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Simple Summary: Feline colonies cause various environmental, public health, and animal welfare problems, highlighting the importance of adequate management in promoting the One Health concept. This study evaluated the trap–neuter–return approach as a population management method for a colony of 157 animals. Following interventions conducted over 18 months, there was a 47.8% reduction in colony size, and 98.8% of the animals were sterilized. Adoption played an important role in reducing population growth. This strategy prevented kitten birth, fostered stronger bonds between caregivers and animals, and protected against death, disappearance, and abandonment. The study's results will aid environmental and health management planning and decision-making, benefiting society, animals, and the environment. Overpopulation of domestic animals leads to various problems, such as the formation of feline colonies. Population management methods for these colonies have been studied previously; however, no scientific consensus has been reached. This study evaluated the use of trap–neuter–return (TNR) in a free-roaming cat colony in Brazil's Federal District. The study was conducted over 18 months and involved 157 cats that had not previously been managed. The experiment had three parts: recognition and preparation, TNR intervention, and monitoring. The results showed a 47.8% reduction in colony size. Additionally, 98.8% of the animals were sterilized. The adoption, death, disappearance, abandonment, and immigration rates were 19.7%, 14.0%, 14.0%, 7.6%, and 4.5%, respectively. The TNR experiment conducted in the proposed manner, which included detailed pre-planning, mass sterilization, active management, continuous monitoring, and educational actions, proved to be efficient and humane. However, guidelines aimed at managing animal populations, promoting adoption, preventing abandonment, and educating people about responsible pet ownership are essential for achieving sustainable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Domestic cats have spread worldwide, and their populations on islands have a significant impact on biodiversity. Particularly on small inhabited islands of tourist importance, cats can reach high densities. To evaluate cat impacts and plan cat population management, it is essential to know their population size and spatial distribution. This study examines the cat population on the small island of Tabarca (40 ha), near the Spanish Mediterranean coast, which includes a small village. Tabarca is included in the Natura 2000 Network due to its environmental value and bird populations. The overall cat density is among the highest reported (308 cats/km2), varying between the urban area (1084 cats/km2) and the uninhabited scrubland area (27 cats/km2). The home ranges of urban cats are much smaller (average 0.38 ha or 1.25 ha, depending on the estimation method) than those of cats in the scrubland (average 9.53 ha). These findings indicate that the urban area is a source of cats that colonize the scrubland. Despite the majority of cats being sterilized by the study's end (89.5% of males and 91.7% of females), the population decline will be slow, taking many years to reach acceptable levels. Therefore, additional management measures are recommended to mitigate the cat population's impact on biodiversity. There is growing concern about effectively controlling cat populations due to their impact on biodiversity, especially on islands. To plan this management, it is essential to know the cat population size, sterilization rates, and space they use. Small inhabited islands can have very high cat densities; thus, this study aimed to evaluate cat density and home range on a small tourist island in the Spanish Mediterranean. Surveys in the urban area identified individual cats using a photographic catalog, and camera trapping was conducted in the scrubland area. GPS devices were fitted on three urban cats. The overall cat density was estimated to be 308 cats/km2, varying between the urban area (1084 cats/km2) and the uninhabited scrubland (27 cats/km2). Urban cats had smaller average home ranges (0.38 ha or 1.25 ha, depending on the estimation method) compared to scrubland cats (9.53 ha). Penetration of scrubland cats into the urban area was not detected. These results indicate that the urban area acts as a source of cats for the scrubland. Although the total sterilization rate was high (90.3%), the large cat population implies that the density would take over a decade to decrease to acceptable levels. Therefore, complementary measures for managing this cat population are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic cats (Felis catus) face contradictory public perceptions. In 2019, we examined public perceptions toward cats within the City of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, using an online survey (1,464 responses) to assess perceptions toward free-roaming cats and the use of bylaws to address concerns. Perceptions were dependent on cat-ownership status; a majority of non-cat and former owners were concerned about free-roaming cats, current cat owners less so. There was considerable support for mandatory identification. Cat owners were not supportive of bylaws restricting free-roaming of cats, although this was supported by non-owners. Concerns include the negative impact on caring for a pet cat, and the fear that such bylaws would increase abandonment. Cat owners were not enthusiastic about fines for roaming cats, while non-cat owners were. There was considerable concern around including neutering cats as part of planned cat management. Our research also found nuanced concern for the impacts of management on impoverished owners, the welfare of cats and a recognition that it was the humans, rather than the cats, who should be the focus of active and thoughtful intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Globally, cats are a common companion animal. Allowing companion cats to roam away from home can have negative impacts on native wildlife and cat welfare. A more contained cat lifestyle can limit the detrimental impacts of roaming; however, this continues to be an uncommon choice for cat owners in many countries. Communication strategies that focus on welfare benefits for cats have successfully motivated some owners to prevent their cats from roaming. However, little is known about other factors influencing owners' decisions about roaming, such as the owner–cat relationship and their cat's membership in the local community. We conducted five focus groups with 31 cat owners in Aotearoa New Zealand to understand these factors. Using thematic analysis, we identified three major themes that describe how owners view the impacts of cat containment on their relationship with their cat/s. First, finding a balance between enabling and restricting choices to ensure the cat's welfare is at the heart of the owner–cat relationship. Critically, the cat's choice to repeatedly return home reaffirms the owner–cat relationship. Second, striking the right balance in the provision of choice and ensuring welfare are contingent on the cat's characteristics. Owners providing their cat/s with the choice to leave home are perceived to be positively associated with enabling their freedom, independence and curiosity. Third, owners perceived cats to belong in many spaces occupied by humans outside of their property, despite most participants living near populations of significant threatened species. The choice to allow a cat to roam from home impacts cat welfare, the owner–cat relationship and membership in the local cat, human and wildlife community. Efforts to facilitate the shift to a contained cat lifestyle need to help owners provide choices for their cats that will meet their welfare needs and foster the owner–cat relationship. Locally relevant strategies that consider the owners' views as members of their community will likely be more successful. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Globally, cats are a common companion animal. Allowing companion cats to roam away from home can have negative impacts on native wildlife and cat welfare. A more contained cat lifestyle can limit the detrimental impacts of roaming; however, this continues to be an uncommon choice for cat owners in many countries.Communication strategies that focus on welfare benefits for cats have successfully motivated some owners to prevent their cats from roaming. However, little is known about other factors influencing owners' decisions about roaming, such as the owner–cat relationship and their cat's membership in the local community.We conducted five focus groups with 31 cat owners in Aotearoa New Zealand to understand these factors.Using thematic analysis, we identified three major themes that describe how owners view the impacts of cat containment on their relationship with their cat/s. First, finding a balance between enabling and restricting choices to ensure the cat's welfare is at the heart of the owner–cat relationship. Critically, the cat's choice to repeatedly return home reaffirms the owner–cat relationship. Second, striking the right balance in the provision of choice and ensuring welfare are contingent on the cat's characteristics. Owners providing their cat/s with the choice to leave home are perceived to be positively associated with enabling their freedom, independence and curiosity. Third, owners perceived cats to belong in many spaces occupied by humans outside of their property, despite most participants living near populations of significant threatened species.The choice to allow a cat to roam from home impacts cat welfare, the owner–cat relationship and membership in the local cat, human and wildlife community. Efforts to facilitate the shift to a contained cat lifestyle need to help owners provide choices for their cats that will meet their welfare needs and foster the owner–cat relationship. Locally relevant strategies that consider the owners' views as members of their community will likely be more successful. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) remains a serious concern in some countries despite advances in diagnostics and vaccines. FeLV-infected cats often have reduced lifespans due to FeLV-associated diseases. The infection is transmitted through social interactions. While Northern European countries have reported a decrease in FeLV among pet cats, Switzerland's rates remain stagnant at 2.7% (2016/17: 95% CI 1.4–5.2%). Research on FeLV in Swiss stray cats has been lacking, even though these animals could serve as a virus reservoir. Sampling stray cats that do not receive regular veterinary care can be challenging. Collaboration with the Swiss Network for Animal Protection (NetAP) allowed for the prospective collection of saliva samples from 1711 stray cats during a trap–neuter–return program from 2019 to 2023. These samples were tested for FeLV RNA using RT-qPCR as a measure for antigenemia. Viral RNA was detected in 4.0% (95% CI 3.1–5.0%) of the samples, with 7.7% (95% CI 4.9–11.3%) in sick cats and 3.3% (95% CI 2.4–4.4%) in healthy ones. We identified three geographically independent hotspots with alarmingly high FeLV infection rates in stray cats (up to 70%). Overall, including the previous data of privately owned cats, FeLV-positive cats were scattered throughout Switzerland in 24/26 cantons. Our findings underscore welfare concerns for FeLV infections among stray cats lacking veterinary attention, highlighting the potential risk of infection to other free-roaming cats, including those privately owned. This emphasizes the critical significance of vaccinating all cats with outdoor access against FeLV and developing programs to protect cats from FeLV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study addresses the concern of managing and coexisting with community cats in urban areas. The study was conducted in urban China through a survey involving 5382 participants. It explores the residents' perceptions of the general health of community cats and the relationships between humans and these feline inhabitants. The findings show that about 70% of participants considered all or most of the community cats to be in good health, and about 60% reported harmonious or non-conflict coexistence. It was found that residents' relationships with community cats were associated with socio-demographic factors such as education, marital status, and income level. The study highlights the importance of customized approaches to cat management in various cities and communities. This provides useful information for stakeholders to create efficient policies and interventions for the welfare of the community cats and the people who live alongside them. The management and coexistence of community cats in urban areas is a growing concern amid global urbanization. Through a survey-based investigation, we examine the residents' perceptions of the general health of community cats and human-cat relationships in urban China. The data from 5382 participants revealed that approximately 70% of participants perceived community cats as being in good health, and 60% reported harmonious or non-conflict coexistence between residents and these cats. Around 45% of the participants rescued or helped community cats, 38% expressed their intention to adopt, and 18% complained about the issues of community cats to management staff. Linear, logistic, and multilevel-logistic regressions were employed to examine the associations between the types of cities and communities or the participants' socio-demographics and the perceived well-being of community cats or human-cat relationships. The results show that the cats in fourth-tier cities (e.g., county-level cities) had poorer living conditions than in first-tier cities (e.g., Beijing), while the cats in urban village communities (e.g., villages in the city) were less likely to exhibit good health than in ordinary commercial housing communities. The results also show that socio-demographic variables, such as educational attainment, marital status, and income level, predicted participants' relationships with community cats. This study is the first of its kind. It provides valuable insights for stakeholders to develop effective policies and interventions on cat management, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies in diverse urban settings and populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Free-roaming and feral cats, along with their impacts on ecosystems and humans, have been debated globally. Cat welfare, overpopulation, and environmental and public health problems have prompted interest in controlling their populations. Several techniques exist to control cat populations, but community engagement may not always be considered. A systematic literature review was conducted to evaluate if community engagement influences the effectiveness of control techniques in managing cat populations, excluding culling. The greatest control occurred with highest community engagement; adoption and education determined the effectiveness. While research on cat control exists, few studies evaluate community engagement and technique effectiveness. This information is particularly relevant in countries that explicitly incorporate certain control techniques into their legislation. Although free-roaming and feral cat control techniques are often applied in human communities, community engagement is not always considered. A systematic literature review following an update of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) methodology was conducted to evaluate whether community engagement influences the effectiveness of control techniques, excluding culling, in managing cat populations. The degree of community engagement was estimated based on the number of roles reported during the application of the control technique, which included adoption, trapping, care, and/or education. Education followed by adoption was the determining factor in the decreasing cat populations over time. The limited evaluations of control technique effectiveness, narrow geographical scope, and our simple measure of engagement emphasize the need for more detailed studies. These studies should evaluate the effectiveness of control techniques, while considering community engagement more comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overpopulation of domestic animals leads to various problems, such as the formation of feline colonies. Population management methods for these colonies have been studied previously; however, no scientific consensus has been reached. This study evaluated the use of trap–neuter–return (TNR) in a free-roaming cat colony in Brazil’s Federal District. The study was conducted over 18 months and involved 157 cats that had not previously been managed. The experiment had three parts: recognition and preparation, TNR intervention, and monitoring. The results showed a 47.8% reduction in colony size. Additionally, 98.8% of the animals were sterilized. The adoption, death, disappearance, abandonment, and immigration rates were 19.7%, 14.0%, 14.0%, 7.6%, and 4.5%, respectively. The TNR experiment conducted in the proposed manner, which included detailed pre-planning, mass sterilization, active management, continuous monitoring, and educational actions, proved to be efficient and humane. However, guidelines aimed at managing animal populations, promoting adoption, preventing abandonment, and educating people about responsible pet ownership are essential for achieving sustainable results.

There is growing concern about effectively controlling cat populations due to their impact on biodiversity, especially on islands. To plan this management, it is essential to know the cat population size, sterilization rates, and space they use. Small inhabited islands can have very high cat densities; thus, this study aimed to evaluate cat density and home range on a small tourist island in the Spanish Mediterranean. Surveys in the urban area identified individual cats using a photographic catalog, and camera trapping was conducted in the scrubland area. GPS devices were fitted on three urban cats. The overall cat density was estimated to be 308 cats/km2, varying between the urban area (1084 cats/km2) and the uninhabited scrubland (27 cats/km2). Urban cats had smaller average home ranges (0.38 ha or 1.25 ha, depending on the estimation method) compared to scrubland cats (9.53 ha). Penetration of scrubland cats into the urban area was not detected. These results indicate that the urban area acts as a source of cats for the scrubland. Although the total sterilization rate was high (90.3%), the large cat population implies that the density would take over a decade to decrease to acceptable levels. Therefore, complementary measures for managing this cat population are recommended.

Simple Summary: When multiple urban free-roaming cats are being cared for by an owner or a cat caregiver, it often results in public complaints due to concerns about nuisance behaviors, their effect on wildlife, and human and pet health. The typical response from the authorities is to implement a cat management strategy based on trap–adopt or kill. Because the cats are often timid or shy, many are euthanized. This strategy is detrimental to the well-being of the people who care for urban cats, and is not effective at reducing the free-roaming cat population. This qualitative study aimed to explore the impacts of a free sterilization, microchipping, and vaccination program on the people who care for multiple urban free-roaming cats. Several main themes arose during the interviews. The results demonstrate the strong bond the participants had with the cats they cared for, and the positive impact the free sterilization program had on the cat carers' well-being and quality of life. It is recommended that this care-centered approach be used instead of current lethal cat management strategies, to improve the well-being of people and cats, reduce the free-roaming cat population, and minimize public complaints and cat impoundments. Urban free-roaming cats create concern about their impacts on wildlife and human health, leading to the use of trap–adopt–kill methods to manage these populations. This method is ineffective at decreasing the free-roaming cat population and has a negative impact on cat caregivers' well-being. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the relationship that semi-owners (people who feed cats but do not perceive ownership) and owners of multiple cats have with the cats they care for, and the social and psychological impacts of an alternative assistive-centered approach to urban cat management. This approach to semi-owned and owned cats provided free sterilization and preventative healthcare. Our findings demonstrate that the caregivers had a strong emotional bond with the cats they cared for. The caregivers also experienced a positive impact on their quality of life, and indicated an improvement in the cats' welfare after having the cats sterilized through this program. Additionally, the cat caregivers indicated that they had a negative view of agencies, such as the municipal council. It is recommended that an assistive-centered approach to urban cat management be prioritized by local councils and welfare agencies to improve caregivers' quality of life and psychological well-being, whilst also improving cat welfare. The implementation of this assistive-centered management approach could improve the relationship between communities and the agencies involved, leading to the continuous reporting of free-roaming cats for sterilization. This assistive-centered approach has the potential to reduce the free-roaming cat population, their effects on wildlife, nuisance complaints, and council impoundments, and is aligned with the One Welfare philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) remains a serious concern in some countries despite advances in diagnostics and vaccines. FeLV-infected cats often have reduced lifespans due to FeLV-associated diseases. The infection is transmitted through social interactions. While Northern European countries have reported a decrease in FeLV among pet cats, Switzerland’s rates remain stagnant at 2.7% (2016/17: 95% CI 1.4–5.2%). Research on FeLV in Swiss stray cats has been lacking, even though these animals could serve as a virus reservoir. Sampling stray cats that do not receive regular veterinary care can be challenging. Collaboration with the Swiss Network for Animal Protection (NetAP) allowed for the prospective collection of saliva samples from 1711 stray cats during a trap–neuter–return program from 2019 to 2023. These samples were tested for FeLV RNA using RT-qPCR as a measure for antigenemia. Viral RNA was detected in 4.0% (95% CI 3.1–5.0%) of the samples, with 7.7% (95% CI 4.9–11.3%) in sick cats and 3.3% (95% CI 2.4–4.4%) in healthy ones. We identified three geographically independent hotspots with alarmingly high FeLV infection rates in stray cats (up to 70%). Overall, including the previous data of privately owned cats, FeLV-positive cats were scattered throughout Switzerland in 24/26 cantons. Our findings underscore welfare concerns for FeLV infections among stray cats lacking veterinary attention, highlighting the potential risk of infection to other free-roaming cats, including those privately owned. This emphasizes the critical significance of vaccinating all cats with outdoor access against FeLV and developing programs to protect cats from FeLV infections.

This document is an editorial published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science titled "Exploring cats: their behaviors and human-cat interactions." The editorial highlights the limited research on the behavior and welfare of cats living in private homes and the need for more understanding of human-cat interactions. It also addresses the controversy surrounding free-roaming cats and their impact on wildlife. The editorial presents 12 new papers that cover various themes related to cat behaviors and the development of the human-cat bond. The papers discuss topics such as human-cat interactions, social play between cats, and the use of technology in cat research. Overall, the editorial aims to improve our understanding of companion cats and their interactions with humans. [Extracted from the article]

Coyotes are among the most successful carnivores in urban and suburban environments, which has increasingly led to conflicts with pets and people in southern California. One possible contributor to high coyote population densities and human-coyote conflicts is an abundance of free-roaming domestic cats subsidized by backyard feeding and trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs. To determine if coyotes regularly eat free-roaming cats, we identified prey items in the stomachs of 311 coyotes between 2015 and 2018; specimens were either road-killed coyotes or coyotes taken as nuisance animals. We used two methods to estimate coyote diet: visual identification of stomach contents and molecular polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) analysis of prey remains in stomachs. A total of 245 coyotes stomachs contained identifiable food items, including 200 (43%) that contained mammalian prey (based on hair, bones, and tissue); 178 of these had sufficient tissue from which DNA could be extracted. Combining the two methods, we found cat remains in 35% (n = 86) of stomachs with identifiable mammalian remains. This makes cats the most common mammalian prey item identified, surpassing rabbits and small rodents, and means cats are likely a more common prey than has been reported previously, including in other areas of southern California. We used a GIS approach to compare landscape characteristics associated with known locations of coyotes that ate cats to the same characteristics around locations determined to be TNR cat colonies based on public shelter records. These characteristics included amount and intensity of urban development, coverage of grassland and shrubland, building density, and the distance to the nearest natural vegetation; these were entered into a principal component analysis (PCA) to create composite variables that described the degree of urbanization around coyote and TNR colony locations. Logistic regression of PCA variables revealed that cat-eating coyotes were significantly associated with landscapes that were more intensively developed, had little natural or altered green space, and a higher building density than coyotes that did not have cats in their stomachs. Locations of TNR cat colonies had similar landscape characteristics, with colonies often located in intensively developed areas such as apartment complexes or industrial or commercial zones that are relatively far from natural areas. The subset of coyotes associated with TNR colonies were also highly likely to have consumed cats. Coyotes that had been removed (vs. roadkill) tended to be cat-eaters, suggesting that consumption of pets may have led to targeting these coyotes for lethal removal. The high frequency of cats in coyote diets, combined with the concordance of landscape characteristics associated with TNR colonies and cat-eating coyotes, support the argument that high cat densities and supplemental feeding attract coyotes. Effective mitigation of human-coyote conflicts in southern California may require a ban on outdoor feeding of cats and wildlife, and the removal of TNR colonies that coyotes apparently exploit as an abundant source of food.

Simple Summary: Homeless cats pose a significant problem in Europe as they tend to congregate in urban areas where they can find food and shelter. Over time, they may then spread out into natural habitats. Animal welfare organizations provide care to these free-roaming cats, but some stakeholders call for capturing or sacrificing them, which is often illegal and ineffective. Spanish veterinarians urge for a sustainable approach to decrease the population of free-roaming cats through trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs and social awareness, rejecting lethal control and removal methods. A comprehensive study is required to evaluate their actual impact, and effective control programs should focus on non-lethal methods such as TNR and adoption. Public education on sterilization and identification is also needed to prevent abandonment. Homeless cats are a major problem in Europe, with hundreds of thousands abandoned every year. While many die, others can adapt to a lifestyle of roaming freely and establish community cat populations that tend to cluster together in groups. These groups of cats are typically found in urban areas that offer food and shelter to the cats. Animal welfare organizations often care for these cats, providing them with food, shelter, and medical attention. Despite this, conflicts can arise due to the presence of free-roaming cats, with some individuals advocating for drastic measures such as trapping and killing the cats to reduce their populations. However, it is essential to note that such methods are frequently illegal, inhumane, and ultimately ineffective in most situations. A thorough assessment of the impact of cats on a particular natural area requires a comprehensive cat census, a detailed study of the species being preyed upon, and an investigation into the prevalence of zoonotic or epizootic diseases. Moreover, veterinary experts assert that the public health risks associated with cats are often overstated. This article aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the impact of cats on biodiversity in natural areas, while also discussing their role in transmitting the main zoonotic diseases identified in European countries in recent years, with a particular focus on Spain. Effective cat control programs should focus on non-lethal methods such as trap–neuter–return (TNR) and adoption. TNR has proven to be the most effective and humane method of controlling the free-roaming cat population, but its effectiveness is influenced by several factors, including adoption programs and public education on responsible pet ownership. According to Spanish veterinarians, sustainable and science-based solutions such as TNR programs are the best way to achieve population control of free-roaming cats. The veterinary profession should raise awareness regarding sterilization, vaccination, and identification of cats and the consequences of abandonment. They oppose lethal control and removal of cats from the environment, which are ineffective and unethical methods. To promote animal welfare, veterinary professionals must collaborate with public administrations to implement long-term, sustainable solutions to the problem of cat overpopulation. Greater social awareness regarding the importance of sterilization and identification to prevent abandonment and reduce the number of free-roaming cats is also needed. Despite the challenges presented by homeless cat populations in Spain and the rest of Europe, there are many reasons for optimism. Animal welfare organizations and veterinary professionals are actively collaborating to develop humane and effective solutions to manage community cats, including programs such as TNR and adoption. Furthermore, these initiatives are gaining momentum and support from emerging laws and regulations, such as the recent Spanish animal welfare law. Through these efforts, we can reduce the number of free-roaming cats and improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: How domestic cats use open spaces around their homes is unstudied in Africa, and this has conservation implications given their high rate of predation on native prey. We GPS-tracked a sample of cats in summer and winter to understand habitat and area use and distances travelled. Since Cape Town surrounds the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), we also determined how often cats ventured into protected areas. A far greater proportion of cats (59% of 78) returned prey home in summer than winter (30% of 27), and summer ranges were significantly greater and ca. three-fold larger than those in winter (3.00 ha vs. 0.87 ha). Urban-edge (UE) cats travelled up to 850 m from their homes and both urban (U) and UE cats entered natural habitat. All seven GPS-collared UE cats (and one of seven U) ventured into protected areas in summer and two of four UE (and two of five U) cats did so in winter. Thus, our data suggest that cats may regularly hunt in protected areas, especially in summer. Yet they may also limit the time spent in such habitats due to predation risk from meso-carnivores. The threat to biodiversity in protected areas by owned cats necessitates further layers of protection. Cat-free buffers of ~600 m, based on the average movements reported here, may reduce domestic cat predation in protected areas. Domestic cats (Felis catus) are amongst the most destructive invasive vertebrates globally, depredating billions of native animals annually. The size and seasonal variation of their geographical "footprint" is key to understanding their effects on wildlife, particularly if they live near conservation areas. Here we report the first GPS-tracking studies of free-roaming owned cats in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. A total of 23 cats was tracked (14 cats in summer, 9 in winter) using miniature (22 g) GPS locators in 2010–2011. In summer, all cats living on the urban-edge (UE: n = 7) made extensive use of protected areas, while only one of seven urban (U) cats (>150 m from the edge) did so. In winter two of four UE and two of five U cats entered protected areas. Home ranges (95% kernel density estimates) were significantly larger in summer (3.00 ± 1.23 ha) than winter (0.87 ± 0.25 ha) and cats ventured further from their homes in summer (maximum 849 m) than in winter (max 298 m). The predation risk posed by caracal (Caracal caracal) may limit the time cats spend in protected areas, but our results suggest that cat buffers around conservation areas should be at least ~600 m wide to reduce impacts to native fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One possible contributor to the unusually high number of conflicts between coyotes (Canis latrans) and people in urban southern California, USA, may be the abundance of freeroaming domestic cats (Felis catus; cats) subsidized by feeding and augmented by trap-neuterreturn (TNR) programs. To determine if coyotes regularly prey on and consume cats, we combined visual and molecular-genetic approaches to identify prey items in stomachs of 311 coyotes from Los Angeles County and Orange County, provided to the South Coast Research and Extension Center, in Irvine, California, between June 2015 and December 2018. We detected cat remains in 35% of the stomachs of 245 coyotes with identifiable meals, making cats the most common mammalian prey item consumed and more common than reported previously. Using a geographic information systems approach, we then compared landscape characteristics associated with locations of coyotes that ate cats to public shelter records for TNR cat colonies. Cat-eating coyotes were associated with areas that were more intensively developed, had little natural or altered open space, and had higher building densities than coyotes that did not eat cats. Locations of TNR colonies had similar landscape characteristics. Coyotes associated with TNR colonies, and those that were euthanized (vs. road-killed), were also more likely to have consumed cats. The high frequency of cat remains in coyote diets and landscape characteristics associated with TNR colonies and cat-eating coyotes support the argument that high cat densities and associated supplemental feeding attracted coyotes. Effective mitigation of human-coyote conflicts may require prohibitions on outdoor feeding of free-roaming cats and wildlife and the elimination of TNR colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although free-roaming and feral cat control techniques are often applied in human communities, community engagement is not always considered. A systematic literature review following an update of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) methodology was conducted to evaluate whether community engagement influences the effectiveness of control techniques, excluding culling, in managing cat populations. The degree of community engagement was estimated based on the number of roles reported during the application of the control technique, which included adoption, trapping, care, and/or education. Education followed by adoption was the determining factor in the decreasing cat populations over time. The limited evaluations of control technique effectiveness, narrow geographical scope, and our simple measure of engagement emphasize the need for more detailed studies. These studies should evaluate the effectiveness of control techniques, while considering community engagement more comprehensively.

The management and coexistence of community cats in urban areas is a growing concern amid global urbanization. Through a survey-based investigation, we examine the residents’ perceptions of the general health of community cats and human-cat relationships in urban China. The data from 5382 participants revealed that approximately 70% of participants perceived community cats as being in good health, and 60% reported harmonious or non-conflict coexistence between residents and these cats. Around 45% of the participants rescued or helped community cats, 38% expressed their intention to adopt, and 18% complained about the issues of community cats to management staff. Linear, logistic, and multilevel-logistic regressions were employed to examine the associations between the types of cities and communities or the participants’ socio-demographics and the perceived well-being of community cats or human-cat relationships. The results show that the cats in fourth-tier cities (e.g., county-level cities) had poorer living conditions than in first-tier cities (e.g., Beijing), while the cats in urban village communities (e.g., villages in the city) were less likely to exhibit good health than in ordinary commercial housing communities. The results also show that socio-demographic variables, such as educational attainment, marital status, and income level, predicted participants’ relationships with community cats. This study is the first of its kind. It provides valuable insights for stakeholders to develop effective policies and interventions on cat management, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies in diverse urban settings and populations.

Simple Summary: Free-roaming cats in urban areas frequently cause complaints. In Australia, cats are classed as domestic or feral depending on how and where they live, with cat management practices varying depending on the cats' classification. Cats classified as feral can be managed, when considered appropriate by authorities, by shooting them. In 2020, this approach was employed to manage urban cats being fed daily by cat caregivers. This qualitative study aimed to document the lived experience of these cat caregivers to understand their motivations for caregiving and their relationships with these cats. A secondary aim was to explore caregiver perceptions of the lethal management approach and if psychological impacts were experienced. Several main themes arose from interviews with caregivers. The results demonstrate strong relationships between the caregivers and the cats, and negative impacts on caregiver mental health and quality of life associated with this lethal cat management practice. It is recommended that a care-centred approach be taken, whereby authorities identify and assist caregivers to implement neutering and, if possible, adoption. This would improve cat welfare, minimize public complaints, and reduce psychological hazards to caregivers. Legislative amendments should be prioritized to facilitate these recommendations and a revision of the classification between domestic and feral cats should be actioned. In urban and peri-urban areas of the world, free-roaming cats often pose management challenges for authorities. Most are wandering owned or semi-owned cats (fed by people who do not perceive ownership). Some are lost or abandoned, or unowned cats who obtain food from humans unintentionally. Unidentified cats are classified as "stray" in shelter data, and by government agencies as "stray" or "feral" based on their behaviour. However, legally feral cats are usually considered to live and reproduce in the wild with no support from humans. Cats classified as feral in Australia can be managed using lethal methods, including shooting, poisoning, trapping, and blunt trauma. The impact of killing animals on shelter staff is well documented. However, no previous research has investigated psychological impacts of lethal cat management on citizens who care for free-roaming cats. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the lived experience of six cat caregivers affected by lethal management of cats by shooting, instigated by the Port of Newcastle in 2020. Results demonstrated strong relationships between the caregivers and cats, and negative impacts on caregiver psychological health and quality of life associated with lethal management. It is recommended that a care-centred approach to cat management be prioritized in future, whereby authorities aid neutering and, if possible, adoption, to improve cat welfare, minimize cat nuisance complaints, and reduce psychological hazards to caregivers. Further, a revision of relevant legislation used to distinguish between domestic and feral cats in Australia should be actioned to prevent unnecessary killing of domestic cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban free-roaming cats create concern about their impacts on wildlife and human health, leading to the use of trap–adopt–kill methods to manage these populations. This method is ineffective at decreasing the free-roaming cat population and has a negative impact on cat caregivers’ well-being. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the relationship that semi-owners (people who feed cats but do not perceive ownership) and owners of multiple cats have with the cats they care for, and the social and psychological impacts of an alternative assistive-centered approach to urban cat management. This approach to semi-owned and owned cats provided free sterilization and preventative healthcare. Our findings demonstrate that the caregivers had a strong emotional bond with the cats they cared for. The caregivers also experienced a positive impact on their quality of life, and indicated an improvement in the cats’ welfare after having the cats sterilized through this program. Additionally, the cat caregivers indicated that they had a negative view of agencies, such as the municipal council. It is recommended that an assistive-centered approach to urban cat management be prioritized by local councils and welfare agencies to improve caregivers’ quality of life and psychological well-being, whilst also improving cat welfare. The implementation of this assistive-centered management approach could improve the relationship between communities and the agencies involved, leading to the continuous reporting of free-roaming cats for sterilization. This assistive-centered approach has the potential to reduce the free-roaming cat population, their effects on wildlife, nuisance complaints, and council impoundments, and is aligned with the One Welfare philosophy.

Debate over the proper management of our relationship with free-roaming cats has escalated based on concerns over impacts on biodiversity and public health, with some calling for their eradication. It is often waged between animalists, primarily focused on the interests of the individual animal, and traditional conservationists, primarily focused on preserving native species and biodiversity. An ethical paradigm that accounts for the interests of all animals and nature to develop a management scheme that promotes interspecies justice is needed. I propose the political theory of animal rights developed in Zoopolis as a fruitful ethical paradigm. Grounded in modern citizenship theory, it defines universal negative rights due to all sentient beings and positive rights due to them based on our relationships to them as citizens, denizens, or foreigners. Application of this political theory in a modern fictional jurisdiction, Zoopoland , is explored to develop a just management strategy for free-roaming cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "community cat program (CCP)" is a non-lethal control measure in which stray cats are owned and cared for as community cats at high welfare standards, while the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) or Trap-Test-Vaccinate-Alter-Return-Monitor (TTVARM) event is performed. The program is recommended by the Ministry of the Environment in Japan. Here, we evaluated the health status of community cats inhabiting a tourist area in Onomichi City. A medical check was conducted on 30 community cats as a part of the TTVARM event. The following health problems were identified: alopecia, gingivitis, incisor teeth loss, anemia, and urine glucose. An ELISA (the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) showed that 16.7% of the cats were FIV-positive. The cats were also carriers of zoonoses (Capnocytophaga genus (100%) and Bartonella henselae (ITS, nested; 38.0%)), which pose a risk to tourists and residents. Our findings suggest that most cats require medical treatment. We recommend that friendly cats should be adopted rather than maintained as community cats and that a comprehensive review of the CCP is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homeless cats are a major problem in Europe, with hundreds of thousands abandoned every year. While many die, others can adapt to a lifestyle of roaming freely and establish community cat populations that tend to cluster together in groups. These groups of cats are typically found in urban areas that offer food and shelter to the cats. Animal welfare organizations often care for these cats, providing them with food, shelter, and medical attention. Despite this, conflicts can arise due to the presence of free-roaming cats, with some individuals advocating for drastic measures such as trapping and killing the cats to reduce their populations. However, it is essential to note that such methods are frequently illegal, inhumane, and ultimately ineffective in most situations. A thorough assessment of the impact of cats on a particular natural area requires a comprehensive cat census, a detailed study of the species being preyed upon, and an investigation into the prevalence of zoonotic or epizootic diseases. Moreover, veterinary experts assert that the public health risks associated with cats are often overstated. This article aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the impact of cats on biodiversity in natural areas, while also discussing their role in transmitting the main zoonotic diseases identified in European countries in recent years, with a particular focus on Spain. Effective cat control programs should focus on non-lethal methods such as trap–neuter–return (TNR) and adoption. TNR has proven to be the most effective and humane method of controlling the free-roaming cat population, but its effectiveness is influenced by several factors, including adoption programs and public education on responsible pet ownership. According to Spanish veterinarians, sustainable and science-based solutions such as TNR programs are the best way to achieve population control of free-roaming cats. The veterinary profession should raise awareness regarding sterilization, vaccination, and identification of cats and the consequences of abandonment. They oppose lethal control and removal of cats from the environment, which are ineffective and unethical methods. To promote animal welfare, veterinary professionals must collaborate with public administrations to implement long-term, sustainable solutions to the problem of cat overpopulation. Greater social awareness regarding the importance of sterilization and identification to prevent abandonment and reduce the number of free-roaming cats is also needed. Despite the challenges presented by homeless cat populations in Spain and the rest of Europe, there are many reasons for optimism. Animal welfare organizations and veterinary professionals are actively collaborating to develop humane and effective solutions to manage community cats, including programs such as TNR and adoption. Furthermore, these initiatives are gaining momentum and support from emerging laws and regulations, such as the recent Spanish animal welfare law. Through these efforts, we can reduce the number of free-roaming cats and improve their quality of life.

Domestic cats (Felis catus) are amongst the most destructive invasive vertebrates globally, depredating billions of native animals annually. The size and seasonal variation of their geographical “footprint” is key to understanding their effects on wildlife, particularly if they live near conservation areas. Here we report the first GPS-tracking studies of free-roaming owned cats in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. A total of 23 cats was tracked (14 cats in summer, 9 in winter) using miniature (22 g) GPS locators in 2010–2011. In summer, all cats living on the urban-edge (UE: n = 7) made extensive use of protected areas, while only one of seven urban (U) cats (>150 m from the edge) did so. In winter two of four UE and two of five U cats entered protected areas. Home ranges (95% kernel density estimates) were significantly larger in summer (3.00 ± 1.23 ha) than winter (0.87 ± 0.25 ha) and cats ventured further from their homes in summer (maximum 849 m) than in winter (max 298 m). The predation risk posed by caracal (Caracal caracal) may limit the time cats spend in protected areas, but our results suggest that cat buffers around conservation areas should be at least ~600 m wide to reduce impacts to native fauna.

When free-roaming in natural areas, the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is ranked high among the most destructive alien species. Near human dwellings, it might pose a risk to humans, impair sanitation, and suffer from poor welfare. Cats' popularity as companion animals complicates their population control. Thus, culling is often replaced by a fertility control method called "trap-neuter-return/release" (TNR), considered more humane. Despite the extensive application of TNR, a long-term controlled study was never performed to test its effectiveness. We present a uniquely designed controlled field experiment for examining TNR effectiveness. The study was performed over a 12-y period, divided into preintervention and mixed- and fullintervention phases, and spanned a 20-km2 urban area. Trends of cat, intact-female, and kitten counts, cat reproduction, and carcass reports were compared among study phases and areas with different neutering intensities. The cat population increased during the first two study phases and did not decline in highly neutered populations, presumably due to cat immigration. Expansion of high-intensity neutering to the entire city in the full-intervention phase (>70% neutering percentage) reversed cat population growth, reaching an annual approximately 7% reduction. This population reduction was limited by a rebound increase in cat reproduction and longevity. We conclude that cat population management by TNR should be performed with high intensity, continuously, and in geographic contiguity to enable population reduction. To enhance management effectiveness and mitigate compensatory effects, we recommend further evaluating an integrated strategy that combines TNR with complementary methods (e.g., vital resource regulation, ill cat euthanasia, and adoption). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been no long-term field studies of the potential effect of spay/neuter programs on free-roaming domestic cat population sizes. To address that gap via citizen science, we are developing a novel approach to photographic mark-recapture population research that engages volunteers as both smartphone-wielding data collectors and as online data processors in building capture histories from submitted photos. Here, we present a validation study testing the accuracy of cat advocate volunteers at matching smartphone photos of cats, and we compare their success to a reference group of life science university students. We also examine feline photographic identification from two additional perspectives: what makes a volunteer better at cat identification, and what makes a cat photo more identifiable? 151 cat advocates and 17 students completed 37,800 pairwise photo comparisons using our online platform. Cat advocates' matching attempts (n = 34,080) were correct 98.1% of the time compared with students' 97.5% (n = 3,720). Volunteers who reported a pet cat increased their accuracy. Volunteers who held less than a bachelor's degree, or those who volunteered with cats previously, had reduced accuracy. If a cat was a color other than black, its ability to be identified increased. We demonstrated that our citizen science volunteer sample was not only adequate at identifying individual cats in smartphone photos, but performed better than our sample of life science students--a labor pool commonly trusted to organize data from camera trap research. While photographs are the data foundation of many studies of free-roaming cats, we are the first to analyze by-eye visual identification in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Free‐roaming cats (FRCs) form nondomiciliary population groups that might lead to adverse environmental effects, as well as to welfare impairment of the cats themselves. Though criticized by ecologists, for the last two decades, the trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs were often employed aiming to manage these populations. At present, no accepted and accessible monitoring scheme exists to determine the effectiveness of those programs. In the current study, we present the reliability and validity of an applicable monitoring scheme, as an adjunct tool for a TNR program of FRC in an urban environment. The monitoring scheme is based on cat observation counts along randomly chosen transects. Fifty‐four transects were repeatedly walked for three years, between 2012‐2014, in 27 neighborhoods within an urban area of 19.3 Km2. Cat numbers counted in the 2014 observations were significantly higher than cat numbers found in the 2012 observations (prevalence ratio = 1.258, CI95%= 1.198–1.322, p

There have been no long-term field studies of the potential effect of spay/neuter programs on free-roaming domestic cat population sizes. To address that gap via citizen science, we are developing a novel approach to photographic mark-recapture population research that engages volunteers as both smartphone-wielding data collectors and as online data processors in building capture histories from submitted photos. Here, we present a validation study testing the accuracy of cat advocate volunteers at matching smartphone photos of cats, and we compare their success to a reference group of life science university students. We also examine feline photographic identification from two additional perspectives: what makes a volunteer better at cat identification, and what makes a cat photo more identifiable? 151 cat advocates and 17 students completed 37,800 pairwise photo comparisons using our online platform. Cat advocates’ matching attempts (n = 34,080) were correct 98.1% of the time compared with students’ 97.5% (n = 3,720). Volunteers who reported a pet cat increased their accuracy. Volunteers who held less than a bachelor’s degree, or those who volunteered with cats previously, had reduced accuracy. If a cat was a color other than black, its ability to be identified increased. We demonstrated that our citizen science volunteer sample was not only adequate at identifying individual cats in smartphone photos, but performed better than our sample of life science students—a labor pool commonly trusted to organize data from camera trap research. While photographs are the data foundation of many studies of free-roaming cats, we are the first to analyze by-eye visual identification in this species.

In urban and peri-urban areas of the world, free-roaming cats often pose management challenges for authorities. Most are wandering owned or semi-owned cats (fed by people who do not perceive ownership). Some are lost or abandoned, or unowned cats who obtain food from humans unintentionally. Unidentified cats are classified as “stray” in shelter data, and by government agencies as “stray” or “feral” based on their behaviour. However, legally feral cats are usually considered to live and reproduce in the wild with no support from humans. Cats classified as feral in Australia can be managed using lethal methods, including shooting, poisoning, trapping, and blunt trauma. The impact of killing animals on shelter staff is well documented. However, no previous research has investigated psychological impacts of lethal cat management on citizens who care for free-roaming cats. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the lived experience of six cat caregivers affected by lethal management of cats by shooting, instigated by the Port of Newcastle in 2020. Results demonstrated strong relationships between the caregivers and cats, and negative impacts on caregiver psychological health and quality of life associated with lethal management. It is recommended that a care-centred approach to cat management be prioritized in future, whereby authorities aid neutering and, if possible, adoption, to improve cat welfare, minimize cat nuisance complaints, and reduce psychological hazards to caregivers. Further, a revision of relevant legislation used to distinguish between domestic and feral cats in Australia should be actioned to prevent unnecessary killing of domestic cats.

Macroecological approaches can provide valuable insight into the epidemiology of globally distributed, multi-host pathogens. Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan that infects any warm-blooded animal, including humans, in almost every ecosystem worldwide. There is substantial geographical variation in T. gondii prevalence in wildlife populations and the mechanisms driving this variation are poorly understood. We implemented Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models to determine the association between species' ecology, phylogeny and climatic and anthropogenic factors on T. gondii prevalence. Toxoplasma gondii prevalence data were compiled for free-ranging wild mammal species from 202 published studies, encompassing 45 079 individuals from 54 taxonomic families and 238 species. We found that T. gondii prevalence was positively associated with human population density and warmer temperatures at the sampling location. Terrestrial species had a lower overall prevalence, but there were no consistent patterns between trophic level and prevalence. The relationship between human density and T. gondii prevalence is probably mediated by higher domestic cat abundance and landscape degradation leading to increased environmental oocyst contamination. Landscape restoration and limiting free-roaming in domestic cats could synergistically increase the resiliency of wildlife populations and reduce wildlife and human infection risks from one of the world's most common parasitic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of global importance caused by Leptospira species. Rodents are the main reservoirs, known to shed the bacteria in urine, thus contaminating water and soil and infecting other animals and people. Leptospirosis has been re-emerging in both developing and developed countries including Europe. It has been hypothesized that cats could be asymptomatic carriers of Leptospira. This study aims to evaluate cats’ exposure to Leptospira in Lisbon, Portugal, by measuring IgG titres and correlating them with possible factors that may increase the risk of exposure in urban cats. Two hundred and forty-three samples were collected from the biobank. An ELISA test followed by a seroprevalence analysis using a finite mixture model was performed to detect and measure anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies titres. In parallel, a survey was conducted to identify possible risk factors for seropositivity.According to the ELISA test protocol, only twenty-three cats (9.5%; 95% CI =(6.1%;13.9%)) could be considered as seropositive to Leptospira antigens. However, when the same data were analysed by the best different mixture models, one hundred and forty-four cats (59.3%; 95%CI = (52.8%; 65.5%)) could be classified as intermediate and high antibody responders to Leptospira antigens. Seropositivity to Feline Immunodeficiency Virus infection (FIV) was found to be the only significant risk factor associated with anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies. In conclusion, the present studies raises the possibility of a higher exposure of cats to Leptospira than previously thought due to the identification of a subpopulation of cats with intermediate antibody levels.

Free‐roaming cats (FRCs) form nondomiciliary population groups that might lead to adverse environmental effects, as well as to welfare impairment of the cats themselves. Though criticized by ecologists, for the last two decades, the trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs were often employed aiming to manage these populations. At present, no accepted and accessible monitoring scheme exists to determine the effectiveness of those programs. In the current study, we present the reliability and validity of an applicable monitoring scheme, as an adjunct tool for a TNR program of FRC in an urban environment. The monitoring scheme is based on cat observation counts along randomly chosen transects. Fifty‐four transects were repeatedly walked for three years, between 2012‐2014, in 27 neighborhoods within an urban area of 19.3 Km2. Cat numbers counted in the 2014 observations were significantly higher than cat numbers found in the 2012 observations (prevalence ratio = 1.258, CI95%= 1.198–1.322, p < 0.001). The method revealed high reliability when different observers and different transects in the same neighborhood were compared (R2 = 0.548 and R2 = 0.391, respectively, for measuring cat counts per km, p < 0.001; and R2 = 0.5 and R2 = 0.74, respectively, for measuring neutering percentage, p < 0.001). This scheme was constructively validated by measurements of municipal data on the number of neutered cats and demonstrated high correlation (R2 = 0.59, p < 0.001). Conducting cat observations using friendly calling and feeding resulted in an increased number of FRC observed per km walk (by 79% and 22%–30%, respectively). However, these manipulations did not alter the recorded percentage of neutered cats. The proposed scheme provides spatio‐temporal data that can contribute to the management programs of such cat metapopulations in an urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that can have severe implications for human health. Acutely infected cats shed environmentally resistant T. gondii oocysts in their faeces that contaminate soil, and soil can serve as a reservoir of infection for humans. Free‐roaming domestic cats are thought to play an important role in environmental contamination with T. gondii, but few studies have directly measured the direct contribution of free‐roaming cats to T. gondii in soil. Methods: Our goals were to determine whether T. gondii soil contamination occurs in public areas with free‐roaming cat colonies in central California and examine spatial and temporal variation in soil contamination. We initially performed spiking experiments to compare the limit of T. gondii detection in soil using three conventional nested PCR assays and one real‐time quantitative PCR. The nested PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS‐1) of the small subunit ribosomal RNA was the most sensitive assay, with a limit of detection between 20 and 200 oocysts per gram of soil. We applied the ITS1 PCR assay on soil from sites in city and state parks, public playgrounds and community gardens in central California, USA. Samples were collected during spring, summer and fall and in sites located along the coast and inland. Results: We detected and sequence‐confirmed T. gondii in 5.6% of all of our soil sub‐samples, but with large seasonal and spatial variation in soil contamination: we only detected T. gondii during fall and only in coastal sites (44.3% soil prevalence), despite similar sampling intensity across space and time. Conclusions: Our results suggest that free‐roaming cat colonies are an important source of T. gondii in spaces where people recreate and grow food and that soil contamination is highly seasonal and spatially variable. Management of free‐roaming cats could prevent T. gondii infections by reducing environmental contamination with this zoonotic pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little information has been reported about the welfare and management of free-roaming animals in Middle Eastern countries. Here we describe a case study of free-roaming cat (Felis catus) management policies in two universities in Beirut, Lebanon whereby cats are immensely valued for their presence and the benefits they bring to students and employees. Guided by concern for animal welfare, the innovative, humane approaches by the universities include arranging adoptions, discouraging pet abandonment, food provision, health monitoring, nurturing a social responsibility consciousness among young people, formal endorsement of animal rights and humane treatment in student conduct expectations, sterilization, and veterinary care. The policies serve as blueprint for universities and other institutions across the globe to adopt proactive approaches to free-roaming cat management as well take responsibility for the welfare of all animals on campus (rather than only for ethical conduct in use of animals in scientific research). They also inspire students, as the next generation, to safeguard animals and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a frequently cited 2005 paper, a Ricker model was used to assess the effectiveness of trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs for managing free-roaming domestic cat populations. The model (which was originally developed for application in the management of fisheries) used data obtained from two countywide programs, and the results indicated that any population reductions, if they existed, were at best modest. In the present study, we applied the same analysis methods to data from two long-term (i.e., >20 years) TNR programs for which significant population reductions have been documented. Our results revealed that the model cannot account for some key aspects of typical TNR programs, and the wild population swings it predicts do not correspond to the relative stability of free-roaming cat populations. A Ricker model is therefore inappropriate for use in assessing the effectiveness of TNR programs. A more recently developed, stochastic model, which accounts for the movement of cats in and out of a given area, is better suited for predicting the sterilization effort necessary to reduce free-roaming cat numbers through TNR programs.

This study used a previously developed stochastic simulation model (1) to estimate the impact of different management actions on free-roaming kitten and cat mortality over a 10-year period. These longer-term cumulative impacts have not been systematically examined to date. We examined seven management scenarios, including: (1) taking no action, (2) low-intensity removal, (3) high-intensity removal, (4) low-intensity episodic culling, (5) high-intensity episodic culling, (6) low-intensity trap-neuter-return (TNR), and (7) high-intensity TNR. For each scenario we tracked within the model the number of kittens born, the number of kittens surviving to adulthood, and the number of adults removed using lethal control over the entire 10-year simulation. We further defined all kitten deaths and lethal removal of adults as “preventable” deaths because they could potentially be reduced by certain management actions. Our simulation results suggested that the cumulative number of preventable deaths over 10 years for an initial population of 50 cats is highest for a “no-action” scenario, estimated at 1,000 deaths. It is lowest for a high-intensity TNR scenario, estimated at 32 deaths, a 31-fold difference. For all management scenarios tested, including removal and culling, the model predicted fewer preventable deaths than for a no-action scenario. For all management scenarios, the model predicted that the higher-intensity option (defined in terms of the proportion of animals sterilized or removed within a given time period) would result in fewer preventable deaths over time than the lower-intensity option. Based on these findings, we conclude that management intensity is important not only to reduce populations more quickly, but also to minimize the number of preventable deaths that occur over time. Accordingly, the lessons for the animal welfare community are both encouraging and cautionary. With sufficient intensity, management by TNR offers significant advantages in terms of combined lifesaving and population size reduction. At lower intensity levels, these advantages are greatly reduced or eliminated. We recommend that those who seek to minimize suffering and maximize lifesaving for free-roaming cats attempt to balance prospective goals (i.e., saving lives tomorrow) with proximate goals (i.e., saving lives today), and recognize that thoughtful choice of management strategies can ensure that both of these complementary goals are achieved.

In NSW, free-roaming cats are regarded as one the biggest threats to biodiversity. Yet, at one stage they were classified as “the enemy of the rabbit” and were protected and released in their thousands. The purpose of this article is to examine the changing status of cats in Australia, demonstrating that regulation frequently depends on a narrow set of values based on the usefulness of cats at a given point in time. By the late twentieth century, the status of free-roaming cats had changed from enemy of the rabbit, to threat to biodiversity and then in the twenty-first century, to a risk to biosecurity. Once the status of cats changed from enemy of the rabbit, management practices followed historically-driven pathways that rely on lethal methods, which do not necessarily prioritize efficacy, animal wellbeing, or changing community outlooks. This is reflected in current practice, which gives scant regard to non-lethal processes, such as Trap-Neuter-Release, and in some cases makes the feeding and release of free-roaming cats, illegal. This article argues that regulatory preferences for employing lethal methods, now occur in a society which increasingly questions the efficacy of these measures, as well as the very need to kill. While TNR is unlikely to provide a complete solution to the problem of free-roaming cats in Australia, given the success of TNR among community groups, accompanied by changing societal perspectives, the time has come for regulators to engage with alternative control methods and include them in their suite of official measures.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a long-term (23-year) trap-neuter-return program on the population size of community cats in the Ocean Reef Community and to describe the demographic composition and outcome of enrolled cats. A retrospective study was performed using both cat census data collected between 1999 and 2013 as well as individual medical records for cats whose first visit occurred between 3/31/1995 and 12/31/2017. Medical record entries were reviewed to determine program inputs, cat outcomes, retroviral disease prevalence, and average age of first visit, sterilization, and death through 6/11/2018. Change over time was analyzed via linear regression. The free-roaming population decreased from 455 cats recorded in 1999 to 206 recorded in 2013 (55% decrease, P < 0.0001). There were 3,487 visits recorded for 2,529 community cats, with 869 ovariohysterectomies and 822 orchiectomies performed. At last recorded visit, there were 1,111 cats returned back to their original location, and 1,419 cats removed via adoption (510), transfer to the adoption center (201), euthanasia of unhealthy or retrovirus positive cats (441), died in care (58), or outcome of dead on arrival (209). The number of first visits per year decreased 80% from 348 in 1995 to 68 in 2017. The estimated average age of the active cat population increased by 0.003 months each year (P = 0.031) from 16.6 months in 1995 to 43.8 months in 2017. The mean age of cats at removal increased 1.9 months per year over time (P < 0.0001) from 6.4 months in 1995 to 77.3 months in 2017. The mean age of cats at return to the original location was 20.8 months, which did not change over time. The overall retrovirus prevalence over the entire duration was 6.5%, with FIV identified in 3.3% of cats and FeLV identified in 3.6%. Retrovirus prevalence decreased by 0.32% per year (P = 0.001), with FIV decreasing by 0.16% per year (P = 0.013) and FeLV decreasing 0.18% per year (P = 0.033). In conclusion, a trap-neuter-return program operating for over two decades achieved a decrease in population and an increase in population welfare as measured by increased average age of population and decreased retrovirus prevalence.

Free-roaming cats present a multidisciplinary challenge for wildlife conservation and feline welfare. Veterinary professionals are critical stake-holders in the issue of free-roaming cats, making it imperative that their attitudes and perspectives are well understood. In this study, we conducted an electronic survey of veterinarians practicing across British Columbia to evaluate their perceptions of 1) whether cat overpopulation is a concern, 2) the impacts of cats on wildlife, and 3) alternative management strategies for dealing with cat overpopulation. Of the 389 respondents, 56% agreed that cat overpopulation was a local problem, and 91% agreed that veterinarians play a role in reducing cat overpopulation. Veterinarians in rural communities had a greater involvement in cat overpopulation and perceived it as more problematic than their urban colleagues. The majority (70%) of veterinarians reported that they performed early-age sterilization, supported the principle of low-cost spay-neuter services (67%), and 65% of them were involved in these services. Just over half (54%) of respondents reported that they provide permanent identification to cats, typically offering both microchips and tattoos. Veterinarians were less cohesive on their perceptions of the impact of free-roaming cats on wildlife: 53% agreed that after habitat loss cats are one of the most significant, direct causes of bird and wildlife mortality, while 30% were neutral and 17% disagreed. Fifty-six percent of veterinarians felt that keeping cats indoors would be one of the most effective strategies to reduce cat impacts on wildlife, but they also felt that public education programs and low-cost spay-neuter programs would be effective and more popular with cat owners. Most veterinarians (79%) recommended against unsupervised outdoor access, citing safety and disease risks. Rodent control was the most common reason for not recommending an indoor lifestyle. Overall, our survey results suggest that veterinarians are committed participants in the prevention of cat overpopulation. Conservationists need to focus on increased engagement with veterinarians regarding the impact of cats on wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a growing collection of evidence that associates trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs with substantial and sustained reductions in community cat populations across a variety of environments has emerged. Peer-reviewed studies emanating from the northeastern, midwestern, and southeastern United States, as well as Australia, document such reductions. The present study expands upon this body of evidence by examining the impact of a long-term TNR program on a population of community cats residing on a pedestrian trail adjacent to an oceanic bay located on the West Coast of the U.S. A population of 175 community cats, as determined by an initial census, living on a 2-mile section of the San Francisco Bay Trail declined by 99.4% over a 16-year period. After the conclusion of the initial count, the presence of cats was monitored as part of the TNR program’s daily feeding regimen. Of the 258 total cats enrolled in the program between 2004 and 2020, only one remained at the end of the program period. These results are consistent with those documented at the various sites of other long-term TNR programs.

The community cats program (CCP), which includes trap−neuter−return activities, has been promoted in Japan to reduce the population of free-roaming cats without harmful effects on their welfare. To ascertain the effects of the CCP, a two-year route census of free-roaming cats was conducted in an area with CCP and the other area without CCP in urban Tokyo, Japan. The estimated number of cats was lower in the CCP area than the non-CCP area, but there was no difference in the rate of decline in cat populations between areas. More cats emigrated or disappeared rather than immigrated in both areas in the second year and more males tended to immigrate into the CCP area. There was no difference in the behavior of cats between areas and among seasons. The proportion of cats with poor health was lower in the CCP area than the non-CCP area. These results suggest that the CCP may improve the welfare of free-roaming cats. As the effect of CCP was restrictive in reducing the population of free-roaming cats, the further promotion of neutering of cats may be necessary to reduce the population density of cats.

'Trap-Neutering by gonadectomy-Return' (TNR) is currently becoming an accepted method for managing free-roaming cat (FRC) populations, especially in human habitation. However, data regarding its impact on cat welfare are limited. In order to determine the demographic risk factors for FRC morbidity, we followed FRC populations in the city of Rishon LeZion during 2012–2014. Their age status (kitten/adult), contraceptive status (neutered/intact), sex, body-condition-scoring (BCS 1-5/5; 1= emaciation, 5= obesity), skin lesions, and external signs of disabilities and injuries were recorded and analyzed. We fitted a mixed effects generalized linear model to each cat-condition. Overall, 4615 cat-observations were recorded, of which 692 were kittens, 2365 neutered adults and 1445 intact adults. In comparison to intact adults, kittens had a significantly higher prevalence of emaciation (BCS 1; OR of 4.61, CI95% 2.67–7.6, p < 0.001) and severe disability or injury (OR of 3.65, CI95% 1.44–9.25, p = 0.006). Among adult cats, neutered cats had higher prevalence of obesity (BCS 5; OR 30.6, CI95% 10.06–93.09, p < 0.001), lower prevalence of skin lesions (OR of 0.51, CI95% 0.3-0.86, p = 0.011), and close to significant lower prevalence of severe disability or injury (OR of 0.4, CI95% 0.15–1.07, p = 0.068). However, these neutered adults also had a higher prevalence of permanent disability (e.g. anophthalmia, tail or limb absence) (OR of 1.67, CI95% 1.12–2.49, p = 0.012). A higher ratio of neutered FRCs in the geographical surroundings was correlated with a reduced prevalence of emaciated (BCS 1; OR of 0.85 for the increase of 10% in proportion of neutered cats, CI95% 0.74-0.97, p = 0.020) and thin adult cats (BCS 2; OR of 0.94 for the increase of 10% in proportion of neutered cats, CI95% 0.90-0.98, p = 0.010), among both neutered and intact cats. The results suggest that neutering has a favorable effect on FRC health. Such effect can be due to both a direct influence on the neutered cats themselves, as well as to an indirect effect on the general cat population (intact and neutered cats) by reducing competitive behavior of the neutered cats, which may enable other cats to gain additional access to vital resources. A higher prevalence of permanent disability found among the neutered FRCs does not necessarily represent a higher risk of injury but can rather be attributed to their potentially prolonged lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-roaming cats are common in residential and public areas in Malaysia and approach people for food. However, the psychological determinants of public feeding are unknown. This study investigated public perceptions of feeding free-roaming cats, based on an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB). It consisted of qualitative belief-elicitation interviews with 25 participants, followed by a quantitative survey of 167 participants, representative of the country's population. The majority (87.2%) of the sample had fed free-roaming cats. The mean intention score (4.88 out of 7) indicated the public was likely, and would make an effort, to feed free-roaming cats in the future. The public's benevolence toward animals largely explained the findings, based on generally positive attitudes and perceptions of moderate social credence and capability and confidence, underpinned by affective and cognitive beliefs. An important finding was the role of anticipated regret in predicting and explaining intentions, which contributed variance over and above that explained by the TPB constructs. The extended framework is explained by the influence of anticipated regret on the perceived evaluation of potential TPB outcomes, which in turn leads to the behavior becoming less volitional. Therefore, future TPB studies of people's interactions with animals, such as free-roaming cats, should take account of affective and emotional antecedents of behavior, such as anticipated regret, to improve explanatory power. The study also has implications for managing public feeding of free-roaming cats, such as drawing on and strengthening the Malaysian public's positive attitudes and emotional concern to redirect current feeding practices toward more constructive animal welfare initiatives. Such humane approaches align with the public's sensitivity toward animal welfare and the historical development of cat population control from lethal methods to humane non-lethal methods to ensure adequate care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of trap-neuter-return (TNR) as a method of managing free-roaming cat populations has increased in the United States in recent decades. Historically, TNR has been conducted most often at a grassroots level, which has led to inconsistent data collection and assessment practices. Consequently, a paucity of analyzable data exists. An initiative is underway to standardize TNR program data collection and assessment. However, it could be some time before scientifically sound protocols are implemented on a broad scale. In the interim, sets of data collected by nascent citizen scientists offer valid opportunities to evaluate grassroots TNR programs. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a TNR program conducted by a citizen scientist located in Chicago, Illinois, where a county law permitting TNR was enacted in 2007. Colony populations, when grouped by the number of years enrolled in the program, declined by a mean of 54% from entry and 82% from peak levels. Results from coexistent TNR programs in the Chicago area are consistent with these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suitability of rehoming sheltered cats hinges on their sociality towards humans. However, the socialisation history of these cats is often unknown. While a structured and validated assessment is available, it requires considerable time. Here we pilot a criterion-based assessment as a quicker alternative while exploring the basis for an automated assessment via monitoring in-cage behaviours, in the absence of an observer. Supposing our criterion works in evaluating the sociality of sheltered cats, the behavioural progression exhibited during the assessment will differ between cats that reached the criterion and those that did not. Similarly, should in-cage behaviour be able to differentiate between more and less socialised cats, we would expect in-cage behavioural transitions to differ between cats that reached the criterion and individuals that did not. In our investigations, we presented two modified assays for five days to 16 newly sheltered cats, noting if individuals reach the criterion while recording their behaviours. To avoid the carryover effect, in-cage behaviours were recorded before each assay. Next, we identified the significant behavioural transitions using sequential analysis for responses elicited during the assays and when cats were in their respective cages. Subsequently, we used PERMANOVA to compare the behavioural transitions between cats that reached the criterion and those that did not. Corresponding to the comparison between more and less socialised cats, cats that reached the criterion displayed more behaviours and these were distinct from individuals that failed (P value = 0.019). Likewise, we found in-cage behaviours to be distinct between cats that reached the criterion and those that failed (P value = 0.001). Despite the need for further validation and consideration of the likely effect of shelter stress, our findings seemingly point to the criterion-based assessment as a quicker alternative. Furthermore, our results propound the possibility of automating sociality assessment through the monitoring of in-cage behaviours using artificial intelligence. • Rehoming cats that are socialised towards humans is crucial for their welfare. • The current evaluation of shelter cats' sociality towards humans is time-consuming. • We proposed a faster criterion-based alternative while exploring a passive approach. • Cats that reached the criterion behaved congruously to human-socialised individuals. • In-cage behaviours differ between cats that reached the criteria and those not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]