Your opinions on all things cats could become a valuable part of a new University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) research project and all you have to do is answer a few questions.
A new Prince George Cat Survey seeks to understand residents' perceptions of cats, both owned and feral.
“We are interested, as are our partners, in what attitudes people have - do they like cats, do they not like cats, are they a nuisance, do they want to see cats licensed, what do they think about cat welfare issues?,” says Dr. Annie Booth, a researcher in the ecosystem and science management program at UNBC, who is running the study who two of her colleges.
Although the study is being conducted by UNBC researchers, it's also a collaboration with local veterinarian’s clinics, local animal welfare agencies, and the City of Prince George.
“That is the kind of information that city bylaws or the humane organizations or veterinarians that we are partnering with can really use in terms of thinking through best practices for cat welfare and cat management.”
Booth says on average the survey takes people about 13 minutes to complete but could take longer depending on how much detail you want to provide for some of the responses.
As a thank you, survey participants will also be entered to win one of two $250 Visa gift cards.
“It’s also totally anonymous so no one is going to know if you are a particular cat hater, or if you love cats or don’t mind them all over the neighbourhood.”
Booth says she hopes a lot of people take the time to complete the survey because it’s important to know what people’s opinions are local, as opposed to similar research that might have been conducted elsewhere.
“Knowing what people think in Prince George really does helps us develop some made-in Prince George approached to cat welfare and cat management so that would address issues here,” says Booth.
“And that is critical if you want to do things that actually have useful solutions, so the more people participate the better.”
The deadline to participate in the survey is May 30, and you can easily find it online.
However, if you do struggle to access the link and wish to participate, you can email [email protected] for further assistance.
Booth says an upcoming second part of the research project headed by her colleague Dr. Ken Otter, will look at concerns around outside cats and predation.
“In a week or so, we will be launching that piece for people who have outdoor cats that hunt and bring prey home to help us understand the impacts cats have on ecosystems, particularly in the north which has never been studied before.”
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