Identifying barriers to providing daily playtime for cats: A survey-based approach using COM-B analysis
Format of work:
Journal Article
Event presented at / Journal Name:
Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Speaker / Contact Author's Name:
Sarah Ellis
Speaker / Contact Author's E-mail Address:
sarah.ellis@icatcare.org
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Research aim:
To identify the owner-focussed barriers to daily interactive wand toy play with their cats using the COM-B model.
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Background:
Play behaviour is often considered a sign of good welfare in companion animals. To meet their pets’ environmental needs, owners are encouraged to provide opportunities for the expression of natural behaviours. Owners can provide cats with an outlet for hunting behaviour through interactive play, where they move a wand toy in a way that mimics prey. However, not all owners play this way regularly, or at all, with their cats and it is not fully understood why.
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Approach:
We utilised COM-B analysis (part of the human behaviour change theory 'The Behaviour Change Wheel' through focus group and a survey of cat owners internationally.
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Key finding:
Owners can meet one of their cats behavioural needs through the provision of interactive wand toy play which provides an outlet for hunting behaviours. However, not all owners play this way regularly, or at all, with their cats. In this study, we implemented part of the Behaviour Change Wheel framework, specifically the COM-B model in relation to human behaviour change, via an online survey to assess barriers (in the areas of Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation) for owners playing with their cats with wand toys and to quantify and understand current owner-cat play behaviour. We identified several barriers to playing relating to owner knowledge, and opportunities and motivation to play. Examples included being too tired, forgetting and not having time, not being able to make play a daily habit, and the perception that their cat seems to prefer other toys or activities to wand toys.
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Industry or policy relevance:
This research is relevant to the five domains model of animal welfare.
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Route for practical application:
By identifying barriers to interactive wand toy play with cats, tailored interventions can be designed and implemented.
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Confidence in findings and next steps towards realising impact:
The next step is to design an intervention that aims to reduce the barriers to interactive wand toy play.
Funders:
International Cat Care
Links to Open Access Publications or DOI:
Citation:
Delgado, M., Marcinkiewicz, E., Rhodes, P., & Ellis, S. L. (2024). Identifying barriers to providing daily playtime for cats: A survey-based approach using COM-B analysis. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 280, 106420.
