Perceptions of Cat Rearing, Feeding, and Health Management by Cat Owners in Rajshahi

Background and Objectives: Perceptions of cat owners may affect the lives of pet animals. The study was conducted to learn about of cat owners as well as their contentment with and motivations for raising cats in Rajshahi districts of Bangladesh.

Materials and Methods: Data were collected by a face-to-face interview with 150 pet owners who came to the recognized pet clinics in Rajshahi city from January to December 2023 and analyzes using chi-square test.

Results: This study showed that cat owners made up 70% by female of the total, while 30% made up by male. The majority of cat owners were young people, between the ages of 21 and 30 (49.3%). Urban residents tend to rear cat (62.0%) and have better educational levels (41.5%). Among the cat owners, 87.7% raised their cats indoors, and 11.3% nurtured them outdoors. Residence and educational attainment of cat owners have a substantial association (p<0.05). The breed of cats and their origins were likewise of great worth (p<0.05). The feeding habits of cats varied from owner to owner; however, the majority (20.7%) fed their cats cooked meat, cooked fish and pellets. Different factors influenced cat-raising with the majority (30.0%) being hobbies. Impact studies showed that biting had a significant negative impact and that unconditional love had a significant good impact. During the investigation, various cat health issues were noted; alopecia was the most common issue (24.7%). The vaccination and deworming rates for their cat were 54.0% and 52.7%, respectively.

Conclusion: It was concluded that different owners raised cats for different reasons, with a different preference in choice of cat breed, feeding practice, medication approach, and through a fuller understanding of these features, such research will aid in the development of a cat-rearing approach that improves the well-being of both pets and their owners.