ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to identify whether towels over a cage or a box provided within a cage were better at reducing stress in the newly hospitalised cat. Forty-five cats were used, randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups: (1) Control, (2) Hide, (3) Screen. Temperature, heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) were taken on admit and after 20 min. Cats were behaviourally scored for stress (CSS) on admit and every minute for 20 min within their cage.

Control cats showed no reduction in HR or RR, but CSS did decline compared with the baseline (P = 0.002). Compared to the control, a significant decrease in HR and RR was observed for both hide (HR, P = 0.002; RR, P < 0.001) and screen cats (HR, P = 0.001; RR, P < 0.001). HR decrease was similar between hide and screen cats but RR rate decrease was slightly more for screen cats (P = 0.049).

CSS also declined for both hide cats (P < 0.001) and screen cats (P < 0.001), with hide cats showing a tendency to reduce CSS more than screen cats (P = 0.054), and screen cats a tendency to reduce css more than the control condition (P = 0.090). The CSS of hide cats declined significantly more than for control cats (P = 0.003).

Therefore, it is concluded that this study provided very limited, but positive, evidence that both enrichments may rapidly result in detectable reductions in feline stress levels. however, there is insufficient evidence to determine which enrichment method (if either) is better than the other.

Author(s)

Laura Arrandale

Laura Arrandale is a RVN living and working in the Milton Keynes area. She graduated in 2012 from Harper Adams University with a BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing and Practice Management degree. She has a strong interest in the welfare of the feline patient.

Email: laura.arrandale@hotmail.co.uk

Louise Buckley BSc (Hons), BA (Hons), PG Cert (TLHEP), PGDip, PhD, RVN

Louise Buckley is an experienced RVN with particular interests in animal behaviour and welfare and raw food feeding. She has a PhD in poultry behaviour and divides her time between veterinary nursing and lecturing. She is passionate about nurses engaging more with research.

Keywords: Clinical, Acute stress

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 32 (10) • October 2017 pp285-288

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