Does aerial baiting for controlling feral cats in a heterogeneous landscape confer benefits to a threatened native meso-predator?

Introduced mammalian predators can have devastating impacts on recipient ecosystems and disrupt native predator–prey relationships. Feral cats (Felis catus) have been implicated in the decline and extinction of many Australian native species and developing effective and affordable methods to control them is a national priority. While there has been considerable progress in the lethal control of feral cats, effective management at landscape scales has proved challenging. Justification of the allocation of resources to feral cat control programs requires demonstration of the conservation benefit baiting provides to native species susceptible to cat predation. Here, we examined the effectiveness of a landscape-scale Eradicat® baiting program to protect threatened northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) from feral cat predation in a heterogeneous rocky landscape in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We used camera traps and GPS collars fitted to feral cats to monitor changes in activity patterns of feral cats and northern quolls at a baited treatment site and unbaited reference site over four years. Feral cat populations appeared to be naturally sparse in our study area, and camera trap monitoring showed no significant effect of baiting on cat detections. However, mortality rates of collared feral cats ranged from 18–33% after baiting, indicating that the program was reducing cat numbers. Our study demonstrated that feral cat baiting had a positive effect on northern quoll populations, with evidence of range expansion at the treatment site. We suggest that the rugged rocky habitat preferred by northern quolls in the Pilbara buffered them to some extent from feral cat predation, and baiting was sufficient to demonstrate a positive effect in this relatively short-term project. A more strategic approach to feral cat management is likely to be required in the longer-term to maximise the efficacy of control programs and thereby improve the conservation outlook for susceptible threatened fauna

Feral Cat Management: Perceptions and Preferences (A Case Study)

Feral cat management is a highly debated topic. Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) programs have become increasingly popular as an alternative to eradication. Public preference about how to manage feral cats has been explored by previous authors, but no consensus has been reached. Public policy and best management practices depend in part upon public opinion on this topic. Wording of a feral cat management preference in surveys can play a role in respondent opinion. For this thesis, the researcher examined public opinion about feral cat control by surveying 298 Stanford University faculty and staff members using two different communication approaches. Half the surveys included scientific language, feral and euthanasia, and half included colloquial terminology, free-roaming and removal. Results suggested education and pet ownership affect preference for TNR. The humane treatment of feral cats was of great importance, and respondents were split as to whether feral cats are part of the natural spectrum of wildlife. Public education about feral cat issues and management were of little importance to the respondents. TNR was the preferred method of control in private neighborhoods and overall. Some difference was found between men and women when it came to feeding neighborhood feral cats or perceptions of feral cat nuisance. The age of respondents did not significantly affect respondent preference for TNR. Results indicated the word removal rather than euthanasia weakened support for TNR. Recommendations include the use of precise language to avoid confusion in written materials. Also recommended is targeted education about feral cat environmental impacts and management implications

Laying low: Rugged lowland rainforest preferred by feral cats in the Australian Wet Tropics

Invasive mesopredators are responsible for the decline of many species of native mammals worldwide. Feral cats have been causally linked to multiple extinctions of Australian mammals since European colonization. While feral cats are found throughout Australia, most research has been undertaken in arid habitats, thus there is a limited understanding of feral cat distribution, abundance, and ecology in Australian tropical rainforests. We carried out camera-trapping surveys at 108 locations across seven study sites, spanning 200 km in the Australian Wet Tropics. Single-species occupancy analysis was implemented to investigate how environmental factors influence feral cat distribution. Feral cats were detected at a rate of 5.09 photographs/100 days, 11 times higher than previously recorded in the Australian Wet Tropics. The main environmental factors influencing feral cat occupancy were a positive association with terrain ruggedness, a negative association with elevation, and a higher affinity for rainforest than eucalypt forest. These findings were consistent with other studies on feral cat ecology but differed from similar surveys in Australia. Increasingly harsh and consistently wet weather conditions at higher elevations, and improved shelter in topographically complex habitats may drive cat preference for lowland rainforest. Feral cats were positively associated with roads, supporting the theory that roads facilitate access and colonization of feral cats within more remote parts of the rainforest. Higher elevation rainforests with no roads could act as refugia for native prey species within the critical weight range. Regular monitoring of existing roads should be implemented to monitor feral cats, and new linear infrastructure should be limited to prevent encroachment into these areas. This is pertinent as climate change modeling suggests that habitats at higher elevations will become similar to lower elevations, potentially making the environment more suitable for feral cat populations

A Public Policy Toward the Management of Feral Cats

[Excerpt] “This paper examines the current wildlife laws, both federal and state, to determine what laws may apply to managing the feral cat population. It begins with a determination of how domestic cats are classified under these laws. Since many laws are vague, the intent of the legislatures is investigated to determine if domestic cats were meant to be defined as a nonindigenous species. The focus then shifts to indicate ways to control the feral domestic cat population. Current trends in the control of other nonindigenous species appear to revolve around public nuisance claims; however, due to the unique nature of domestic cats, these laws are poor candidates for managing the unwanted domestic cat population. On the other hand, given the recent increase in the enactment of leash laws, courts may be more inclined to apply public nuisance laws to cats.

The ecology of feral cats (Felis catus) on a New Zealand offshore island : considerations for management : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Pholosophy in Zoology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Invasive species have contributed to the global biodiversity crisis, with the majority of recentday terrestrial vertebrate extinctions implicating invasive predators. Domestic cats (Felis catus), particularly feral cats, are among the main culprits. In New Zealand, the continued decline of native species is largely due to invasive predators, which has led conservation efforts to focus on pest management. Feral cats are often a secondary focus for pest control, and their impacts within an ecosystem are not well understood. The main objective of this study was to produce a comprehensive study of feral cat ecology using a population of feral cats on Ponui Island, New Zealand, and highlight factors that should be considered for efficient control operations. Predators distribute themselves and move within their environment in relation to prey availability and habitat type. These factors vary between locations, leading to differences in home range sizes that are difficult to predict. A relationship between home range size and population density was identified in the literature, which I used to predict changes in home range size with changing population density. I mapped the home ranges of eight cats for one year using location points from Very High Frequency (VHF) radio-telemetry and camera traps, then two males were removed from the population, seven months apart. The first removal resulted in an increase in the home range sizes of the remaining cats, whereas the second removal saw an invasion of four unmarked male cats. These results show that feral cats change their home ranges accordingly with changes in density, and removals (such as control operations) result in a change in feral cat ranging behaviour. Feral cats are often live-trapped during control programmes to reduce capturing non-target animals. This technique is labour intensive because traps need to be checked frequently for welfare purposes. Describing feral cat activity patterns can dictate when live-traps should be set and checked. Camera traps have recently been used to estimate activity patterns, but have yet to be validated against accelerometry devices. Therefore, I compared the activity patterns obtained through camera trap data to that from collar-mounted accelerometry devices, and found a high correlation (R2 >0.9) between the two methods. The highest correlation was when activity from 600 or more videos was used. Feral cats were most active between sunset and sunrise, and live-traps should be set during these times to increase trapping efficiency and reduce bycatch. The reproductive biology of invasive predators can be used to predict the recovery of populations following control operations, however there is very little information available for feral cats. Therefore, I investigated the reproduction of feral cats in a stable, insular population. Using camera trap data, I found that females had high reproductive output, averaging three kittens per litter and two litters per year. However, the recruitment rate was low in this population; only 3-4% of kittens survived to one-year-old. There were two infanticide events observed; the first reported for solitary-living feral cats. Females moved shorter distances when they had young kittens (less than seven-weeks-old). These results show that feral cats can rapidly recover from control operations. Females are less likely to encounter traps when they have young kittens, suggesting there are optimal seasons to capture cats. Population genetics is used in invasive biology to identify populations that are isolated and have limited immigration. Eradication of isolated populations will be easier and more cost-efficient, with low chances of reinvasion. Although offshore islands are geographically isolated, there is the chance of reinvasion that is assisted by humans. I investigated the population genetics of the feral cats on Ponui Island using genetic samples collected from adults and kittens, and also opportunistically studied parentage. Most of the fathers of the litters were the heaviest males, and the males that had the most home range overlap with queens. Population genetics showed that the cats have most likely been isolated with no recent introductions, suggesting the removal of cats from this island would be successful with low chances of reinvasion. Feral cats can have large impacts on native species, but prey on rats that also have detrimental effects on wildlife. This led me to investigate the diet of feral cats using scat analysis on an island with native birdlife, and rodents at high densities. I examined season and sex differences on diet and the impacts of cats on native species. Feral cats consumed prey based on seasonal availability, with cats eating rats when rats were at their highest density. Females ate smaller prey more frequently than males, such as passerines. The cats on this island are not reliant on the rat population, and were found to eat many native species such as brown kiwi, morepork, and fantails. The findings from this thesis can be applied to feral cat management to develop efficient control operations. The decision to control a population should be based on both dietary and genetic data to reduce possible cascading ecological effects from the predator removal and identify genetically isolated populations. Home range, activity, and diet data can be used to determine the control protocol, such as; trap spacing, the time traps should be set and checked, and if secondary or primary poisoning should be used and the seasons that cats would uptake the baits. Finally, knowledge of feral cat reproduction can be used to predict the recovery of the population

A Modern Cat-tas-trophe? The Relationships and Impacts between Feral Cat Management and Sustainable Urban Development: A Literature Review

For this literature review, I will be reviewing the impacts that feral populations have on sustainable development, specifically in urban environments, and doing an intensive analysis of the economic, social, and most significant, environmental impacts that feral cats have on the respective urban environment. Following this, I will then be reviewing the different management strategies that currently are in place for managing feral cat populations, specifically lethal methods of feral cat management, and then analyzing a non-lethal feral cat management program known as “TNR”, which stands for Trap-Neuter-Return, and seeing which methodology is the best suited for managing urban feral cats, and debating the pros and cons between lethal and non-lethal methods. Finally, I will then demonstrate what my overall opinion on the subject matter is based on the data that I have gathered, and what actions I believe should be implemented in regards to management plans and possible future research endeavors

Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats, Commonwealth of Australia, 2015

This Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats establishes a national framework to guide and coordinate Australia’s response to the impacts of feral cats (Felis catus) on biodiversity. It identifies the research, management and other actions needed to ensure the long-term survival of native species and ecological communities affected by predation by feral cats. It replaces the previous threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats published in 2008 (DEWHA, 2008a). A review of the previous threat abatement plan found some significant advances in feral cat research and control since 2008 (Department of the Environment, 2015a). This plan should be read in conjunction with the publication Background document for the Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats (Department of the Environment, 2015b). The background document provides information on feral cat characteristics, biology and distribution; impacts on environmental, social and cultural values; and current management practices and measures. The document also provides additional detail on some of the concepts and research included in the plan

Zoonoses Public Health

Domestic cats are an important part of many Americans' lives, but effective control of the 60-100 million feral cats living throughout the country remains problematic. Although trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) programmes are growing in popularity as alternatives to euthanizing feral cats, their ability to adequately address disease threats and population growth within managed cat colonies is dubious. Rabies transmission via feral cats is a particular concern as demonstrated by the significant proportion of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis associated with exposures involving cats. Moreover, TNVR has not been shown to reliably reduce feral cat colony populations because of low implementation rates, inconsistent maintenance and immigration of unsterilized cats into colonies. For these reasons, TNVR programmes are not effective methods for reducing public health concerns or for controlling feral cat populations. Instead, responsible pet ownership, universal rabies vaccination of pets and removal of strays remain integral components to control rabies and other diseases.CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States2016-11-23T00:00:00Z23859607PMC512039

The significance of social factors in the planning and implementation of feral cat management programs

Feral cat management is the subject of debate in many countries due to conflicting ecological, ethical, economic, and social reasons. Perceptions and attitudes around the various possible feral cat management methods influence socially and politically acceptable management. While most of the recent research conducted on feral cat management has taken technical aspects into account, there is considerably less emphasis on how the social aspects may influence success. This thesis aims to compare global differences in feral cat management approaches, and to improve the understanding of how social factors influence attitudes around different feral cat management methods. The first objective was to investigate global attitudes towards feral cats by analysing international scientific literature around feral cat management with a focus on social perspectives. The literature review (chapter 2) presents global comparisons by providing insight into how feral cats are perceived by stakeholders in various countries, and what social factors influence these perceptions worldwide. The second objective of this thesis focused on analysing public attitudes towards feral cats and their management in both a regional and international context and determined the countries and groups that contributed greatly to the social media narrative around feral cats. In this portion of the study, Twitter data was used to distinguish the language used by differing groups in various countries to portray attitudes towards feral cats, as detailed in chapter 3. The final objective focused on determining the social factors that influence public attitudes and perceptions of methods used in feral cat management, and the social acceptability of these methods. A landholder questionnaire was used to assess the acceptance of several feral cat management methods on properties on Kangaroo Island, South Australia and near to the Grampians National Park region of western Victoria. It was found that gender, land use, previous knowledge of feral cat management methods, and location influenced the likelihood of participants to accept and use various feral cat management methods on their properties, as covered over chapters 4 and 5. This study highlights the importance of communication and information sharing in feral cat management, including knowledge about control tools, and demonstrates that education about feral cat impacts can increase support for management. It further suggests that feral cat management in any locality needs to consider the potential for regional differences that might stem from variations in culture and environment=. Feral cat management in any space requires investigation into the demographic and social factors that influence levels of support for particular interventions in an area, and that includes appealing to the public and engaging with the local community by interacting with them directly and educating while spreading awareness.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, 202