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An Investigation of Shelter Workers’ Perspectives on the Assessment and Management of Unowned Cat Welfare in the United Kingdom
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Feline Welfare Research Team, Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Haywards Heath RH17 7TT, UK
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RedPony Analytics, Caernarfon LL55 4EP, UK
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2026, 16(11), 1641; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16111641
Submission received: 31 March 2026
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Revised: 20 May 2026
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Accepted: 24 May 2026
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Published: 27 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Welfare)
Simple Summary
This study explored how cat shelter workers perceive the welfare and management of free-living, unowned cats within the UK. Through interviews with 25 shelter workers, major welfare concerns were highlighted including cat overpopulation, untreated health problems, lack of routine veterinary care, and cases of cruelty or neglect. Participants also described significant barriers to improving welfare. Internal barriers included limited funding, staffing shortages, and inadequate facilities, as well as difficulties caring for cats that are not suited to domestic living. External barriers included insufficient government support, limited public awareness of unowned cat welfare, inconsistent community care, and poor pet ownership practices. Confusion around terms such as “stray” and “feral,” and associated inconsistencies in management approaches, were perceived to further complicate effective interventions. Participants recommended more strategic use of shelter resources, particularly through expanding TNR programmes and targeted training for shelter workers. They also stressed the need for clearer, standardised terminology and stronger collaboration between charities to share knowledge and develop best practices. Better engagement with communities was seen as essential for raising awareness and promoting positive cat care practices. Finally, participants stressed the need for the government to introduce and enforce stronger legislation, supporting a shared responsibility for unowned cat welfare.
Abstract
Free-living unowned cats are prevalent across the UK and may experience numerous welfare challenges. However, there is limited research around this. Cat shelter workers were interviewed on the complexities of unowned cat welfare and management, current barriers and recommended solutions. A total of 25 participants partook in semi-structured one-to-one interviews, which were thematically analysed. Some of the main welfare concerns described were overpopulation, health issues, the absence of preventative medical care, cruelty, and neglect. Key barriers included limited resources, funding, personnel and infrastructure, alongside inappropriate management of cats not suited to domestic lifestyles. External barriers included insufficient government support, limited public awareness around cat welfare issues, and fragmented care provision of cats within the community. Other overlapping barriers include inconsistent terminology use and management practices within shelters and communities. Participants recommended more strategic use of shelter resources towards population management programmes including TNR, professional staff training, and the standardisation of terms such as “stray” and “feral”. They advocated for a shared responsibility framework for unowned cats involving animal welfare organisations, the veterinary sector, communities, and the government. This would include stronger collaboration between charities to share knowledge and establish industry best practice, alongside greater government support through the introduction and enforcement of legislation.
Keywords:
free-living; free-roaming; unowned; feral; stray; management; rescue; community; farm shelters; UK
