1. Cats Inside-Only or Inside and Outside
Cats Inside-Only or Inside and Outside?; Cat Owners Prevention and Promotion Motivations
Jill Mosteller, Ph.D.
Portland State University
Karen Kraus
Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon

2. Cats In or Out? Agenda Background/Community participants
Key research questions/approach
Results
Insights
Next steps
5 bullet points – 3+ minutes for each step (if divided equally).

3. Background Coalition of Three Organizations
Audubon Society of Portland
Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon
Portland State University
Key Issues driving study:
Cat overpopulation – leading cause of death for cats
3.4 million cats are killed in shelters each year (HSUS)
In Oregon 15,000 /In Portland cats are euthanized in shelters
200 species of birds migrate/live in Portland Metro area.
25% of species are experiencing significant population declines.
Each year, 40% of the 3,000 bird intake are attributed to attributed to domestic cats.
Willamette Weekly, July 11, 2013 cover photo

4. Coalition Background/Synergies
The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon
Spays/neuters approx. 7,000 feral or stray cats/year
Altered 62,000 cats since inception in 1995.
Focus on prevention of future cats becoming feral or stray
Audubon Society of Portland
Common agenda; reducing the number of free roaming cats in Portland
Portland State University
Marketing professor studies consumers in relation to companion-animals

5. Exploratory Study Exemplifies Cat Advocates and Bird Advocates Working Together

6. Key research question/approach
What factors drive consumer decision-making with cats being let outside?
Secondary research conducted by students
Interdisciplinary searches and summaries
Online survey developed and distributed
Convenience snow-ball sample approach
University ‘identified’ as survey host
Students distributed survey via and on social media sites

7. Theoretical Framework
Regulatory Focus Theory (Higgins 1997, 1998)
Consumers are pursuing needs that they seek to fulfill and drives the color of their thoughts
Approach – promotion focus (+)
Avoidance – prevention focus (-)
Different motivations drive different types of thoughts associated with desired end states/goals.

8. Participant Profile N=120 Cat owners who live in the PNW
Young - 70% 18-32
Educated – 90% some college or higher
Connected – internet survey
Female – (71%)

9. Survey Results
In general, for you, how influential are the following reasons for keeping a cat inside? (4 point scale, 1- no influence, 4 – strong influence)
KEEP
Avoids injury from vehicle traffic.
Avoids injury
Avoids
Prevents cat
INSIDE
vehicles
other animals
disease
from killing
from running away.
Inside only N=68
Mean
3.5
3.21
3.03
2.01
3.13 SD
0.87
0.97
1.1
1.04
Inside and outside N=52
2.63
2.79
2.23
1.5
1.96
1.07
1.18
1.13
0.8
1.14

10. Allowing a cat go outside…
LET OUTSIDE
To enrich
Cat interact
Cat begs
Sneak out
Inside only
cat's life
w/ nature me
anyway
Mean
2.42
2.39
1.89
1.48 SD
1.1
1.14
1.16
0.87
Inside and outside
3.14
2.94
3.1
2.19
0.96
1.07
1.17

11. Survey Insights Motivations to keep a cat inside
Prevention motives
‘Avoid’ injury, disease, and loss
Motivations to let a cat outside
Promotion motives
‘Promote’ an enriched life interacting with nature
Supporting cat’s disposition to want to go outside

12. Cat Caretakers with Inside and Outside Cats…
Messaging that promotes how a cat can lead an enriched life INSIDE OR SAFE OUTSIDE may be persuasive.
Messaging that promotes cat well-being may be well received.
Raising awareness of consequences for cat’s well-being by being outside may be elicit attention.
Further testing with a larger, more representative sample of targeted cat owner households is needed.

13. Next steps – future studies
Survey of targeted HH’s in Metro area
Attitudes – Behavior
Prevention/Promotion focus
Awareness of consequences - capture
Ascription of responsibility - capture
Importance of Cat, Bird, and Eco-system well-being
Testing of elements in messages to determine potential effectiveness in campaigns

14. Questions? Future Inquiries
Jill Mosteller
Karen Kraus