Stray and Owner-Relinquished Cats in Australia—Estimation of Numbers Entering Municipal Pounds, Shelters and Rescue Groups and Their Outcomes

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Lack of comprehensive and accurate data on the frequency of stray and owner-relinquished cats entering municipal pounds, animal welfare shelters, and rescue groups across the states and territories in Australia is an impediment to targeting management of domestic cats to where it is most needed. Our study aimed to evaluate availability of data as well as collect and analyze comprehensive data to establish a baseline to measure future improvements in domestic cat management. Data were collected for 2018–2019 by email and phone where not publicly available. Unavailable municipal pound data were imputed based on known data and the human population. We estimated a total of 179,615 stray and surrendered cat admissions to pounds, shelters, and rescue groups in Australia in 2018–2019 (7.2/1000 human residents) and that 5% of admissions were reclaimed, 65% rehomed, and 28% euthanized. Municipal councils operating their own pounds rehomed 26% and euthanized 46% of cat intake compared to 65% rehomed and 25% euthanized for welfare organizations. Data collation and analyses at a national level would be facilitated by open public access to standardized intake and outcome data for municipal pounds, shelters, and rescue groups. This would highlight where improvements are most needed and serve as a baseline to track the impact of new policies, protocols, and legislation. More effective management of domestic cats will ultimately benefit the community, cats, and wildlife. ABSTRACT: Access to comprehensive municipal pound, animal welfare shelters, and rescue group data for admissions and outcomes for stray and owner-relinquished cats in Australia is currently lacking. This hinders effective assessment of existing management strategies for domestic cats by animal management agencies. Our study aimed to estimate the numbers of cat admissions and intakes to Australian municipal council pounds, animal welfare organizations (excluding smaller animal welfare organizations thought to have annual cat intakes of less than 500), and animal rescue groups and their respective outcomes for 2018–2019 (pre-COVID). Unavailable municipal council data were imputed based on known data and council human populations. Only Victoria and New South Wales had publicly available municipal data, and only RSPCA had publicly available data in all states. We estimated a total of 179,615 (7.2/1000 human residents) admissions to pounds, shelters, and rescue groups in 2018–2019, with an estimated 5% reclaimed, 65% rehomed, and 28% euthanized. Reclaim rates were low across all the agencies. Councils operating their own pound had nearly double the euthanasia rate (estimated at 46%) compared to animal welfare organizations (25%). Rescue groups rehomed an estimated 35% of the total number of cats rehomed by all agencies. The upper quartiles of councils with intakes of >50 cats in Victoria and New South Wales had estimated euthanasia rates from 73% to 98%, and 67% to 100%, respectively. We recommend that comprehensive municipal pound, shelter, and rescue statistics be routinely calculated using standardized methods and made available publicly in a timely fashion. This would inform management strategies to optimize live outcomes and therefore reduce the negative mental health impacts on staff tasked with euthanizing healthy and treatable cats and kittens.