Academic literature on the topic 'Cats Cats Wildlife conservation'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the lists of relevant articles, books, theses, conference reports, and other scholarly sources on the topic 'Cats Cats Wildlife conservation.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Journal articles on the topic "Cats Cats Wildlife conservation"
1
Twardek, William M., Kathryn S. Peiman, Austin J. Gallagher, and Steven J. Cooke. "Fido, Fluffy, and wildlife conservation: The environmental consequences of domesticated animals." Environmental Reviews 25, no. 4 (December 2017): 381–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/er-2016-0111.
Full textAbstract:
Humans have created a strong relationship with cats and dogs by domesticating them. Whether owned by a human or living feral, modern domestic cats and dogs interact extensively with people and the environment. The negative interactions between these domesticated animals and wildlife have been discussed in several reviews, but few reports have provided an overview of both the positive and negative impacts these domesticated animals have on wildlife conservation. Here, we describe the diverse issues associated with domestic cats and dogs and wildlife including predation, competition, pathogen transmission, hybridization, behavioural modification, harvest of wild animals for pet food, and creation of human–wildlife conflict. We then discuss their role in supporting conservation efforts (e.g., use in species identification and tracking, biological control), and shaping our social values towards animals and appreciation for nature. Finally, we suggest necessary steps to harmonize our relationship with cats and dogs and the conservation of wildlife. For owned animals, there is potential for pet owners to support conservation efforts through a ‘pet tax’ adopted by veterinary clinics and pet stores to be used for wildlife conservation. Moreover, information regarding the impacts of these animals on wildlife and potential solutions (e.g., voluntarily keeping cats and dogs inside or use of “pet curfews”, use of bells to alert wildlife to cats) should be made available to owners who are most likely to have an influence on the behaviour of their companion animal.
2
Lymbery, Alan. "Are pet cats bad for wildlife?" Pacific Conservation Biology 16, no. 3 (2010): 155. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc100155.
Full textAbstract:
Pet cats receive bad press from conservationists. This is partly because there is an obvious link between pet cats and feral cats, and predation by feral cats is widely regarded as a key threatening process for endangered species of small vertebrates in Australia. There is also a perception, however, that pet cats are directly responsible for declines in wildlife populations, particularly around urban areas. As a consequence, many local government authorities have introduced regulations aimed at controlling cats, ranging from night-time curfews and confinement to complete prohibition of cat ownership. Greenaway (2010) discusses the approaches taken by local and state governments to control pet cats throughout Australia.
3
Greenwell, Claire N., Michael C. Calver, and Neil R. Loneragan. "Cat Gets Its Tern: A Case Study of Predation on a Threatened Coastal Seabird." Animals 9, no. 7 (July 16, 2019): 445. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9070445.
Full textAbstract:
Domestic cats have a cosmopolitan distribution, commonly residing in urban, suburban and peri-urban environments that are also critical for biodiversity conservation. This study describes the impact of a desexed, free-roaming cat on the behavior of a threatened coastal seabird, the Australian Fairy Tern, Sternula nereis nereis, in Mandurah, south-western Australia. Wildlife cameras and direct observations of cat incursions into the tern colony at night, decapitated carcasses of adult terns, dead, injured or missing tern chicks, and cat tracks and scats around the colony provided strong evidence of cat predation, which led to an initial change in nesting behavior and, ultimately, colony abandonment and the reproductive failure of 111 nests. The death of six breeding terns from the population was a considerable loss for this threatened species and had the potential to limit population growth. This study highlights the significant negative impacts of free-roaming cats on wildlife and the need for monitoring and controlling cats at sites managed for species conservation. It also provides strong evidence against the practice of trap-neuter-release programs and demonstrates that desexed cats can continue to negatively impact wildlife post-release directly through predation, but also indirectly through fundamental changes in prey behavior and a reduction in parental care.
4
Lynn, William S., Francisco J. Santiago-Ávila, and Kristin L. Stewart. "Outdoor Cats: An Introduction." Society & Animals 30, no. 7 (November 23, 2022): 693–702. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685306-bja10111.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract A moral panic over cats has gripped portions of the conservation community, with claims that outdoor house cats (felis catus) are wrecking havoc on biodiversity and public health akin to a zombie apocalypse. This is a mistake, a result of poor scientific reasoning and selective attention to data, or worse, pure demagoguery. The situation is more nuanced. Outdoor cats can cause significant harm to wildlife in specific ecological contexts, even when there is no evidence they do so across the board. And like all mammals, cats can be vectors of disease, even when they pose no threat to public health overall. Careful attention to the complex questions of ethics, science, and politics is required to understand how people, outdoor cats, and nature interact, and how we ought to thrive together. This special issue brings together a diverse set of articles from different points of view to address these issues.
5
C. Calver, M., and S. R. Thomas. "Effectiveness of the Liberator? in reducing predation on wildlife by domestic cats." Pacific Conservation Biology 16, no. 4 (2010): 244. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc110244.
Full textAbstract:
We evaluated the effectiveness of the commercial collar-worn product the Liberator? in reducing the number of vertebrates pet cats bring home. Fifteen cats identified by their owners as hunters bringing home at least one prey animal per fortnight were included in the study, which was carried out in Perth, Western Australia over six weeks in November/December 2006 (southern hemisphere late spring/early summer). Each cat spent three weeks wearing a Liberator? and three weeks without it and the number of prey brought home by the cat during each period was recorded by its owner. Participating cats caught 91 prey (37 birds, 44 mammals and 10 herpetofauna). The Southern Brown Bandicoot was the only prey species of conservation concern. Liberators? made no statistically significant difference in the number of cats catching prey, but did reduce the overall number of prey caught. Cats wearing Liberators? caught only 38% of all birds, 40% of all herpetofauna and 30% of all mammals captured during the study. Despite this positive result several product failures occurred, so owners wishing to reduce predation by their cats will need to decide whether the Liberator? is a cost-effective option.
6
Plaza, Pablo I., Karina L. Speziale, Lucia B. Zamora‐Nasca, and Sergio A. Lambertucci. "Dogs and Cats Put Wildlife at Risk." Journal of Wildlife Management 83, no. 4 (February 28, 2019): 767–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21637.
Full text
7
Read, John L., Chris R. Dickman, Wayne S. J. Boardman, and Christopher A. Lepczyk. "Reply to Wolf et al.: Why Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Is Not an Ethical Solution for Stray Cat Management." Animals 10, no. 9 (August 28, 2020): 1525. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10091525.
Full textAbstract:
We critique the recent article by Wolf et al. (2019) that claims scientific merit for reducing the number of stray cats in Australia through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, and then we provide an inventory of biological, welfare, and economic reasons why TNR is less successful than adoption and euthanasia for managing unowned cats. Like Crawford et al. (2019) and multiple other comprehensive and unbiased Australian and international scientific reviews, we refute the idea that returning neutered unowned cats to stray populations has any valid role in responsible, ethical, affordable, and effective cat management, or in wildlife conservation. The main purported objective of TNR proponents along with animal welfare, human health, and wildlife advocacy stakeholders is to reduce the number of unhomed cats. We contend that cessation of provisioning unowned cats with food is the most effective approach to achieve this objective. We also present evidence from the Brisbane City Council that informed cat management policy, advocacy, and laws, backed up by responsible rehoming or prompt ethical euthanasia, are together effective at reducing the stray cat problem.
8
Johnston, Michael, Guy McCaldin, and Andrew Rieker. "Assessing the availability of aerially delivered baits to feral cats through rainforest canopy using unmanned aircraft." Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems 4, no. 4 (December 1, 2016): 276–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2016-0012.
Full textAbstract:
At least eight threatened wildlife species are at direct risk from predation by cats (Felis catus) on Christmas Island (Director of National Parks. 2014. Christmas Island biodiversity conservation plan. Canberra. Australia: Department of the Environment.). A range of strategies are now being used to manage cats across the island, including responsible ownership methods for domestic cats and lethal control tools to remove feral cats outside the township area. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were used to drop non-toxic baits through the rainforest canopy to assess whether aerial baiting could be undertaken successfully on the island. Ground crews located 88% of baits, indicating that sufficient baits would be accessible to feral cats if broad-scale aerial baiting was to be undertaken in the future.
9
MacDonald, Edith, Taciano Milfont, and Michael Gavin. "What drives cat-owner behaviour? First steps towards limiting domestic-cat impacts on native wildlife." Wildlife Research 42, no. 3 (2015): 257. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr14164.
Full textAbstract:
Context Cats can have substantial negative impacts on native wildlife. To harness the collective conservation impact of owners keeping cats inside, advocacy campaigns need to be based on empirical evidence regarding potential drivers to change cat-owner behaviour. Aims We assessed the degree to which different socio-psychological factors (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control), past cat owner behaviour, demographics and group membership explained intentions of zoo visitors to bring cats inside. Methods A self-report questionnaire was distributed to zoo visitors based on the theory of planned behaviour. Visitors rated 24 belief statements and four behavioural-intention questions on a scale of one to seven. We adopted an information-theoretic approach to make inferences about the drivers of intention to bring cats inside. Key results Attitude and normative beliefs were strong predictors of intention. Specifically, attitudinal beliefs focussed on the benefits to the cat of being inside or the positive impact on the owner were correlated with intention. Bringing cats inside for the benefit of native species was weakly correlated with intention. We found an interaction between normative beliefs (injunctive and descriptive) and past behaviour. For respondents who were intermittently bringing their cat inside, veterinarians were a key injunctive normative influence. In contrast, respondents who kept their cat outside exclusively rated descriptive norms as influential on their own behaviour. Conclusions Our results indicated a way forward for future advocacy campaigns. To increase the frequency of visitors bringing cats inside, future research should look at campaigns using veterinarians to advocate messages that emphasise the benefits to the cat of being inside or the positive impact on the owner. To target visitors who keep their cat outside exclusively, a normative campaign highlighting the actions of others bringing their cats inside at night may prove successful. Implications Given the impacts cats have on wildlife, conservation campaigns need to properly design communication campaigns to have the best chance at altering cat-owner behaviour. Our results can help guide this process.
10
Thaung, Ret, Vanessa Herranz Muñoz, Jeremy Holden, Daniel Willcox, and Nicholas J. Souter. "The Vulnerable fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus and other globally threatened species in Cambodia's coastal mangroves." Oryx 52, no. 4 (November 27, 2017): 636–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605317001491.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractThe Vulnerable fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus faces a perilous future in South-east Asia. It was last sighted in Cambodia in 2003. We deployed 16 camera traps at four sites in southern Cambodia during January–May 2015 to determine if the fishing cat was still present in the country. Eight photograph/video captures of fishing cats were recorded from the mangroves in Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary and one from Ream National Park, but there were no records from Botum Sakor National Park or Prey Nup. A number of other globally threatened species were also photographed in Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary: the Sunda pangolin Manis javanica, the hog deer Axis porcinus and the large-spotted civet Viverra megaspila. We learnt of the killing of an alleged fishing cat at the Sanctuary in July 2015 in retaliation for raiding fishing nets. Illegal hunting and capture of fishing cats for the wildlife trade were reported by local informants at all sites. We provide photographic and video evidence of the fishing cats and highlight the importance of Cambodia's mangroves for threatened species conservation.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Cats Cats Wildlife conservation"
1
Lilith, Maggie. "Do pet cats (Felis catus) have an impact on species richness and abundance of native mammals in low-density Western Australian suburbia?" Thesis, Lilith, Maggie (2007) Do pet cats (Felis catus) have an impact on species richness and abundance of native mammals in low-density Western Australian suburbia? PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2007. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/158/.
Full textAbstract:
Cat ownership in Australia is declining compared to an increasing trend of cat ownership in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe. The decline in Australia may be linked to concerns over perceived impacts of cat predation and an associated dislike of cats. However, while there are numerous studies on feral cats and their impacts on declining native fauna, the impact of pet cats on suburban wildlife or fauna in remnant bushland is relatively unknown although there is a wide perception of risk. The primary aim of this thesis was to apply the precautionary principle to the question of the putative impact of pet cats on the abundance and diversity of small mammals in urban bushland adjacent to low-density suburbia in the City of Armadale, a municipality on the south-east fringe of Perth, Western Australia. At the time of writing, Western Australia is yet to introduce state legislation governing cat control although many local councils within the state have either implemented or are in the process of implementing cat regulations.
The precautionary principle was deemed an ideal approach to this question, because it provides a rationale for deciding on possible actions where both the potential risk to environmental values and the uncertainty about possible impacts are high. In such cases the precautionary principle requires two broad lines of action: firstly, detailed consultation with stakeholders to determine their perceptions of risk and the actions they are prepared to take to reduce it and, secondly, research to reduce uncertainty.
With regard to stakeholder consultation, local residents were surveyed in regard to their attitudes and current cat husbandry practices. A substantial proportion of respondents within this municipality believed cat regulations were necessary (75% of owners and 95% of non-owners). At least 70% of both owners and non-owners agreed with the propositions that cats not owned by licensed breeders should be desexed, local councils should restrict the maximum number of cats that can be owned on one property and that pet cats entering nature reserves are harmful to wildlife. Most (c.85%) cat owners agreed that they would license their cats if that became compulsory. Although fewer owners (c.60%) were prepared to keep their cats on their property at all times to protect wildlife, over 80% were willing to confine their cats at night if it was required. Owners seemed to be substantially motivated by the value of these measures in reducing injury to cats and facilitating the return of lost animals rather than concern over wildlife protection.
Attempts to reduce uncertainty involved (i) assessing roaming patterns of pet cats to determine the sizes of appropriate buffer zones around nature reserves, and (ii) determining species diversity, species richness and abundance of small mammals in remnant bushland adjacent to sub-divisions with varying regulations governing cat husbandry. Radio tracking results to assess cat roaming patterns showed substantial variation in home range size between cats in high density suburbia (ranged between 0.01 ha - 0.64 ha) and those in low density suburbia (ranged from 0.07 ha - 2.86ha). Larger home range sizes of cats in the rural areas (up to 2.9 ha) suggest buffer zones of up to 500 metres around nature reserves are needed to exclude almost all roaming cats. The abundance and species richness of small mammals were investigated in four areas of remnant bushland. Two were adjacent to subdivisions where cat ownership was unrestricted, one next to a subdivision where cat ownership was prohibited and the remaining one next to a subdivision where compulsory night curfew and bells on pet cats were enforced. No definitive evidence of predatory impact by pet cats on the small mammals was found. Mammal species diversity was not significantly different between sites and species richness and absolute abundance were not higher in sites where cats were restricted. Vegetation comparisons showed significant differences in the structure and species composition of the vegetation between most sites and the mammal species richness and abundance appeared linked to ground cover density in the various sites. This factor, not cat restrictions, appeared to be the primary determinant of species richness, species diversity and absolute numbers of small mammals in these sites.
This study in the City of Armadale has shown that the implementation of proposed cat legislation must have a 'whole of ecosystem' approach, i.e. protecting identified remnant bushland containing biodiversity from threatening processes such as plant disease and inappropriate fire, especially arson, as well as possible predations from pet cats. Habitat restoration and protection may be more important conservation activities than regulation of cats. Regulation of cats can be done at differing levels of intensity and cost, bearing in mind that this community is receptive to regulation of some aspects of cat ownership. Community education on the values of cat confinement in regards to cat welfare might increase chances of compliance.
2
Lilith, Maggie. "Do pet cats (Felis catus) have an impact on species richness and abundance of native mammals in low-density Western Australian suburbia?" Lilith, Maggie (2007) Do pet cats (Felis catus) have an impact on species richness and abundance of native mammals in low-density Western Australian suburbia? PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2007. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/158/.
Full textAbstract:
Cat ownership in Australia is declining compared to an increasing trend of cat ownership in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe. The decline in Australia may be linked to concerns over perceived impacts of cat predation and an associated dislike of cats. However, while there are numerous studies on feral cats and their impacts on declining native fauna, the impact of pet cats on suburban wildlife or fauna in remnant bushland is relatively unknown although there is a wide perception of risk. The primary aim of this thesis was to apply the precautionary principle to the question of the putative impact of pet cats on the abundance and diversity of small mammals in urban bushland adjacent to low-density suburbia in the City of Armadale, a municipality on the south-east fringe of Perth, Western Australia. At the time of writing, Western Australia is yet to introduce state legislation governing cat control although many local councils within the state have either implemented or are in the process of implementing cat regulations.
The precautionary principle was deemed an ideal approach to this question, because it provides a rationale for deciding on possible actions where both the potential risk to environmental values and the uncertainty about possible impacts are high. In such cases the precautionary principle requires two broad lines of action: firstly, detailed consultation with stakeholders to determine their perceptions of risk and the actions they are prepared to take to reduce it and, secondly, research to reduce uncertainty.
With regard to stakeholder consultation, local residents were surveyed in regard to their attitudes and current cat husbandry practices. A substantial proportion of respondents within this municipality believed cat regulations were necessary (75% of owners and 95% of non-owners). At least 70% of both owners and non-owners agreed with the propositions that cats not owned by licensed breeders should be desexed, local councils should restrict the maximum number of cats that can be owned on one property and that pet cats entering nature reserves are harmful to wildlife. Most (c.85%) cat owners agreed that they would license their cats if that became compulsory. Although fewer owners (c.60%) were prepared to keep their cats on their property at all times to protect wildlife, over 80% were willing to confine their cats at night if it was required. Owners seemed to be substantially motivated by the value of these measures in reducing injury to cats and facilitating the return of lost animals rather than concern over wildlife protection.
Attempts to reduce uncertainty involved (i) assessing roaming patterns of pet cats to determine the sizes of appropriate buffer zones around nature reserves, and (ii) determining species diversity, species richness and abundance of small mammals in remnant bushland adjacent to sub-divisions with varying regulations governing cat husbandry. Radio tracking results to assess cat roaming patterns showed substantial variation in home range size between cats in high density suburbia (ranged between 0.01 ha - 0.64 ha) and those in low density suburbia (ranged from 0.07 ha - 2.86ha). Larger home range sizes of cats in the rural areas (up to 2.9 ha) suggest buffer zones of up to 500 metres around nature reserves are needed to exclude almost all roaming cats. The abundance and species richness of small mammals were investigated in four areas of remnant bushland. Two were adjacent to subdivisions where cat ownership was unrestricted, one next to a subdivision where cat ownership was prohibited and the remaining one next to a subdivision where compulsory night curfew and bells on pet cats were enforced. No definitive evidence of predatory impact by pet cats on the small mammals was found. Mammal species diversity was not significantly different between sites and species richness and absolute abundance were not higher in sites where cats were restricted. Vegetation comparisons showed significant differences in the structure and species composition of the vegetation between most sites and the mammal species richness and abundance appeared linked to ground cover density in the various sites. This factor, not cat restrictions, appeared to be the primary determinant of species richness, species diversity and absolute numbers of small mammals in these sites.
This study in the City of Armadale has shown that the implementation of proposed cat legislation must have a 'whole of ecosystem' approach, i.e. protecting identified remnant bushland containing biodiversity from threatening processes such as plant disease and inappropriate fire, especially arson, as well as possible predations from pet cats. Habitat restoration and protection may be more important conservation activities than regulation of cats. Regulation of cats can be done at differing levels of intensity and cost, bearing in mind that this community is receptive to regulation of some aspects of cat ownership. Community education on the values of cat confinement in regards to cat welfare might increase chances of compliance.
3
Doherty, Tim S. "Ecology of feral cats Felis catus and their prey in relation to shrubland fire regimes." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1678.
Full textAbstract:
Invasive predators are major drivers of global biodiversity loss and their impacts may be worsened by other disturbances such as fire. I examined how the fire history of shrublands influences the ecology of feral cats Felis catus, dingoes Canis dingo and their prey species in Western Australia’s northern Wheatbelt region.
A review of the literature revealed that feral cats inhabit a diverse range of ecosystems worldwide, but are generally recorded most often in habitat types characterised by a mixture of plant growth forms close to ground level. Cat habitat use is influenced by predation/competition, prey availability, shelter availability and anthropogenic resource subsidies. Relatively few studies were available for review and the strength of evidence contained within them was generally low, which highlighted the need for more rigorous field studies.
I examined overlap in resource use between cats and dingoes using remote camera surveys and dietary analysis of scats. Both carnivores were recorded in all four major habitat types: recently burnt shrublands (10 to 14 years since last fire), long unburnt shrublands (34 to ~49 years), very long unburnt shrublands (> 50 years), and woodlands. Dingoes and cats preferred woodlands and very long unburnt shrublands respectively, but spatial overlap between the two species was still common. Mean diurnal activity time for feral cats was two and a half hours later than that of dingoes. The diet of feral cats was more diverse than that of dingoes and dietary overlap between the two carnivores was relatively low. Rabbit remains did occur relatively frequently in both cat and dingo scats, but small mammals, reptiles and birds were also common in cat scats, and macropods in dingo scats.
Nine of the 15 prey species studied showed a preference for either recently burnt or long unburnt shrublands. Two small mammals and three reptiles were most abundant in recently burnt areas, while the abundance of one small mammal and three reptiles was highest in long unburnt areas. Using giving up density experiments, I showed that rodents exhibited differential foraging behaviour in the two vegetation fire ages. The rodents foraged for longer in sheltered compared to open microhabitats, but this pattern only occurred in recently burnt, not long unburnt shrublands, probably because the higher density of understorey vegetation in recently burnt areas provided the rodents with extra cover to hide and escape from predators.
I also developed a new framework for conceptualising interactions between invasive predators and other ecological disturbances, such as fire, habitat fragmentation, and top -predator decline. The impacts of invasive predators can be classified as either functional (density -independent) or numerical (density -dependent), and they interact with other threats through both habitat -mediated (fire, grazing, land clearing) and community -mediated (top -predator decline, altered prey populations, anthropogenic resource subsidies) interaction pathways. The key findings of this thesis show that both old and young shrublands can be suitable habitat for feral cats; predator -prey dynamics are influenced by successional habitat stages; small mammals show behavioural, as well as population -level responses to fire; and that invasive predator management is likely to benefit from addressing multiple threats in unison.
4
Carter, Kendra J. "Free-roaming domestic cats and wildlife evaluating impacts through wildlife rehabilitation admissions /." Connect to resource, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1811/37258.
Full text
5
Morling, Frances. "Cape Town's cats: reassessing predation through kitty-cams." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9099.
Full textAbstract:
Includes bibliographical references.Domestic cats (Felis catus) are abundant generalist predators that exploit a wide range of prey within and adjacent to the urban matrix. Cats are known to have contributed to the extinction and endangerment (mostly on islands) of a number of indigenous species, including birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Most research on this important topic has been carried out in the developed world, predominantly in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., the U.S. and Canada with only four studies carried out in Africa. Of these, two studies in Cape Town suggest that domestic cats have a big impact on wildlife but these studies may have underestimated predation because they failed to account for the proportion of prey not returned to participants’ homes. In this study I used kitty-cams in an attempt to provide a prey correction factor for urban cats in Cape Town, South Africa. I investigated hunting of wildlife by free-ranging domestic cats in Newlands, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa over 5 weeks in 2013. I monitored 13 cats (6 deep-urban and 7 urban-edge) by questionnaire survey, asking cat owners to record all prey items returned by their cats. A total of 43 prey items were returned, 42% of which were small mammals, 30% invertebrates, 12% reptiles, 9% amphibians and 7% birds. Combining these data with two similar survey studies carried out in Cape Town I estimated that a total of 118 cats caught an average of 0.04 prey items per cat per day. Ten of the 13 cats were also monitored for 3 weeks using kitty-cam video cameras. Participating cats wore a video camera and all activity was analysed for prey captures and behavioural activity patterns.
6
Hall, Catherine. "Mitigating the impacts of pet cats (Felis catus) on urban wildlife." Thesis, Hall, Catherine (2016) Mitigating the impacts of pet cats (Felis catus) on urban wildlife. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2016. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32120/.
Full textAbstract:
Pet cats are a very important part of life for many people and provide companionship to millions of people worldwide, from small children to the elderly. However, wandering pet cats may affect wildlife populations through direct predation, competing for prey with higher order consumers, spreading disease to wildlife and humans, exerting sub-lethal effects such as changes in parental behaviour or reduction in clutch size of prey caused by the fear of cat predation, hybridising with wild felids or breeding with stray and feral cats to maintain feral populations. In addition, they may annoy neighbours by disturbing dogs, attacking pet birds, spraying, digging in gardens, fighting (including with other pet cats) and walking on cars. Pet cats that are allowed to wander are also at risk from disease, fights with other animals that may lead to injury infection, and from traffic accidents (one of the leading causes of pet cat mortality). Despite these risks to wildlife and their pets, many cat owners in Australia and other countries such as the UK and New Zealand are reluctant to restrict their cats to their properties at all times. The primary aims of this thesis were to investigate several different precautionary approaches to reducing the risks proposed by predatory interactions between cats and urban wildlife and determine what precautionary measures the wider community considers acceptable.
In association with colleagues from Australia and overseas, I assessed the social attitudes in Australia, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, Japan and China towards pet cats and cat ownership and responsibilities with a detailed survey. We found significantly different results between all countries, indicating that if any legislation was to be imposed regarding pet cats unique approaches would be required in each country. We confirmed that many cat owners will not keep their cats inside, and therefore other methods to prevent wildlife capture and reduce pet cat roaming behaviour are appropriate.
I then examined the effectiveness of the anti-predation collar cover the BirdsbeSafe® (BBS) in reducing predation by pet cats on birds. A range of different colours and patterns are available for this device and I found that some patterns (red and rainbow) were effective at reducing predation on prey with good colour vision (birds and herpetofauna) by 47 – 54%. However, yellow collar covers were not effective at reducing cat predation on birds. The BBS had no effect on the numbers of mammal prey captured. This device is useful for cats that catch many bird or herpetofauna prey and either do not catch, or their owners would like them to catch, mammals such as rats and mice. It is not suitable in areas where there are sensitive small mammal populations. Ninety-six per cent of cats adapted to the BBS within two days, indicating that it will not upset or impede on the welfare of the vast majority of cats as long as collars are correctly fitted and checked regularly.
Previous research on the anti-predation device the CatBib and my own research on the BBS indicated that these devices may alter the roaming behaviour of some pet cats, in most cases with cats reported as staying closer to home. This potentially provides another incentive for owners to fit their cats with these devices to reduce their wandering behaviour. I tested this hypothesis on 30 pet cats wearing either the CatBib or BBS with the use of GPS collars. In addition, I collected data from cats wearing GPS collars but no anti-predation device to determine factors that influence roaming behaviour. I found that neither the CatBib nor the BBS significantly changed the roaming behaviour of pet cats, supporting claims by the manufacturers of the CatBib and the BBS that the devices reduce hunting success while not restricting other behaviours. Thus they do not offer an option to owners wishing to restrict their cats' roaming. The most significant predictor of pet cat home range was housing density, with pet cats living in more rural locations travelling significantly further than pet cats in areas of high housing density.
In order to reduce uncertainty over factors that affect cat predation I used a meta-analysis and mixed linear models to compare all of the studies that used radio-telemetry or GPS to examine cat roaming behaviour. I found that despite most individual studies showing that male cats have larger home ranges than females but no statistically significant difference between the two, comparing all the data concluded that male cats do have significantly larger home ranges than females. I also found that mature cats (over 8 years old) have smaller home ranges than younger adult cats (2 – 8 years old), desexing has no influence on roaming behaviour, husbandry practices (providing vet treatment and socialising cats with humans) did not impact roaming behaviour, and cats living in areas with low housing density (e.g. farm cats or pets on rural properties) had larger home ranges than cats in higher housing density areas.
Ultimately, the best solution to prevent pet cats from impacting wildlife and for their own protection is to keep them confined to their owners’ properties at all times. Since this is an unpopular option, education campaigns are required to change the community practices and attitudes towards pet cats so that owners either become more accepting of confinement or more willing to use predation deterrents. Since there are significant differences between different countries in how people perceive cats and the impacts of their wandering behaviour, different approaches are required in different locations. In Australia, and possibly New Zealand, people may change their behaviour based on the effects cats have on some wildlife. However, in countries such as the UK, campaigns should focus on the benefits to cat welfare.
7
Brown, Meredith A. "Genetic determinants of virulence in emerging viruses of natural felid populations." Diss., Connect to online resource - MSU authorized users, 2008.
Find full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, 2008.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on April 1, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-117). Also issued in print.
8
Grayson, J. "Reducing wildlife predation by domestic cats: An approach based on the precautionary principle." Thesis, Grayson, J. (2016) Reducing wildlife predation by domestic cats: An approach based on the precautionary principle. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2016. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32298/.
Full textAbstract:
Pet cats kill a range of suburban wildlife, including some native mammals, birds and lizards. The dense cat populations sustained in suburbs by people exacerbate the problem. However, there is sparse evidence of suppression of populations of any native species in suburbia as a result of cat predation and accurate estimates of predation rates are difficult. Such uncertainty as to whether or not cat predation poses a serious risk to remnant wildlife populations in suburbia is no reason for inaction until the question is resolved, because serious environmental impacts including species decline or local extinction could occur before definitive evidence is available. Therefore, it is appropriate to invoke the precautionary principle, which requires (i) detailed consultation to choose and implement precautionary measures to anticipate possible environmental damage, and (ii) concurrent research to reduce uncertainty as to the exact impact and whether precautionary measures should be continued or reduced. In this study I apply a precautionary approach to the question of whether or not predation by pet cats influences passerine species richness or community composition in suburban Perth, Western Australia. In keeping with the twin tenets of the recautionary principle the study involved an assessment of community attitudes and practices regarding the husbandry of pet cats and their impact on wildlife in general (consultation), and a detailed study of factors (including the density of pet cats) influencing passerine species richness or community composition across metropolitan Perth (reducing uncertainty).
To assess the attitudes and practices of the general public towards cat legislation and other issues relating to pet cats, I designed and issued a survey to 2,000 residents within the City of Melville, a local government municipality in Perth. The response rate was 63%. Respondents were questioned upon their knowledge of cat issues and their attitudes and practices toward sterilisation of pet cats; legislation regulating cat
ownership and the putative impact cats have upon wildlife. Age, gender and cat ownership status of respondents were investigated to determine if such factors influenced responses. Cat-owners, particularly women, knew more about cat issues. Non-owners were more supportive than cat-owners of the introduction of cat control measures and were more concerned about the possible impacts cats exert upon suburban and remnant wildlife. Women, regardless of cat-ownership status, were more supportive of sterilisation, whereas men were more supportive of the introduction of cat control measures. Age was positively related to the implementation of control measures, with older respondents showing most support. Over 70% of respondents, both cat-owners and non-owners, supported the introduction of cat legislation that promoted sterilisation,
restricted the number of cats per household and their roaming behaviour, and mandated licensing of pet cats. However, only a minority of cat-owners or non-owners supported the concept that local governments should enforce cat-free zones where ownership of pet cats was prohibited.
To find definitive evidence of the impact of cats upon suburban fauna, I utilised data collected by members of Birds Australia for the ‘Suburban Bird Survey’ that covered 57 sites throughout suburban Perth, extending onto the Darling Scarp. Using these data, I tested the influence of eight variables including cat density, dog density, housing density, age of suburb, distance to, and size of, nearest bushland less than or greater than 5 ha on passerine species richness, passerine species composition and the presence/absence of 15 selected passerines that were recorded in 20 to 80% of sites. Garden vegetation factors including structure and floristics were also tested in 18 of these sites.
Cat density was not a significant predictor of any of the dependent variables tested. Rather, community composition of passerines declined with increasing housing density and distance to nearest bushland, and increased with size of nearest bushland > 5 ha. These independent variables, particularly housing density, significantly affected small to medium size insectivores. There were no clear results that predicted the presence/absence of the 15 selected passerines, although housing density appeared to be the most likely predictor. Garden vegetation was not a significant predictor for the presence or absence of any of the 15 selected species, although gardens with low bird pollinated plants were more likely to contain Yellow Rumped Thornbill, whereas gardens dominated by fruiting vegetation, tall, bird pollinated and deciduous vegetation
were less likely to contain any of the 15 selected species.
Overall, the possible cat control measures supported by 70% or more of owners and non-owners would protect wildlife by reducing dumping of unwanted cats, limiting cat densities in suburbia and enabling identification of nuisance animals. Given this high level of community support, these measures should be implemented. However, they are not a panacea for wildlife conservation in the suburbs. While cat predation might be significant adjacent to remnant bushland or other areas of conservation significance, blaming cats for bird conservation issues in long-established suburbs may be a scapegoat for high residential densities, inappropriate landscaping at a range of scales or poor conservation of remnant bushland.
9
Adams, John Peter. "Parasites of feral cats and native fauna from Western Australia the application of molecular techniques for the study of parasitic infections in Australian wildlife /." Connect to this title online, 2003. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20040730.142034.
Full text
10
Adams, Peter John. "Parasites of feral cats and native fauna from Western Australia: the application of molecular techniques for the study of parasitic infections in Australian wildlife." Thesis, Adams, Peter John (2003) Parasites of feral cats and native fauna from Western Australia: the application of molecular techniques for the study of parasitic infections in Australian wildlife. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2003. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/29/.
Full textAbstract:
A survey of gastro-intestinal parasites was conducted on faecal samples collected from 379 feral cats and 851 native fauna from 16 locations throughout Western Australia. The prevalence of each parasite species detected varied depending upon the sampling location. Common helminth parasites detected in feral cats included Ancylostoma spp. (29.8%), Oncicola pomatostomi (25.6%), Spirometra erinaceieuropaei (14%), Taenia taeniaeformis (4.7%), Physaloptera praeputialis (3.7%) and Toxocara cati (2.6%). The most common protozoan parasites detected in feral cats were Isospora rivolta (16.9%) and I. felis (4.5%). The native mammals were predominately infected with unidentified nematodes of the order Strongylida (59.1%), with members of the orders Rhabditida, Spirurida and Oxyurida also common. Oxyuroid nematodes were most common in the rodents (47.9%) and western grey kangaroos (27.8%). Several species of Eimeria were detected in the marsupials whilst unidentified species of Entamoeba and coccidia were common in most of the native fauna.
Primers anchored in the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) were used to develop a polymerase chain reaction-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique to differentiate the species of Ancylostoma detected in feral cats. Amplification of the ITS+ region (ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S gene) followed by digestion with the endonuclease RsaI produced characteristic patterns for A. tubaeforme, A. ceylanicum and A. caninum, which were detected in 26.6%, 4.7% and 0% of feral cats respectively. Giardia was detected in a cat, dingo, quenda and two native rodents. Sequence analysis at the small subunit rDNA gene (SSU-rDNA) identified the cat and dingo as harbouring G.duodenalis infections belonging to the genetic assemblages A and D respectively.
Subsequent analysis of the SSU-rDNA and elongation factor 1 alpha (ef1[alpha]) identified a novel species of Giardia occurring in the quenda. Attempts to genetically characterise the Giardia in the two native rodents were unsuccessful.
Serological detection of Toxoplasma gondii was compared to a one tube hemi-nested PCR protocol to evaluate its sensitivity. PCR was comparable to serology in detecting T. gondii infections, although PCR was a much more definitive and robust technique than serology for large numbers of samples. Amplification of T. gondii DNA detected infections in 4.9% of feral cats and 6.5% of native mammals. The distribution of T. gondii does not appear to be restricted by environmental factors, which implies that vertical transmission is important for the persistence of T. gondii infections in Western Australia.
These results demonstrate that cats carry a wide range of parasitic organisms, many of which may influence the survival and reproduction of native mammals. As such, the large-scale conservation and reintroduction of native fauna in Western Australia must not disregard the potential influence parasites can have on these populations.
Books on the topic "Cats Cats Wildlife conservation"
1
Oliveira, Tadeu Gomes de. Neotropical cats: Ecology and conservation. São Luís: EDUFMA, 1994.
Find full text
2
Pat, Marriott, ed. Eelie and the big cats. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2001.
Find full text
3
Ferris, Chris. Green-eyed Flo: The cat, the fox and the badgers. London: Coronet Books, 1993.
Find full text
4
Raines, Ward Diane, ed. Tiger-wallahs: Saving the greatest of the great cats. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Find full text
5
Chasing the dragon's tail: The struggle to save Thailand's wild cats. New York: Doubleday, 1991.
Find full text
6
Chasing the dragon's tail: The struggle to save Thailand's wild cats. New York: Anchor Books, 1992.
Find full text
7
Ward, Geoffrey C. Tiger Wallahs: Encounters with the men who tried to save the greatest of the great cats. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1993.
Find full text
8
Little, Jean. Endangered Odie?: Garfield learns about conservation. Racine, Wis: Western Pub. Co., 1992.
Find full text
9
E, Sunquist Melvin, ed. Tiger moon: Tracking the great cats of Nepal : with a new afterword. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002.
Find full text
10
Véron, Géraldine. On the trail of big cats. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 1998.
Find full textBook chapters on the topic "Cats Cats Wildlife conservation"
1
Rossi, Lorenzo, Carmelo Maria Scuzzarella, and Francesco Maria Angelici. "Extinct or Perhaps Surviving Relict Populations of Big Cats: Their Controversial Stories and Implications for Conservation." In Problematic Wildlife II, 393–417. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42335-3_12.
Full text
2
Lilith, Maggie, Michael Calver, and Mark Garkaklis. "Roaming habits of pet cats on the suburban fringe in Perth, Western Australia: what size buffer zone is needed to protect wildlife in reserves?" In Too close for comfort, 65–72. P.O. Box 20, Mosman NSW 2088, Australia: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.7882/fs.2008.011.
Full text
3
Nagendra, Harini. "Wild Beasts in the City." In At Nature's Edge, 105–19. Oxford University Press, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199489077.003.0005.
Full textAbstract:
Early settlers, pastoralists and hunters, demonstrated an extensive ecological knowledge of the local landscape as of animal behaviour. India rulers used hunts and captive wild animals in the court to underline their bravery, military prowess and valour. The local fascination with shikar (hunting) rubbed off onto British elite, who participated in gruesome farces of urban ‘hunts’, against large wild cats imported in cages from the forests surrounding Bengaluru. Uncaged wildlife were perceived as vermin, leading to an intensive period of targeted kills in the 19th century. These histories influence our framing of the wild beast as the ‘other’: a being to be valorized in battle, conquered in a hunt, trapped in a cage, butchered for trophies, and exoticized in print, but not capable of co-existing with humans. Solutions are unclear, and would be simplistic to propose. But the need to foster a new ethic of urban conservation appears clear.
4
"Big cats." In World Wildlife Crime Report, 79–92. United Nations, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.18356/9789210052252c011.
Full text
5
da Paz, Regina Celia Rodrigues. "Wildlife Cats Reproductive Biotechnology." In Current Frontiers in Cryobiology. InTech, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/32464.
Full text
6
Mendoza, Miguel Saavedra, Paúl Cun, Eric Horstman, Sonia Carabajo, and Juan José Alava. "The Last Coastal Jaguars of Ecuador: Ecology, Conservation and Management Implications." In Big Cats. InTech, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.69859.
Full text
7
Veraguas, Daniel, Diana Echeverry, Fidel Ovidio Castro, and Lleretny Rodriguez-Alvarez. "Applied Biotechnologies in the Conservation of Wild Felids: In Vitro Embryo Production and Cellular Regenerative Therapies." In Big Cats. InTech, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71311.
Full text
8
Narayan, Edward, Nagarajan Baskaran, and Janice Vaz. "Conservation Physiology of Tigers in Zoos: Integrating Stress Physiology and Behaviour to Monitor Their Health and Welfare." In Big Cats. InTech, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.69780.
Full text
9
Hornocker, Maurice. "Conserving the Cats, Cougar Management as a Model." In Wildlife Science, 111–22. CRC Press, 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781420007619.pt2.
Full text
10
Camargo Júnior, Raimundo Nonato Colares, Ana Beatriz Pantoja Neves, Brena Peleja Vinholte, Matheus Junott Miranda, Edicleya Marinho Guimarães, Helder Ribeiro Batista, Jaciara Simone Sarmento Gomes, Albiane Sousa de Oliveira, Anna Claudia de Sousa Lins, and Welligton Conceição da Silva. "Transfusion, conservation of blood and blood components in dogs and cats." In Themes focused on interdisciplinarity and sustainable development worldwide, 234–42. Seven Events, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.56238/tfisdwv1-020.
Full textConference papers on the topic "Cats Cats Wildlife conservation"
1
Travers, Matthew, and Howie Choset. "Optimal Gait Design for Systems With Drift on SO(3)." In ASME 2013 Dynamic Systems and Control Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/dscc2013-3946.
Full textAbstract:
Geckos that jump, cats that fall, and satellites that are inertially controlled fundamentally locomote in the same way. These systems are bodies in free flight that actively reorientate under the influence of conservation of angular momentum. We refer to such bodies as inertial systems. This work presents a novel control method for inertial systems with drift that combines geometric methods and computational control. In previous work, which focused on inertial systems starting from rest, a set of visual tools was developed that readily allowed on to design gaits. A key insight of this work was deriving coordinates, called minimum perturbation coordinates, which allowed the visual tools to be applied to the design of a wide range of motions. This paper draws upon the same insight to show that it is possible to approximately analyze the kinematic and dynamic contributions to net motion independently. This approach is novel because it uses geometric tools to support computational reduction in automatic gait generation on three-dimensional spaces.