The Kitty State of The Union Part Two: A Proposed Solution

          A small percentage of cats are housed and cared for through pet therapy programs such as Pets for Jailbirds, a British campaign designed to reduce suicide rates behind bars. Increasing these numbers could provide a simple solution to getting cats off the streets. According to Prison Ombudsman Stephen Shaw, “It is not just relationships with other human beings that are being fractured when you go to jail. The intensity of our attachment to animals can mean losing touch with them is almost as hurtful as losing touch with family. The benefits animals can bring are huge. Having a pet to look after and train has a genuinely therapeutic effect and visibly brings down stress levels and motivates inmates to behave”. Anecdotal evidence of the therapeutic benefits of cats can be seen in various programs through the United States and Europe.

Cats can provide a therapeutic benefit to patients.

            While little research is available today regarding the efficacy of cats as therapy animals, ample evidence can be found indicating the benefits of therapeutic canines. During the past 25 years, the number of prison programs in which inmates train dogs has increased rapidly and are in existence in at least 20 U.S. States, Canada, Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. “Such programs appear to break down barriers of fear and mistrust between staff and inmates; and there is also evidence that they reduce recidivism and behavioral infractions among inmates”. At a prison pet therapy program in Newfoundland, Canada, positive changes have been seen in both the inmates and the involved canines. Correctional staff report reduced anxiety and loneliness and in increased sense of motivation and responsibility amongst the inmates participating in the program. “Inmate relationships with dogs allow them to build trusting relationships, come out of their boxes, and provide quality care for the strays”. Another program in Abbotsford, Canada models a program pairing abused dogs with female inmates. In the program’s 7-year run, significant improvements have been seen both in the moods of the prisoners and the behaviors of the formerly abandoned dogs. “Half of the program is employment training for the women, teaching them how to show up on time, follow through with daily duties, and be responsible for the wellbeing of a major project. The other half of the program is a training program for the dogs, getting them off the streets and giving them loving caretakers and a second chance at life. The program improves each dog’s chance at a permanent home and each inmate’s chance to survive when released”. An Otisville, New York program encourages discipline and responsibility through canine care. “An inmate in the program spends 24 hours a day with the dog. He must learn basic veterinary care, keep a journal, and be an assistant to a primary trainer for at least six months before he gets his own puppy”. Inmates participating in the program report an increased sense of responsibility, focus, and purpose. From improving the emotional wellbeing of long-term prisoners to increasing employment skills for those about to be released, dog therapy programs provide many benefits to both humans and employed animals.

            Cats have the capacity to impact similar positive change in inmates due to theirability to increase positive moods. Research indicates that there are no significant blood pressure or pulse differences in response to a dog versus a cat. In summarizing the results of a scientific study on pet therapy conducted in 2008, the authors state that “in the typical pet therapy paradigm, one would not expect different physiological effects from the use of a dog or a cat. Pet ownership, like raising a child, involves care taking and an emotional attachment. Thus, it is not surprising that the positive, long term cardiovascular benefits associated with pet ownership affect survival and general cardiovascular health”. This indicates that because cats are capable of illiciting the same positive physiological responses as dogs, they can provide similar health benefits to human caretakers. Cats are also capable ofresponding to human emotion. Two studies conducted within the past 10 years have indicated that cats respond to human sadness with physical affection including licking, pawing, and sitting close to or on the lap of a person. Like dogs, domestic cats require quality, consistent care, particularly when kept indoors without access to live prey. Felines require feeding, litter attendance, grooming, personal attention, and some behavioral training in order to be properly cared for and socialized.

            The need for additional housing for cats paired with the proven benefits of animal therapy programs in prisons provides an opportunity for both inmates and cats to benefit through the creation and implementation of cat-based therapy programs in correctional facilities. Feline capacity to reduce heart-rate and blood pressure as effectively as dogs makes them suitable for programs designed to reduce stress amongst inmates. Like dogs, felines react to human emotions by expressing affection and providing comfort, making them ideal candidates for companion animal positions. As felines care requires several daily tasks, they can readily be employed in job-related skills training programs such as the canine program in Abbotsford, Canada. Cat care is also likely to instill a similar sense of focus and responsibility in inmates as in program participants in the Otsiville, New York correctional facility. “Prisoners have a real need to prove they can do something right. You’re taking care of a living life here, so it allows them to make a real impact on society”. In programs focusing on the therapeutic benefits of participating in the care of an animal, cats can participate based on their high-maintenance lifestyles.

            Employing cats as therapy animals in correctional facilities reduces the numbers of strays in need of housing and care while increasing the physical and emotional wellbeing of prison inmates. Cat therapy programs provide a cat population control method that is both low-cost and beneficial to local ecosystems as it brings cats inside from natural habitats and restricts their access to avian prey. With few disadvantages and an added benefit to human convicts, employing cats in prisons provides an ideal solution to the stray cat overpopulation issue in the United States of America.