Protecting Cats from Traffic Accidents
05 November 2003
Dr Irene Rochlitz of the Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine has carried out the first ever investigation in Europe into the behavioural and environmental factors associated with car accident injuries in cats. She questioned the owners of 117 animals treated for road traffic injuries at six veterinary practices in Cambridgeshire and describes her findings in this week's Veterinary Record (November 8).
The research showed that there was a strong correlation between the risk of injury and high traffic density and that a large proportion of incidents happened directly outside the cat's family home. Accidents occurred at all times of year but there was tendency for more incidents to happen at night.
"If a cat is hit by a car at night, the consequences for the animal are likely to be more serious. There are likely to be fewer people around to witness the event. It is also more difficult see where it has gone and even if you are able to catch up with it, getting veterinary attention will be more difficult than during the day," Dr Rochlitz explains.
In the first part of the study published in last week's Veterinary Record, Dr Rochlitz identified those individuals that are most at risk. Young cats between the age of seven months and two years had the highest rate of accidents and male cats were at greater risk than females. Curiously, neutering in male cats appeared to have no effects on the accident risk even though the operation is carried out to reduce its urge to wander around looking for a mate.
The research, a pilot study supported by Cats Protection (formerly the Cats Protection League) aimed to find ways for pet owners to protect their animals. But in many respects it has raised more questions than answers. One puzzling finding suggested a higher risk of injury in cats wearing reflective collars than those without.
Dr Rochlitz says this doesn't necessarily mean that the collars are useless - it may just be a statistical fluke resulting from the small sample size or it may be that a higher proportion of cats without collars receive more serious injuries in an accident and are therefore never found.
A larger study involving veterinary practices in other areas of the country may help to answer some of the remaining questions about the causes of road traffic injuries in cats. But in the meantime, Dr Rochlitz is able to identify some useful pointers.
"It is often thought that you can do nothing to stop cats being killed or injured in car accidents - that it is just one of those things that happen. I think the study shows that there are things that can be done, like keeping them indoors at night."
During the study Dr Rochlitz met owners who had two or more cats killed in traffic accidents and so are reluctant to risk another loss. "In those circumstances I would still recommend they get another cat - but an older animal, a female and possibly a pedigree. All those factors may mean it may be better able to keep out of harm's way."
Notes for Editors:
- For further information please contact Chrissie Nicholls or Helena Cotton in the BVA Press Office on 020 7636 6541; press@bva.co.uk.