Brenda Griffin When it comes to handling cats in the shelter, handler safety must always be a high priority. Many shelters receive large numbers of cats with unknown health histories, including individuals that display aggressive behaviors. These animals can be challenging to handle and pose substantial safety risks to untrained and unskilled staff who attempt to do so. Not only are bites and scratches painful, a variety of serious zoonotic diseases are associated with cat‐related injuries. Transmission of diseases such as rabies and cat scratch fever may occur, and cat bite wounds frequently result in serious bacterial infections, all of which may be life‐threatening. For these reasons, the use of handling techniques that protect the handler by minimizing the risk of scratches and bites is essential. Historically, a variety of techniques have been used to handle cats in shelters, ranging from gentle handling of tractable cats to the routine use of cat tongs and rabies poles for moving or restraining cats. The “pole and boot” technique was a particularly aggressive method used by some shelters to restrain cats at the time of euthanasia. It involves placing and tightening the loop of a rabies pole around a cat’s neck or thorax, using the pole to pull them from their enclosure to the floor, and finally stepping on their hindquarters to restrain them while injecting euthanasia solution into the cat’s chest. Methods such as this might be safe for the handler if executed without error, but certainly are neither safe nor humane for the cat and should never be used today. In particular, forceful handling must always be avoided, and rabies poles should never be used for capture or handling because they can cause serious, even fatal, injuries as well as emotional distress to cats. “Scruffing” cats is a more widely used restraint technique. With this method, the handler grasps the cat by the scruff of the neck with one hand while holding their hind feet in the opposite hand. The cat is then stretched out longways on their side across a table or other surface (see Figure 14.1). Though less extreme than the “pole and boot” technique, many cats experience unnecessary fear and stress when restrained in this manner, increasing the odds of defensive aggression and handler injury. Techniques such as this are still taught and used today, yet they are rarely necessary or appropriate, and their use should be avoided. Over the past three decades, science has greatly expanded our understanding of cat behavior, which has led to the development and use of improved handling techniques. We now understand that cats commonly experience fear, anxiety, stress, and frustration in animal shelters. These negative emotional states are the reasons that they struggle and resist restraint or behave aggressively when they are handled. In contrast, cats that are not highly stressed or afraid remain relatively calm during handling and are less likely to struggle, scratch, and bite. For this reason, handling techniques that minimize fear, anxiety, stress, and frustration (often referred to as “low‐stress” or “fear‐free” methods) improve handler safety. Of note, when handling is minimally stressful for animals, they are more likely to accept and respond positively to repeated handling over time. This is a crucial consideration in shelters, where animals may require frequent handling, and further enhances staff safety as well as animal welfare and adoptability. Box 14.1 contains a list of benefits of these techniques. Figure 14.1 A handler restrains a cat on his side by holding the scruff of his neck and hind feet while leaning over him. With no control in his current situation, this cat is experiencing stress and fear as reflected by his facial tension, large round pupils, and twitching tail. In this state, he is more likely to struggle and fight to attempt to escape—posing a safety risk to the handler and himself. Restraint such as this should not be used. The term “low‐stress handling” was originally coined by the late Dr. Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist who was an expert and pioneer in developing and disseminating information on these techniques. The term “Fear Free” was coined by Dr. Marty Becker, a veterinarian and founder of an educational company by the same name, which provides online training courses related to decreasing fear, anxiety, and stress in pets in numerous contexts where animals are handled. Of particular note, the Fear Free Shelter Program (https://fearfreeshelters.com) provides online training and resources at no cost to shelter staff and volunteers. Some education companies and several professional organizations also provide online educational resources aimed at reducing cat stress associated with care and handling, including the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the International Society of Feline Medicine, and the CATalyst Council (see Box 14.2). Finally, some professional organizations as well as a number of authors have published guidelines, journal articles, and book chapters describing techniques and methods to reduce feline stress and fear during handling and care (Carney et al. 2012; Ellis et al. 2013; Ellis and Sparkes 2016; Griffin 2020; Griffin 2011; Griffin and Hume 2006; Hammerle et al. 2015; Herron and Shreyer 2014; Lloyd 2017; Overall et al. 2004; Rodan 2010; Rodan et al. 2011; Yin 2009). Minimizing fear, anxiety, stress, and frustration in animals should always be a high priority for shelters. Indeed, safe and humane handling is a key requirement for animal health and well‐being. Although it is not possible to completely eliminate animals’ negative emotional reactions, a great deal can be done to promote a “low‐stress” or “fear‐free” environment. It may be tempting to think that creating such an environment would be too time‐consuming, difficult, or expensive in the context of a busy shelter. To the contrary; there are many simple, practical, and inexpensive approaches that can make a huge difference in terms of reducing animal stress and fear, enhancing comfort, and making cats easier to handle, work with, and care for in the shelter. For these reasons, shelters should have protocols in place to minimize feline stress beginning prior to their arrival at the shelter and continuing throughout their stay. Staff should be trained to be proactive and encouraged to always think ahead to minimize stress and fear. Even small changes in a shelter’s practices and its environment have the potential to dramatically impact the well‐being and behavior of cats. Shelters should have policies and protocols in place for environmental management of animal stress and fear, including safe and humane handling of cats. Of course, there will always be some individuals for which reducing stress and fear is more difficult. Therefore, in addition to general protocols, special protocols should also be established for those animals displaying signs of severe stress and fear, including feral‐behaving animals. Protocols should be flexible enough to allow staff to meet the needs of individual cats whenever possible. Staff training should include working with animal models to practice using handling techniques and tools before attempting to use them on cats. This chapter briefly reviews common triggers for fear, anxiety, stress, and frustration in shelter cats and the impact on their health and behavior. In particular, it describes how cats perceive the environment and how they communicate their emotional feelings. With regard to handling cats in the shelter, concepts, guidelines, techniques, and tools for reducing these negative emotional states are presented and discussed, including environmental management and handling cats of varying levels of tractability and socialization during routine movement, intake procedures, daily care, and euthanasia. The time invested in learning these concepts and techniques will ultimately lead to safer, more humane, and more efficient animal care. The best possible results will be achieved when the entire shelter team embraces and implements stress reduction protocols and humane handling techniques. Admission to any shelter is a stressful event because of the sudden and dramatic change in environment. The strange sights, smells, and sounds combined with the presence of unfamiliar people and animals trigger stress, which is often accompanied by feelings of fear, anxiety, and even frustration. Virtually all cats experience at least some degree of stress when they enter a shelter. Triggers for stress, fear, and other negative emotional states in the shelter include transport; confinement in a new environment; social isolation; strange smells; noises; other animals; diet changes; handling; restraint; irregular caregiving schedules; unpredictable events; crowding; changes in temperature, light pattern, and/or ventilation; illness; the absence of familiar human contact; and the presence of unfamiliar human contact. In fact, anything unfamiliar to a cat can trigger the stress response. In addition, when cats are housed in shelters, stress and frustration frequently arise from the lack of opportunities they possess for engaging in activities that would help them to feel better or cope. For example, a cat may be motivated to retreat to a quiet spot for a nap but have no option to do so. She may be unable to move to a comfortable location where she could feel safe and escape the sounds of barking dogs. Stress and related negative emotional states can have a profound influence on both health and behavior. Acutely, these negative emotional states are accompanied by catecholamine (also known as adrenalin) release, which prepares the body for “fight” or “flight.” Catecholamine release increases heart and respiratory rate, as well as blood pressure, while influencing behavioral responses. When acutely stressed, cats may hide, refuse to eat, attempt to escape, or behave aggressively. On occasion, they may temporarily freeze, and some may remain frozen, immobile, and “shut down” in a catatonic‐like state of helplessness—in this state, they may be unable to move or respond as a result of overwhelming stress and fear. For some, a single traumatic event such as forceful handling results in a learned negative association, which could make handling and care much more difficult in the future. In contrast, if stress and fear are minimized, animals are calmer and more tractable, facilitating the delivery of efficient quality care. If chronically stressed, cats may develop serious, ongoing behavior problems and remain difficult to handle throughout their shelter stay. In addition to affecting the emotional health and well‐being of cats, stress and related negative emotional states can have a significant impact on physical health (Sparkes et al. 2016; Horwitz and Rodan 2018). Acute stress is known to reduce appetite, induce gastrointestinal upset, and exacerbate existing medical conditions including heart disease, hormone imbalances, urinary tract disease, and allergies. Stress is intimately related to immunity, and when stress persists, it compromises the immune system, lowering resistance to infection. The link between stress and feline respiratory disease (especially infection with feline herpesvirus‐1) is well known. Simply stated, stressed shelter cats are more likely to develop upper respiratory disease—and take longer to recover—compared to those who experience less stress. Indeed, reducing stress not only improves the behavior of shelter cats, it also reduces the incidence and severity of respiratory disease, further facilitating handling, care, and adoption. Communication is the transfer of information from one individual to another when an individual sends or emits a signal that may modify another individual’s behavior. Signals carry information that the individual wants to convey as well as information about the internal state of the signaler (Landsberg et al. 2013). Cats use auditory, visual, olfactory, and tactile signals to communicate. Carefully observing what cats are and are not doing is key to understanding their communication signals. Caregivers must strive to understand feline communication so that they can respond properly to the different signals emitted by cats (Landsberg et al. 2013). Individual cats display a wide variety of emotional reactions in the shelter environment depending on their genetic makeup, personality, level of socialization, and past experiences. In other words, what one cat finds distressful, versus positively stimulating or even relaxing, will be different from one individual to the next. With training and experience, staff can ascertain a great deal about a cat’s emotional state by observing their behavior: behavior is a reflection of emotional state. Cats actively communicate how they are feeling through a constant stream of signals, the most obvious of which involve changes in their body postures and vocalizations. When they experience stress and fear, they generally become tense—their bodies stiffen, and tension can also be seen in their faces. As stress/fear increase, their pupils become increasingly large and round, their eyes widen more and more, and their ears tend to flatten and shift sideways or rotate back. Some individuals remain silent, while others may growl, hiss, or even scream. In addition to active communication, cats also communicate passively. Passive communication includes behavioral inhibition or “lack of behavior” such as freezing in place, avoiding contact, or failing to perform routine maintenance behaviors such as eating and grooming, and physiologic changes that one might discover through careful observation or physical examination. For example, one might notice rapid breathing and dilated pupils in a fearful cat. Excessive shedding is also common when cats are nervous or otherwise stressed. A careful observer can deduce what an individual animal is experiencing emotionally by accurately interpreting body language and vocalizations, as well as by understanding these more passive forms of communication. It is important to recognize that there are many ways that cats communicate stress and related emotional states—behavioral responses will vary among individuals. The “four Fs” are used to describe common types of behaviors associated with stress and fear: fight, flight, fret/fidget, and freeze behaviors. Some cats display “fight” behaviors including struggling, growling, hissing, scratching, or biting. Such aggressive behavior is their attempt to drive away a perceived threat. Others display “flight behaviors.” In this case, they may cower, look away, and move away as they attempt to escape or hide, or otherwise try to avoid or evade contact. Still others display “fret or fidget” behaviors—they might move restlessly, pacing or shifting about. A careful observer might notice their eyes scanning the environment or that they nervously lick their lips. Finally, some display “freeze” behaviors. These cats should not be mistaken as relaxed, instead they are tense and frozen. Many stressed and fearful cats display a mixture of fight, flight, fret/fidget, and freeze behaviors. The presence of these behaviors tells us that the cat is stressed and fearful, and not that they are “mean,” “nasty,” or unsocialized. When one sees these behaviors, they should respond with compassion, adjusting their interactions with the animal to reduce their perception of a threat, for example by moving away from them and giving them more space. In addition, an attempt should be made to ascertain additional triggers in the environment that may be contributing to the cat’s stress and fear so that steps can be taken to reduce or eliminate them as soon as possible. The goal of environmental management is to minimize environmental triggers for stress and fear in order to help cats stay calmer and more relaxed. The calmer the cat, the easier they will be to handle. By reducing cat fear and stress, the handler optimizes safety and increases the odds of safe and humane (“low‐stress”) interactions with the cat. Safe and humane handling begins with understanding the potential impact of the shelter environment on cat behavior. Staff can learn to prevent and minimize negative emotional responses by carefully considering how cats are likely to perceive the environment and making adjustments to avoid or mitigate potential stressors and fear inducing stimuli. When staff are observant and in tune with how the environment, as well as their own actions, impact cat stress, they can take simple, practical steps to mitigate it. Not only does a cat’s response to environmental stimuli depend on their unique self, it also depends on the severity and number of given environmental stressors, as well as their duration of exposure to them. Obviously, the more severe the stress and the longer it lasts, the more difficult it is for cats to cope and the more likely they will be to suffer harmful effects from it. When stress is perceived as inescapable, uncontrollable, or unpredictable, it is especially severe. That said, cats can cope with new and novel stimuli provided that fear responses are not overwhelming or sensitizing. It is especially helpful for staff to critically consider the environment from the cats’ perspective. Thinking in terms of what they are experiencing—what they are hearing, smelling, seeing, and feeling—is a key to environmental management for stress reduction and successful handling. The ways in which cats hear, smell, taste, and see, as well as their sense of touch, influence their perception of the world around them and greatly influence how they feel emotionally and how they behave. Understanding how cats’ senses contribute to their perceptions goes a long way toward helping staff manage the environment so that it is less intimidating and more relaxing for them. Chapter 2 provides a detailed review of the uniquely specialized senses of cats. Box 14.3 contains a brief summary of cats’ senses and perceptions and highlights simple means of management. Safe and humane handling and restraint of cats of varying ages, personality types, social experiences and stress/fear levels requires skill, knowledge of normal feline behavior and communication, and flexibility. Knowing when to ask for help and when and how to properly use tools or equipment for handling is also essential. Staff members should be well trained to recognize signs of stress and fear in cats and to mitigate them through environmental management, positive, calming interactions, and the use of appropriate distractions and rewards. Cat savvy caregivers who are comfortable around cats and who are patient and creative may find that they are particularly adept at working with cats in a safe and humane manner. In all cases, success begins with developing a clear, scientifically valid understanding of why and how cats behave and respond as they do in the context of being handled in a shelter. Once this is well understood, one can then understand and apply key concepts of safe and humane handling. These key concepts involve reducing feline stress and fear by: By applying the following knowledge and concepts, shelters can successfully reduce cat stress and fear, while optimizing handling safety. Imagine what it would be like if your body automatically released adrenaline into your blood stream anytime you experienced something the least bit new or unusual. Suddenly, when you least expected it, you might find your heart pounding in your chest, your cheeks flushing, your respiratory rate increasing, and your palms sweating. With all of that adrenaline coursing through your system, you might be jumpy, defensive, or otherwise reactive. And, if your adrenaline continued to flow while you were uneasy, you just might begin to panic. This is what it feels like to be a cat in the unfamiliar, unpredictable environment of a shelter. Compared to many other domestic species, cats have heightened fight or flight responses. They are biologically programmed to release epinephrine (adrenaline) into their bloodstream when they feel even the least bit apprehensive, fueling their bodies for fight or flight on a moment’s notice. When stress or fear is triggered, cats are literally hardwired for escape or defense. If they feel threatened and perceive that they cannot escape the threat, their response is heightened even more, and they are much more likely to behave aggressively. When working with cats, it is crucial to keep in mind that aggressive responses do not occur simply because a particular cat is “mean,” “nasty,” poorly socialized, or feral. They occur because cats are sensitive and responsive to perceived danger regardless of their level of socialization. Indeed, experiencing apprehension, stress, or fear is not a willful act. These involuntary emotional reactions result in epinephrine (adrenaline) release, and the behavior that follows is the result of biochemical activation of the stress response. As such, it is crucial not to take the behavior of cats personally. Instead, we must remember that behaviors associated with stress and fear are involuntary expressions. It is our job to help cats feel safe and comfortable in the shelter because when they do, they are much easier to handle. Working with cats requires patience. The expression “you can’t rush a cat” is true: rushing increases stress and resistance. Safe and humane handling must aim to keep cats as comfortable and relaxed as possible during handling. Going slow is an important means of doing this. Ultimately it is not only safer, it is more efficient because the cat will be much more likely to accept handling when the handler proceeds in a slow, calm, and deliberate manner. In some instances, appraisal of a cat’s behavior may indicate that selection of a more private and quiet environment will be the key to providing a safe and humane handling experience. For cats that appear stressed or fearful from the time of initial contact, providing even a short period of time for them to acclimate to new surroundings and calm down prior to handling is often rewarding. This is especially important for cats because once highly stressed or provoked, they often remain reactive for a prolonged time and may become more reactive if they are stimulated again before they have been allowed a period of time to calm down. As previously stated, when stress is perceived as inescapable, uncontrollable or unpredictable, it is especially severe. When cats are faced with situations in which they perceive that they have no control and no ability to escape, their stress responses will be heightened, and defensive behaviors will be more likely. This is because a sense of control is very important to cats: it helps them cope and “keep it together” in stressful situations. In and of itself, handling can be stressful and fear invoking for cats. Many cats will be teetering on the edge of defensive aggression during handling. By avoiding force and using the minimal amount of restraint necessary to manipulate them, cats are less likely to struggle, resist or to behave aggressively. Although it is not possible to know precisely what an individual cat is experiencing during handling, we can critically presume that cats will feel less threatened and maintain more of a sense of control when we handle them in non‐forceful ways and restrict them as little as possible. By simply allowing cats to assume preferred postures when we work with them, and to remain in comfortable positions and in locations where they feel safe, we can provide them with the control they need to stay adequately calm and to accept (or at least tolerate) handling. For example, a cat might choose to sit up rather than lie down during microchip scanning. Or, a cat might prefer to remain in the bottom of the carrier while being examined and vaccinated. These are two simple, yet powerful examples of how small accommodations can help cats cope and accept handling rather than displaying fight or flight behaviors. For cats, the ability to escape, hide, or otherwise shield themselves from a stressful situation is a powerful means of coping because it gives them some sense of control over unpleasant stimuli. When cats perceive that they can escape if need be, or that they are somehow shielded or hidden, they can cope much more effectively with stressful or fear inducing experiences. Remember that they are hardwired for escape or defense: when they view a stressor as inescapable, they are much more likely to struggle and resist. The ways in which we approach and handle them can alter their perception of and response to the situation. It is fair to presume that if they perceive that escape is somehow possible, they will feel more of a sense of control and will therefore remain calmer and be more likely to tolerate or accept our presence and handling. For example, if we scan them for a microchip by standing behind them, this will be much less threatening than if we face them directly and move the scanner over their head. Alternately, some cats will remain more relaxed if you cover them with a towel or let them nestle under your arm while working with them, presumably because they feel safer if they perceive they are hiding. In contrast, the traditional restraint technique of scruffing cats and stretching them out on their sides (see Figure 14.1) increases cats’ stress and fear response because it completely takes away their freedom of movement and sense of control. This type of restraint is seldom necessary and frequently serves to increase reactivity and defensive behavior. It certainly does not help cats to relax and accept handling more readily in the future. Alternatively, using light restraint while allowing a cat to remain in a more comfortable position and distracting and comforting them with gentle massaging or scratching of their head or neck can help cats to relax and accept handling and is much less likely to trigger an aggressive reaction. Finally, carefully observing cats’ body language during interaction and handling is crucial. Their behavior can change very rapidly. In particular, watch for increasing tension in their body and keep a close eye on their face. A sudden increase in the size of the pupils, flattening or rotation of the ears, and/or twitching of the tail are all signs of increasing stress/fear. It may be tempting to increase restraint when such signs are noted, however this will only serve to increase fear and resistance, making it more likely that the cat will panic and respond defensively in an attempt to escape. Instead, easing restraint and making adjustments such that the cat is allowed some sense of control, freedom of movement, or security will decrease stress/fear and resistance. When cats can be made to feel more comfortable, they will continue to tolerate handling rather than fighting it. Handlers that attempt to prove they can manhandle a fractious cat are handlers that are frequently scratched and bitten. Indeed, minimal, gentle restraint should always be the goal. This is supported by scientific evidence that indicates gentle human contact can lessen adverse effects of unpleasant stimuli, eliminate fear responses, and even relieve signs of pain in animals (McMillan 2002). Most cats respond best to gentle restraint and react negatively when “over‐restrained.” In many instances, creative management and patient, skillful handling will avoid the need for additional physical restraint, improving animal and staff safety while reducing stress. When physical restraint is necessary to avoid human injury or injury to an animal, it should be of the least intensity and duration necessary (Newbury et al. 2010). Proper equipment in good working order and adequate staff should be readily available in the event they are needed to ensure safe and humane handling. The following guidelines for safe and humane handling provide general directions and recommendations for staff designed to keep cats gently under control while minimizing cat stress and fear and ensuring the safety of both the cat and the handler(s). These guidelines emphasize minimizing stress and fear because the more successful handlers are at keeping cats calm, the more they will succeed in safely and humanely handling them in the short term and positively impacting their behavior in the future. Before attempting to handle any cat, take a few moments to assess the situation. Observe the cat. Ask yourself: Where is the cat? In a cage or carrier, in the front or back? What is the cat doing? What is the cat communicating through her body language and behavior? Are signs of stress and fear present? If so, what is likely triggering them? Is it safe to proceed at this time? Also consider the environment. Are you in a safe location? If the cat were to get away from you, could the cat escape from the immediate area or retreat somewhere that would make it difficult to safely and humanely retrieve them? Capturing an escaped cat can be very stressful for both the cat and the handler and increases the risk of injury for both. Are there doors or windows that could be closed prior to opening the cat’s enclosure? Doing so is an imperative part of safe and humane handling. Are there potentially stressful stimuli in the environment? What can you do to mitigate them? Are there noises or activities that can be curtailed or otherwise blocked before proceeding? If you are going to be transporting the cat, do you have the proper equipment (such as a top loading carrier) available and ready? If you are going to be doing something else (such as an intake exam and vaccinations), do you have everything you need to proceed? Finally, take a moment to pay attention to yourself. Do you feel comfortable handling this cat in this situation? What do you need to feel comfortable? Do you need to ask for help? By assessing the cat, the environment, and your own comfort and ability with handling the cat in the given situation, you will be able to address concerns proactively and optimize the odds of successfully handling the cat. Always develop a well thought out plan based on these assessments before initiating contact with an animal. A little thoughtful planning goes a long way toward a successful outcome. Planning and preparation take time, but it is time well spent because handling is much more efficient when everything goes smoothly. Whether working with people or animals, first impressions are powerful. To start off on the right foot with someone, we must be polite and considerate by taking into account their point of view and choosing our actions carefully and deliberately in the hopes of receiving a positive response from them. With cats, this means carefully considering how they are likely to perceive us, including both our actions and emotions, as well as how they are likely to perceive the environment, given their point of view. In terms of emotions, it is important to recognize that how we feel influences the way others feel. Our behavior and body language affect those around us—including animals (Spinka 2012). For example, if we are nervous and jumpy, those around us may begin to feel this way too. Conversely, if we are calm and relaxed, this can help those around us to feel the same way as well. Therefore, in order to optimize the odds of “a good first impression” and successful handling of a cat, we must strive to stay as calm and relaxed as possible when interacting with them because this can help them to feel calm and relaxed too. Handlers and caregivers must be aware of their body postures when preparing to approach a cat. Instead of approaching head on, approach from one side or the other because this will be less threatening. Similarly, instead of staring directly at them, gazing off to one side is likely to be better received. And, rather than approaching quickly, aim to give them time to adjust to your presence. Movements should always be slow and smooth; avoid reaching over or leaning over them.
14
Handling Shelter Cats
14.1 Introduction to Safe and Humane Handling
14.2 Triggers for Stress, Fear, and Other Negative Emotional States in the Shelter
14.2.1 Impact on Health and Behavior
14.2.2 Understanding Cat Communication Signals and Emotions
14.2.3 Environmental Management
14.2.3.1 Cats’ Senses and Perceptions
14.3 Keys to Successful Handling
14.3.1 Understanding Feline Stress and Fear Responses
14.3.2 Handling Concepts
14.4 General Guidelines for Safe and Humane Handling
14.4.1 Before Initiating Contact: Observe, Assess, and Plan
14.4.2 Start Off on the Right Foot: Initiating Contact
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