Cats hold a very special place in society. They are one of the most cherished companion animals in our country, with their stature rising to the level of family members in many American households. Despite their special standing, however, 13,817 cats were held or used for research, testing, experimentation or teaching in 2023, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. This represents a 39% decrease in usage since 2008. In 2023, 1.64% of Animal Welfare Act-covered species held or used in research, testing and teaching in the U.S. were cats.
Most cats used in research are purchased from Class A dealers, licensed breeders that sell “purpose-bred” cats specifically for research, in part because the National Institutes of Health (NIH) implemented a policy prohibiting the procurement of cats from Class B dealers using NIH grant funds beginning in FY2012. Purpose-bred cats are genetically selected to be docile and have an even temperament.
Once in the laboratory, cats used in research are housed in spaces according to their weight, based on recommendations in The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. It is recommended that cats less than 9 pounds have a minimum floor area of three-square feet per animal and cats more than nine pounds have at least four-square feet per animal. The Guide also recommends that cage height be at least two feet and that the vertical space has perches, which may require taller cages.
Although researchers sometimes attempt to enrich the environments of laboratory cats, cats are highly intelligent animals, and when confined in restrictive laboratory environments, suffer from specific problems including boredom, fearfulness, aggression towards people and other cats, and self-mutilation.
Aside from their use for these purposes, cats have historically been used in classroom dissection exercises. Cats that are used as dissection specimens are obtained from animal shelters after the animals have been euthanized, and these animals are not included in the USDA statistics regarding cats used in research in this country.
