{"id":7062,"date":"2024-12-11T11:06:31","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T22:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/?page_id=7062"},"modified":"2025-06-26T10:51:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T21:51:20","slug":"perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare-2024-volume-3-issue-1-litter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare-2024-volume-3-issue-1-litter\/","title":{"rendered":"Perspectives in Animal Health and Welfare | 2024 | Volume 3 | Issue 1 (pp1-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"<nav class=\"is-responsive wp-block-navigation is-layout-flex wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Perspectives in Animal Health and Welfare\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container\"  id=\"modal-1\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-1-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-navigation__container is-responsive wp-block-navigation\"><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Home PAHW |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare\/editorial-board\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Editorial Board |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare\/author-guidelines\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Author Guidelines |<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare\/volumes\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Articles | <\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\" wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"mailto:epress@unitec.ac.nz\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">Contact Us<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Testing a sustainable Coconut Coir cat litter: Cat versus owner<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research paper<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kristie E. Cameron and Brooklyn D. Mitchell&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Affiliations:<br>School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Unitec, Mt Albert, New Zealand<br><sup>*<\/sup>&nbsp;corresponding author:&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:mbaling@gmail.com\">Kristie Cameron<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Received: 19 August 2024 | Accepted: 17 September 2024 | Published: 23 December 2024<br>Associate Editor: Kristina Naden<br><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.34074\/piahw.003101\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.34074\/piahw.003101<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/UT2127FA2-Perspectives-in-Animal-Health_cat-litter_final.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"7119\">Download PDF<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Abstract<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective management of indoor cats\u2019 elimination needs is necessary to prevent the development of behavioural and physiological problems that can result in their relinquishment by owners. Feline toileting is based upon a series of complex behaviours, which, if not completed adequately, result in persistence of behaviours associated with toileting, such as scratching and sniffing in the litter box. In a cattery environment, a new sustainable coconut coir litter of dirt consistency, and pelletised wood litter were offered to individually housed cats over a four-day period. The coconut coir litter was found to promote appropriate toileting behaviour by reducing inappropriate elimination behaviours such as perseveration in interacting (scratching at the litter and surrounding areas), lingering (sniffing in and around the litter), and defecation or urination outside the box within a few days. In comparison, inappropriate behaviour continued with the use of basic pelletised wood litter, indicating it may not provide an ideal toileting environment. While the coir improved the opportunity for appropriate cat behaviour, as it is similar to the substrate they use when eliminating outdoors, it also increased the mess and maintenance workload for cattery staff. Convenience in managing the waste of indoor cats tends to be more important to owners than the capacity for a litter to fulfil cats\u2019 toileting needs. Accordingly, to promote positive relationships between owners and cats, future experimentation will focus on both how to minimise  inconvenience for owners and on identifying a product that gives cats the opportunity to perform appropriate toileting behaviours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Testing a sustainable Coconut Coir cat litter: Cat versus owner\u00a0 Research paper Kristie E. Cameron and Brooklyn D. Mitchell&nbsp; Affiliations:School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Unitec, Mt Albert, New Zealand*&nbsp;corresponding author:&nbsp;Kristie Cameron Received: 19 August 2024 | Accepted: 17 September&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/perspectives-in-animal-health-and-welfare-2024-volume-3-issue-1-litter\/\">Continue Reading &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7062","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7062"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7062\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7387,"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7062\/revisions\/7387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unitec.ac.nz\/epress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}