize client communication. Communication of this nature does not have to be detailed or time consuming but should utilize different communication modalities. For example, the use of veterinary clinic mobile apps, text messages, Twitter, and Instagram might be best suited for communicating with younger pet guardians, while email, Facebook, printed materials and phone messages might work better with older clients [ 36 ]. Sending frequent messages and updates regarding protocols, regardless of modality, might help decrease guardians’ concerns regarding veterinary clinics’ availability. COVID has also created an opportunity to embrace telehealth, the use of technology to remotely deliver health information, education or care [ 37 ]. The use of telemedicine to deliver veterinary medical services can benefit patients, clients and the profession [ 38 ] and offers innovative solutions in the quest to serve companion animal guardians safely during the pandemic. To that end, The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RSVS) in the United Kingdom, as well as American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and The American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) in the United States have published guidelines to help veterinarians incorporate telemedicine safely and legally [ 39 , 40 ]. As COVID continues to impact daily living, as well as when future instances of radical change necessitate societal restrictions occur, the need to communicate availability through all modalities to ease guardians’ concerns will remain important.

Of nearly equal concern to veterinary service availability was guardians’ fears about being able to afford emergency care in the future, while fewer participants were worried about affording non-emergency care either at the time of the survey nor in the future. Perhaps this fear pertaining to the ability to afford emergency care is why pet insurance companies have noted substantial growth since the onset of COVID. For example, Trupanion, one of the largest pet health insurance companies, reported a 28% increase in revenue the second quarter of 2020 compared to the previous year [ 35 ].

When queried about their actual veterinary visits during COVID lockdown times, it is interesting to note that although many veterinary hospitals were advised to limit their cases to essential/emergency services, the most common reasons for veterinary visits (listed by the 17% of respondents who indicted they had taken their cat to the veterinarian since COVID), included obtaining vaccinations, wellness exams, and monitoring an illness/disease. This would suggest that many veterinary hospitals (at least in the US) had not limited their services during the first couple months of COVID. Given the wide array of implemented restrictions throughout the US in response to COVID, variance within veterinary hospital protocols is to be expected.

In regard to cat food and supplies, the ability to obtain these items was a noted concern for many guardians, and in fact, even more so than the ability to afford cat food/supplies at the time of the survey as well as in the future. The initial months of COVID were marked by hoarding behaviors of many staples (e.g., toilet paper, baking supplies, cleaning supplies, etc) [ 41 ], fueling fears about the ability to acquire needed supplies. The same hoarding behaviors were seen with pet food [ 42 ], likely increasing cat guardians’ fears about acquiring the food and supplies needed to keep their cat happy and well cared for.

While the ability to afford cat food and supplies, both at that time and in the future, was not as great a concern as being able to obtain supplies, it was still a noted concern for nearly 20% of respondents. Guardians ages 40–59 years of age, compared to both older and younger guardians, reported greater concern about the ability to afford cat food/supplies at that time and in the future. A better understanding of the factors that might be influencing the fears for this middle age cohort is warranted. Insuring access to pet food is not only important for pet welfare, it carries implications for human health. As Rauktis et al. found, companion animal food insecurity and scarcity can create human food security problems as people attempt to supplement their pets’ diet with their own food [ 43 ]. To address these concerns among all guardians, it is suggested that communities allocate resources to such entities as pet food pantries or other methods in which guardians can obtain cat supplies. The need for these types of resources is not limited to a pandemic response, however, but extends to any form of disaster. Companion animals have been shown to directly impact how people respond and recover to a variety of disasters [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ], leading to recent efforts to integrate companion animals into human emergency planning [ 48 ]. It has been suggested that companion animals may be useful conduits for communicating with vulnerable populations during times of disasters, helping guide people towards healthy behaviors that facilitate recovery [ 49 ]. Similar efforts could be implemented for pandemic related disasters.

In addition to veterinary related issues and supplies, cat guardians were concerned about the ability to play/exercise with their cat, obtain a caretaker for their cat if they contracted COVID. Participants 40 years of age and older were more likely to report higher concern levels than younger guardians about obtaining a caretaker for their cat if they contracted COVID as well as the ability to keep their cat because of COVID-related changes. Given the nature of COVID, and its disproportionately negative impact on older adults [ 50 ], it follows that older guardians would express more concern about what might happen to their cat if they acquired COVID. Although guardians ages 50 and older were more likely to have identified a caretaker than younger guardians, the percentage of these guardians was still less than ideal (62% for guardians 50–59, 71% for guardians 60 and older). The percent of guardians ages 18–49 who had identified a caretaker were approximately 50–57%, comparable to those found for dog guardians [ 32 ]. The number of guardians who have not identified a caretaker is of concern. The psychological response to the overwhelming feelings that can accompany COVID, in addition to real and perceived zoonotic risks, may cause some guardians to consider relinquishing or euthanizing their companion animal [ 51 ]. As a result, companion animal welfare may suffer [ 52 ]. To help mitigate these negative consequences, proactive measures must be taken. It is important that animal organizations, pet food/supply companies and the veterinary field all work together to encourage guardians to identify a pet caretaker. Organizations such as the ASPCA, for example, offer information and resources on their website to help pet guardians create caretaking arrangements, including an analysis of informal vs formal caretaker agreements as well as a disaster preparedness and pet trust information [ 53 ]. In addition to online resources, the creation of a local safety community network of cat guardians and short-term housing options might help ameliorate some of cat guardians’ fears.

Limitations of this study are those inherent in online surveys, including the potential bias of those who chose to participate. Participants were primarily female and had to have internet access and feel comfortable completing a survey in English, so care should be taken when generalizing to other populations. Future studies might benefit from including additional questions such as cat age and time of ownership. Additionally, assessing income level might be of value, as guardians with lower incomes might have fewer resources for veterinary care and cat supplies; a problem likely exacerbated by COVID. Other factors such as how long the guardian has had the cat, as well as their cat’s age, would also be helpful.

5. Conclusions

Results of this study suggest that cats remain a top priority for cat guardians even during times of tremendous upheaval. During the initial months of COVID when nearly every aspect of daily life changed overnight, cat guardians wanted and needed reassurance that they would be able to continue caring for their cats. As the veterinary profession continues to adapt to COVID restrictions and safety measures, it is hoped that they prioritize client communication to help assuage client fears.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Jennifer Link for help in formatting.

Supplementary Materials

The following are available online at https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/3/603/s1 , File S1: COVID-19 and cats.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, L.R.K., P.E., J.C.-M., C.B., W.P.; methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigation, data curation: P.E., L.R.K.; visualization, writing—original draft preparation, writing—review and editing: all authors; project administration, L.R.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of Colorado State University (protocol code 20-10003H and 3/30/20).

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

• Testimonial
• Web Stories

Learning Home

Not Now! Will rate later

List of Online Reading Resources for CAT

Top Reading Resources for CAT

• The Philosopher’s Beard
• The Stone (New York Times)
• Sophia Project
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• The Economist
• The New York Times (Paul Krugman Articles)
• Project Syndicate
• Financial Times
• The New Yorker
• The Culture Vulture
• CAT Admit Card
• CAT Eligibility Criteria
• CAT Exam Pattern
• CAT Preparation
• CAT Registration
• CAT 2019 Analysis
• CAT Study Material
• CAT 2021 Crash Course
• CAT 2023 Analysis
• B-School Application Form
• CAT Percentile Predictor
• MBA College Counselling
• CAT Notification
• CAT Syllabus
• CAT Question Papers
• CAT Sample Papers
• CAT Mock Test
• CAT Test Series
• CAT Cut Off
• CAT Colleges

CAT Online Coaching

• Scientific American
• National Geographic

How to Read Well for CAT?

• While reading any article, try to identify the crux of the article.
• In most good-quality articles, each paragraph revolves around a particular idea or argument. Seek to find the connections and transitions from one para to next.
• Identify the writer's outlook, tone, and attitude towards the topic of the article.
• There may be some redundant information in the passages. As you read more and more, you will get efficient in sort out the useful information from the wasteful one.
• CAT Logical Reasoning
• CAT Reading Comprehension
• CAT Grammar
• CAT Para Jumbles
• CAT Data Interpretation
• CAT Data Sufficiency
• CAT DI Questions
• CAT Analytical Reasoning

Most Popular Articles - PS

CAT Exam 2024: A to Z of the Common Admission Test (CAT)

CAT Notification 2024 - CAT 2024 Exam Date - CAT Important Dates

CAT 2024 Eligibility Criteria

CAT Exam Pattern 2024

CAT Syllabus 2024

CAT Registration 2024: Explained Stepwise

CAT Preparation | Free tips for CAT Preparation 2024

CAT Study Material 2024

CAT Previous Year Question Papers

CAT Sample Paper 2024

CAT Mock Test | Free CAT Mock Test

CAT 2024 Test Series

Colleges Accepting CAT Score

CAT Cut Off 2023 for Top MBA Colleges and IIMs

CAT Score Vs Percentile

State and City wise Top B-Schools

CAT 2023 Exam Analysis

30,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

Essay on Cat: Samples for Students in 100, 200, and 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Jan 29, 2024

Cats are adorable pets. They are furry, cute and cuddly and are loved by most people. Their silly acts make them a favourite among people. Cats have been around for thousands of years now it is now sometimes unclear if we have domesticated them or if is it the opposite that is true. There are so many aspects to cats. We have included several things related to cats in the samples of our essay on Cat. let’s have a look at the same!

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Cat in 100 words
• 2 Essay on Cat in 200 words
• 3 Essay on Cat in 300 words

Also Read:- Essay on Waste Management

Essay on Cat in 100 words

I have a pet cat and her name is Hermoine. She is white in color. We brought her home when she was only 8 weeks old kitten. Now, she is 1 year old. I love to play with her. We have a ball for her that she likes to chase around the house. Most of the time she is playing, she likes to eat and sleep otherwise. When I wake up in the morning, I look for Hermoine. And every night before going to bed, I pet her. I love my cat and now, she an important part of our lives. 

Also Read:- Essay on My Hobby

Essay on Cat in 200 words

I have a pet cat. His name is Snowbell and he is white in colour. We brought Snowbell home when he was around 8 weeks old and now, he is 1.5 years old. Most of the time he stays inside the house being lazy and sleeping. But he is also very energetic. He likes to chase a ball around the house that we brought for him. 

Pets are very lovable but having them brings a lot of responsibilities. We take very good care of Snowbell and feed him twice a day. We make sure that he gets enough nutrients in his meals. My sister bathes him twice a week. And then we brush his white fur. Cats also need a good bed to sleep in so, we brought a bed specifically for him. It’s so soft and he loves sleeping in it. Also, we made sure that he got all his vaccinations done on time. 

By nature, cats like to eat fish and other meats. And so, our Snowbell also loves fish and chicken. Whenever I am studying, Snowbell comes near me, curls up around my feet and lays there. Our whole family loves Snowbell, especially my mother. Snowbell is an important part of our family.

Also Read:- Essay on Athletics in 100, 200, 300 Words for Students

Essay on Cat in 300 words

My cat’s name is Stuart. He is a Maine Coon cat that is famous for its furry looks. Stuart is very dear to me. His walk is majestic, and he loves to hop around the house while carrying all his grace in his golden fur. Although very majestic, when he sleeps, his postures are funny to look at. 

Most of the time he stays at home playing with the ball we got him. But at times he also goes in the backyard for a stroll. He loves watching the birds from the window in my room. I have always wanted a pet cat and when my dad brought home Stuart, I was the happiest. He came home curdled like a white snowball. The cats of his breed live in cold climates, hence we have to ensure that our house is airconditioned properly, especially at night. Now, because they are habitual to such cold climates, the fur of Stuart is amazingly fluffy. We also have to take extra precautions so that Stuart doesn’t feel too much heat. 

Cats require a lot of attention and care. We take care of Stuart’s meals like we would of a baby. We feed him twice a day and make sure that he gets all the necessary nutrients through his meals. We also bathe him twice a week. Another important thing that we made sure of is that he got all his vaccinations done on time. And periodically we visit the vet to make sure that he is healthy. Although domesticated, he still likes to chase around birds. When some pigeons sit on the window, he chases them away. 

Everyone in our family love loves Stuart. We all take care of him and love him with all our hearts. He is an important member of our family.

Ans: I have a pet cat and her name is Hermoine. She is white in colour. We brought her home when she was only 8 weeks old kitten. Now, she is 1 year old. I love to play with her. We have a ball for her that she likes to chase around the house. Most of the time she is playing, other times she likes to eat and sleep. When I wake up in the morning, I look for Hermoine. And every night before going to bed, I pet her. I love my cat and now, she an important part of our lives. 

Ans: I have a pet cat. His name is Snowbell and he is white in colour. We brought Snowbell home when he was around 8 weeks old and now, he is 1.5 years old. Most of the time he stays inside the house being lazy and sleeping. But he is also very energetic. He likes to chase a ball around the house that we brought for him.  Pets are very lovable but having them brings a lot of responsibilities. We take very good care of Snowbell and feed him twice a day. We make sure that he gets enough nutrients in his meals. My sister bathes him twice a week. And then we brush his white fur. Cats also need a good bed to sleep in so, we brought a bed specifically for him. It’s so soft and he loves sleeping in it. Also, we made sure that he got all his vaccinations done on time.  By nature, cats like to eat fish and other meats. And so, our Snowbell also loves fish and chicken. Whenever I am studying, Snowbell comes near me, curls up around my feet and lays there. Our whole family loves Snowbell, especially my mother. Snowbell is an important part of our family.

Ans: A pet is an animal that is brought home and is taken care of as one of the family members.

Related Reads:

This brings us to the end of our blog on Essay on Cat. Hope you find this information useful. For more information on such informative topics for your school, visit our essay writing and follow Leverage Edu.

Deepansh Gautam

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

30,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today.

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Building embryos

For 3,000 years, humans have struggled to understand the embryo. Now there is a revolution underway

John Wallingford

Design and fashion

Sitting on the art

Given its intimacy with the body and deep play on form and function, furniture is a ripely ambiguous artform of its own

Emma Crichton Miller

Learning to be happier

In order to help improve my students’ mental health, I offered a course on the science of happiness. It worked – but why?

Consciousness and altered states

How perforated squares of trippy blotter paper allowed outlaw chemists and wizard-alchemists to dose the world with LSD

Last hours of an organ donor

In the liminal time when the brain is dead but organs are kept alive, there is an urgent tenderness to medical care

Ronald W Dworkin

The environment

We need to find a way for human societies to prosper while the planet heals. So far we can’t even think clearly about it

Ville Lähde

Archaeology

Why make art in the dark?

New research transports us back to the shadowy firelight of ancient caves, imagining the minds and feelings of the artists

Izzy Wisher

Stories and literature

Do liberal arts liberate?

In Jack London’s novel, Martin Eden personifies debates still raging over the role and purpose of education in American life

Politics and government

India and indigeneity

In a country of such extraordinary diversity, the UN definition of ‘indigenous’ does little more than fuel ethnic violence

Dikshit Sarma Bhagabati

Alien life is no joke

Not long ago the search for extraterrestrials was considered laughable nonsense. Today, it’s serious and scientific

History of ideas

Reimagining balance

In the Middle Ages, a new sense of balance fundamentally altered our understanding of nature and society

What would Thucydides say?

In constantly reaching for past parallels to explain our peculiar times we miss the real lessons of the master historian

Mark Fisher