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Animals
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Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats
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Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Companion Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 36554

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carla Litchfield

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor in Conservation Psychology and Applied Animal Behaviour Research Group, UniSA Justice and Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
Interests: human–animal interactions; animal behaviour/cognition; animal welfare; psychological wellbeing; personality
Dr. Eugenia Natoli

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Canile Sovrazonale, ASL Roma 3 (Local Health Unit Rome 3), Rome, Italy
Interests: intraspecific cat and dog social behaviour; welfare behavioural indicators; personality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There are many categories of free-ranging domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus), with definitions typically based on their use of spatial and trophic resources, lifestyle and habits, level of dependence on humans, manageability, and freedom of movement. They are likely to sit on a continuum between a feral cat that hunts prey and has no relationship with humans at one extreme and a pet that sleeps on the sofa at home but has the opportunity to roam the countryside at another. Free-ranging domestic cats have different life histories, may live in colonies, or lead solitary lives, in urban/periurban or natural environments, and relatively little is known about their social cognition. Safeguarding the well-being of free-ranging cats across different categories is a challenge, since their management and associated problems are varied. A further complication arises, since legislation related to the management of free-ranging cats differs within (e.g., states and councils) and between nations, and ranges from persecution to exaggerated protection, sometimes at the expense of common sense. The European Union provides an example of some of the regional issues related to free-ranging cats, with legislative differences between member states, a diversity of natural environments that require protection for vulnerable native fauna that may be predated on by free-ranging cats, and cultural differences in peoples’ attitudes towards cats and the environment.

To date, numerous studies have utilized different approaches to verify the predatory impact of free-ranging cats on the local fauna, and support human management strategies to limit ecological damage; describe the spacing patterns, social organization, and mating systems of free-ranging cats in different environments; and document how free-ranging cat population structures may have influenced the evolution of feline viruses and, in turn, how these viruses may have modified the genetic structure of cat populations. This Special Issue aims to bring this information together.

We invite you to submit innovative original research papers that address free-ranging cat management in different countries, considering the following four aspects (separately or together):

  • Free-ranging cat behaviour, including social organization, social cognition, and predatory impact;
  • Free-ranging cat management strategies enforced by national laws;
  • Human dimensions (knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour): community attitudes towards, and knowledge about, free-ranging cats; legislation and management strategies; interactions between humans and free-ranging cats;
  • Ethical issues associated with cat management.

Dr. Carla Litchfield
Dr. Eugenia Natoli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • free-ranging domestic cats
  • solitary behaviour
  • social behaviour
  • management
  • disease transmission
  • ethical issues

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2710 KiB  
Article
Movement Patterns of Roaming Companion Cats in Denmark—A Study Based on GPS Tracking
by Helene Ane Jensen, Henrik Meilby, Søren Saxmose Nielsen and Peter Sandøe
Animals 2022, 12(14), 1748; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12141748 - 07 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2647
Abstract
We studied the roaming patterns of companion cats in Denmark. The movements of 97 cats with outdoor access were traced for about seven days using GPS tracking. Data on the cats were gathered from their owners. The median time cats spent away from [...] Read more.
We studied the roaming patterns of companion cats in Denmark. The movements of 97 cats with outdoor access were traced for about seven days using GPS tracking. Data on the cats were gathered from their owners. The median time cats spent away from their homes was 5 h per day (IQR: 2.5 to 8.8 h), median daily distance moved was 2.4 km (IQR: 1.3 to 3.7 km), and median for 95% BBKDE home range was 5 ha (IQR: 2.9 to 8.5 ha). Cats above seven years of age spent less time away from home, were less active and had a smaller home range than younger cats. Cats with access to nature areas spent more time away from home, were more active and had larger home ranges. Intact male cats spent more time away from home than neutered cats and had larger home ranges as well. Finally, rainfall had an impact on the distance moved by cats: on days without rainfall the cats moved 3.6 km on average (95% CI: 2.8; 4.5 km); and on days with heavy rainfall the cats moved 2.4 km on average (95% CI: 1.6; 3.5 km). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
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26 pages, 1132 KiB  
Article
Estimating the Population of Unowned Free-Ranging Domestic Cats in Denmark Using a Combination of Questionnaires and GPS Tracking
by Helene Brøgger Nielsen, Helene Ane Jensen, Henrik Meilby, Søren Saxmose Nielsen and Peter Sandøe
Animals 2022, 12(7), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070920 - 04 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3584
Abstract
The present study aimed (1) to estimate the size of the population of unowned free-ranging domestic cats in Denmark using a questionnaire survey combined with a GPS-tracking survey, and (2) to estimate the distribution of the population across different habitats. The questionnaires were [...] Read more.
The present study aimed (1) to estimate the size of the population of unowned free-ranging domestic cats in Denmark using a questionnaire survey combined with a GPS-tracking survey, and (2) to estimate the distribution of the population across different habitats. The questionnaires were circulated in 94 randomly selected parishes ranging across seven kinds of habitat. Using responses from five of the habitats, we estimated the population of unowned free-ranging cats nationally. In the other two habitats, questionnaire data were collected in a simpler way. The territory of 59 owned cats was estimated with GPS tracking to assess home ranges. Home range area was calculated using 95% Brownian bridge kernel density estimation (0.033–0.077 ± 0.011–0.023 km2, median ± SE). We estimated a population of unowned free-ranging cats in Denmark of 89,000 ± 11,000 (SE), with a mean density of 2 ± 0.3 (SE) cats per km2, living primarily in rural habitats. Approximately one-third of the cats were estimated to be socialised and two-thirds unsocialised. Our method may be suitable for use in other temperate areas facing problems with unowned free-ranging cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
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15 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
How Serious Are Health-Related Welfare Problems in Unowned Unsocialised Domestic Cats? A Study from Denmark Based on 598 Necropsies
by Ida Sofie Thuesen, Jørgen Steen Agerholm, Helena Mejer, Søren Saxmose Nielsen and Peter Sandøe
Animals 2022, 12(5), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12050662 - 06 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2852
Abstract
Free ranging unsocialised domestic cats are widely believed to suffer from a high load of welfare problems. We assessed the validity of this belief by performing necropsies on the corpses of 598 unsocialised cats, originating from all parts of Denmark, that had been [...] Read more.
Free ranging unsocialised domestic cats are widely believed to suffer from a high load of welfare problems. We assessed the validity of this belief by performing necropsies on the corpses of 598 unsocialised cats, originating from all parts of Denmark, that had been euthanised by two Danish cat welfare organisations. We selected a number of variables for health-related cat welfare that could be assessed through necropsy (e.g., gross lesions, ectoparasites and body condition) or by laboratory analysis (e.g., infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and by feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)). Each finding was classified as having either a major or minor welfare impact on the cat. More than 83% of the cats had no major finding, and 54% had no finding indicating a welfare issue at all. More than 83% of the cats had a body condition within normal range. Only 0.3% were emaciated. The most common finding was infestation with ectoparasites, with 15.9% infected with lice, 12.3% with fleas, 4.7% with ticks, and 6.7% with ear mites. FIV and FeLV were detected in 9.2% and 1.2% of the cases, respectively. The most common lesion related to the cats’ teeth. Overall, unsocialised cats in Denmark have a moderate level of health-related welfare problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
16 pages, 972 KiB  
Article
Inbreeding Coefficient and Distance in MHC Genes of Parents as Predictors of Reproductive Success in Domestic Cat
by Mariya N. Erofeeva, Galina S. Alekseeva, Mariya D. Kim, Pavel A. Sorokin and Sergey V. Naidenko
Animals 2022, 12(2), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12020165 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2745
Abstract
Inbreeding and low diversity in MHC genes are considered to have a negative effect on reproductive success in animals. This study presents an analysis of the number and body mass of offspring in domestic cat, depending on the inbreeding coefficient and the degree [...] Read more.
Inbreeding and low diversity in MHC genes are considered to have a negative effect on reproductive success in animals. This study presents an analysis of the number and body mass of offspring in domestic cat, depending on the inbreeding coefficient and the degree of similarity in MHC genes of class I and II in parents. Inbred partners had a lower number of live kittens at birth than outbred ones. At the same time, the inbreeding coefficient did not affect the litter size and the number of offspring who survived until the period of transition to solid food. The most significant predictor for the number of surviving offspring was the degree of parental similarity in MHC genes: the parents with the maximum distance in MHC genes had more survived kittens. Moreover, this effect was most pronounced immediately after birth. A significant percentage of kittens from parents with a minimum distance in MHC genes were either stillborn or died on the first day after birth. By the age of transition to solid food, this effect is no longer so pronounced. Furthermore, neither the inbreeding coefficient nor the distance in MHC genes of parents had any effect on the body mass of kittens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
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Review

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20 pages, 2733 KiB  
Review
Coexistence between Humans and ‘Misunderstood’ Domestic Cats in the Anthropocene: Exploring Behavioural Plasticity as a Gatekeeper of Evolution
by Eugenia Natoli, Carla Litchfield and Dominique Pontier
Animals 2022, 12(13), 1717; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131717 - 02 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3510
Abstract
Welfare and management decisions for unowned free-ranging cats in urban environments should no longer be based on knowledge about behavioural ecology of solitary cats living and breeding in more natural ‘wild’ environments. We provide evidence that urban free-ranging domestic cats in the Anthropocene [...] Read more.
Welfare and management decisions for unowned free-ranging cats in urban environments should no longer be based on knowledge about behavioural ecology of solitary cats living and breeding in more natural ‘wild’ environments. We provide evidence that urban free-ranging domestic cats in the Anthropocene have responded to rapidly changing environments, such as abundance of food and higher population densities of conspecifics by adapting their behaviour (behavioural plasticity—the ability of a genotype (individual) to express different behaviours according to its environment) and social organisation to living in complex social groups, especially those living in colonies. Urban free-ranging cats are now more social, as demonstrated by different breeding patterns, lower infanticide, more frequent affiliative interactions in general, and different spatial groupings. We argue that this knowledge should be disseminated widely, and inform future research and strategies used to manage free-ranging cats across environments. Understanding behavioural plasticity and other recently evolved traits of domestic cats may lead to management strategies that maximise health and welfare of cats, wildlife, and humans—otherwise domestic cat behaviour may be ‘misunderstood’. Importantly, interdisciplinary research using expertise from biological and social sciences, and engaging human communities, should evaluate these management strategies to ensure they maintain optimal welfare of free-ranging domestic cats while preserving biodiversity and protecting wildcats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
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19 pages, 348 KiB  
Review
The Implications of Policies on the Welfare of Free-Roaming Cats in New Zealand
by Christine L. Sumner, Jessica K. Walker and Arnja R. Dale
Animals 2022, 12(3), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12030237 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6745
Abstract
A lack of national legislation for cat management in New Zealand poses challenges for ensuring that practices are consistently humane and effective. In this paper, we review the current cat management policies in New Zealand and the implications they have on the welfare [...] Read more.
A lack of national legislation for cat management in New Zealand poses challenges for ensuring that practices are consistently humane and effective. In this paper, we review the current cat management policies in New Zealand and the implications they have on the welfare of free-roaming cats (from here on, referred to as ‘cats’). Our review demonstrates that there are multiple policy mechanisms used to manage cats in New Zealand for a variety of reasons, including animal welfare, pest management, and nuisance, and that these different policies have both positive and negative implications for cat welfare. We provide context pertaining to New Zealanders’ acceptance of current or future laws and regulations and compare the New Zealand policy landscape with other countries, with a particular emphasis on Australia, to identify potential directions and outcomes of increased regulation. We discuss the future of the regulatory environment in New Zealand, including the need to better understand the impact of policies on cats, people, and other animals in urban, rural, and wild spaces. We further discuss the need to better understand the cat–human relationship for future policy decisions and offer a solution based on national cat legislation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
21 pages, 2409 KiB  
Review
The Social Lives of Free-Ranging Cats
by Kristyn R. Vitale
Animals 2022, 12(1), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12010126 - 05 Jan 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 10270
Abstract
Despite the diversity of social situations in which cats live, the degree to which free-ranging cats (FRCs) are social is still debated. The aim of this review is to explore the literature on the social behavior of FRCs. A search of two major [...] Read more.
Despite the diversity of social situations in which cats live, the degree to which free-ranging cats (FRCs) are social is still debated. The aim of this review is to explore the literature on the social behavior of FRCs. A search of two major databases revealed that observations of intraspecies and interspecies social interactions have been conducted. The intraspecific social dynamics of FRCs differ based on group of cats surveyed. Some groups display strong social bonds and preferential affiliations, while other groups are more loosely associated and display little to no social interaction. Factors impacting FRC conspecific interactions include cat body size, cat social rank, cat individuality, cat age, relationship to conspecific (kin/familiar), cat sex, level of human caretaking, presence of food, the health of the individual, or sexual status of conspecifics. Interspecies interactions also occur with humans and wildlife. The human’s sex and the weather conditions on the day of interaction have been shown to impact FRC social behavior. Interactions with wildlife were strongly linked to the timing of cat feeding events. These findings support the idea that FRCs are “social generalists” who display flexibility in their social behavior. The social lives of FRCs exist, are complex, and deserve further study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
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Other

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10 pages, 845 KiB  
Case Report
Home Range and Activity Patterns of Free-Ranging Cats: A Case Study from a Chinese University Campus
by Zhenwei Zhang, Yuhang Li, Sana Ullah, Lixin Chen, Sihan Ning, Liangyu Lu, Weiming Lin and Zhongqiu Li
Animals 2022, 12(9), 1141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091141 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2854
Abstract
Human activities and the available resources influence the home range and activity patterns of free-ranging cats. Our objective in this study was to determine sex and breeding season vs. non-breeding season home range size, as well as activity patterns for unowned free-ranging cats [...] Read more.
Human activities and the available resources influence the home range and activity patterns of free-ranging cats. Our objective in this study was to determine sex and breeding season vs. non-breeding season home range size, as well as activity patterns for unowned free-ranging cats at a university campus in China. Twenty-nine adult cats (fifteen males and fourteen females) were tracked with attached GPS units from October 2018 to June 2020. We considered the effects of sex and breeding status on the home range size of free-ranging cats. Male cats had larger home ranges (95% KDE: 12.60 ± 2.61 ha) than female cats (95% KDE: 5.02 ± 1.34 ha) in the breeding season. There was a seasonal effect on the home range size of male cats; for example, during the non-breeding season, the home range (95% KDE: 6.68 ± 1.22 ha) was smaller than that during the breeding season (95% KDE: 12.60 ± 2.61 ha), while female cats tended to have larger home ranges in the non-breeding season (95% KDE: 7.73 ± 2.77 ha) than in the breeding season (95% KDE: 5.02 ± 1.34 ha). We used the number of activity steps to measure the activity intensity of cats to explore their activity patterns. The mean (±SE) number of steps a cat takes per day was 19,863.96 ± 1627.21. There were two peak periods of activity in a day, 6:00–10:00 and 17:00–21:00. Our study provided a case study of the home range and activity patterns of free-ranging cats living on a Chinese university campus, and the results show that the home range of free-ranging cats is affected by the breeding status and sex, and free-ranging cats have more intense activities at twilight and relatively lower activity intensity in the afternoon. The results provided theoretical support for the management and conservation implications of free-ranging cats in cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Behavioural Ecology and Welfare of Free-Ranging Cats)
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