Scientific Literature
Here we include the primary scientific literature focused on different aspects of at-large cats, their risks to wildlife and humans, and efforts to manage and mitigate those impacts.
There are an estimated 60 to 100 million feral and abandoned cats in the United States. By any mea- sure, this is an important welfare issue, and the many bodies of free-roaming cats visible along roadsides across the country are mute testimony to the tragedy of their unhappy lives. Many people of goodwill want to see this situation improved. Some believe that feeding feral cats; trapping, neutering, and releasing them; and allowing them to live in colonies is 1 answer to the overpopulation problem. Others believe that, on the whole, such programs are most often unsuccessful at sharply reducing and eventually eliminating feral cat populations. In my opinion, attempting to maintain cats in colonies only compounds the problem by causing massive killing and crippling of native wildlife, jeopardizing biodiversity, undermining traditional ani- mal control, enabling irresponsible people to abandon cats, and sending mixed messages about the veterinary profession’s commitment to serve the welfare of all species, including cats and wildlife.
The welfare of feral cats and wildlife
D. Jessup, JAVMA, Vol 225, No. 9, November 1, 2004
Landowners and cat predation across rural-to-urban landscapes
Lepczyk et al. Biological Conservation 115 (2003) 191–201
Fluctuations of bird abundances have been attributed to such factors as supplemental feeding, landscape change, and habitat fragmentation. Notably absent from consideration, however, is the role of private landowners and their actions, such as owning free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus; cats allowed free access to the outdoors). To understand the impacts of cat predation on birds, we surveyed all 1694 private landowners living on three breeding bird survey (BBS) routes (120 km) that represent a continuum of rural-to-urban landscapes in Southeastern Michigan, where the majority (>90%) of land is privately owned. Our data indicate that among the 58.5% of landowners that responded, one quarter of them owned outdoor cats. On average a cat depredated between 0.7 and 1.4 birds per week. A total of 23+ species (12.5% of breeding species) were on the list of being killed, including two species of conservation concern (Eastern Bluebirds and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds). Across the three landscape there were 800 to 3100 cats, which kill between 16,000 and 47,000 birds during the breeding season, resulting in a minimum of 1 bird killed/km/day. While the number and density (no./ha) of free-ranging cats per landowner differed across the rural to urban landscapes, depredation rates were similar. Landowner participation in bird feeding showed no relationship with the number of free-ranging cats owned. Similarly, selected demographic characteristics of landowners were not significantly related to the number of free-ranging cats owned. Our results, even taken conservatively, indicate that cat predation most likely plays an important role in fluctuations of bird populations and should receive more attention in wildlife conservation and landscape studies.
Feature 3
The following is placeholder text known as “lorem ipsum,” which is scrambled Latin used by designers to mimic real copy. Suspendisse nec congue purus. Quisque congue porttitor ullamcorper. Donec eu est non lacus lacinia semper. Donec eget risus diam.