scholarly journals Co-occurrence dynamics of endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbits and free-ranging domestic cats: Prey responses to an exotic predator removal program

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4042-4052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael V. Cove ◽  
Beth Gardner ◽  
Theodore R. Simons ◽  
Allan F. O'Connell
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Predator Removal ◽  
Exotic Predator ◽  
Free Ranging

scholarly journals Neutering Effects on Social Behaviour of Urban Unowned Free-Roaming Domestic Cats

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Cafazzo ◽  
Roberto Bonanni ◽  
Eugenia Natoli
Keyword(s):  
General Level ◽  
Territorial Behaviour ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Obvious Effect ◽  
Focal Animal ◽  
The Hierarchical Structure ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Marking Behaviour ◽  
Free Ranging

The “trap, spay/neuter, and release” programs to manage unowned free-roaming cat populations are diffused worldwide and they are largely advised even in countries where the suppression of unowned cats is enforced by law. Despite the massive neutering campaigns in the world, there is little information on the influence of neutering on individual cat behaviour, as well as on the social structure of cat colonies. The aim of this study is to verify such effects. Before neutering, the group consisted of 17 free-roaming domestic cats, who were totally unrestrained. After neutering it consisted of 16 individuals. Data on the outcomes of aggressive, submissive, affiliative, and territorial behaviour were collected, using classic ethological methods (“focal animal”, “all occurrences”, and “1/0” sampling methods) (735 h of observation before and 537 h after neutering). The dominance hierarchy did not change after neutering. On the other hand, the frequency of aggressive, territorial behaviour as well as proximity among individuals decreased significantly. Affiliative behaviour has been observed among neutered adult males that never performed it before neutering. The results of this study suggest that, after neutering: (i) The group of free-ranging cats was stable over time; (ii) the hierarchical structure of the cat social group did not change; (iii) the general level of activity, decreased; (iv) urine spraying marking behaviour almost disappeared; (v) the level of social proximity among group members decreased, although it tended to increase in some male–male dyads. The most obvious effect of neutering, detected on individual behaviour, was that cats were less active.

scholarly journals Bovine herpesvirus 4 DNA is not detected in free-ranging domestic cats from California, Colorado or Florida

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elliott Chiu ◽  
Ryan M Troyer ◽  
Michael R Lappin ◽  
Sue VandeWoude
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Bovine Herpesvirus ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Bovine Herpesvirus 4 ◽  
Herpesvirus 4 ◽  
Free Ranging

Objectives Several studies have reported that domestic cats can be naturally infected with bovine herpesvirus 4 (BHV4). Cats experimentally inoculated with BHV4 developed clinical signs involving the urinary tract, leading to the hypothesis that natural infection with BHV4 may be associated with feline lower urinary tract diseases. However, the question of whether BHV4 infection is common in cats remains equivocal. In this study, we sought to determine whether BHV4 is a common natural infection of domestic cats in the USA. Methods We used a sensitive nested PCR protocol specific to the BHV4 thymidine kinase gene to screen free-ranging domestic cat blood DNA samples (n = 101) collected from California, Colorado and Florida. Results Cats within this cohort were positive for seven other common pathogens of domestic cats, demonstrating the relatively high exposure of this population to endemic feline infections. In contrast, all domestic cat blood samples were negative for BHV4, while BHV4-containing tissue culture extracts were strongly positive. Conclusions and relevance BHV4 has been detected in tissues of latently infected cattle, though viral DNA is typically also detected in peripheral blood cells throughout infection. Our results suggest that persistent presence of BHV4 DNA in the blood of domestic cats is either rare or non-existent. We thus conclude that BHV4 is unlikely to be a major pathogen of cats.

scholarly journals Domestic Cats (Felis catus) and European Nature Conservation Law—Applying the EU Birds and Habitats Directives to a Significant but Neglected Threat to Wildlife

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arie Trouwborst ◽  
Han Somsen
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Protected Species ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) impact biodiversity through predation, disturbance, competition, disease and hybridisation. Scientific knowledge regarding these impacts has recently increased. This article interprets the European Union (EU) Birds and Habitats Directives (Nature Directives) in light of this knowledge. The outcome indicates that various obligations in the Directives, particularly concerning Natura 2000 sites and the generic protection of birds and other species, have significant implications for the management of free-ranging domestic cats. Regarding (unowned) stray and feral cats, these must be removed or controlled when they pose a threat to protected species and/or sites. Regarding (owned) pet and farm cats, the Nature Directives require EU Member States to ensure that letting cats roam free outdoors is forbidden and effectively prevented. Current practice across the EU does not yet conform to these requirements. Whereas the article identifies and assesses various factors that may explain this compliance gap, legally valid justifications appear absent.

The catscape: spatial manifestation of a pet cat population with outdoor access

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Bischof ◽  
Nina Rosita Hansen ◽  
Oyvind Skarsgard Nyheim ◽  
Astrid Kisen ◽  
Lillian Prestmoen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Spatial Behavior ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Utilization Distribution ◽  
Position Data ◽  
Southern Norway ◽  
Free Ranging

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is the most popular companion animal and the most abundant carnivore globally. It is also a pet with an immense ecological footprint, because even non-feral and food-subsidized cats are prolific predators. Whereas knowledge about the spatial behavior of individual domestic cats is growing, we still know little about how a local population of free-ranging pet cats occupies the landscape. Using a citizen science approach, we GPS-tagged 92 pet cats with outdoor access living in a residential area in southern Norway. The resulting position data allowed us to construct both individual home range kernels and a population-level utilization distribution. Our results reveal a dense predatory blanket that outdoor cats drape over and beyond the urban landscape. It is this population-level intensity surface - the catscape - that potential prey have to navigate. There were almost no gaps in the catscape within our residential study area and therefore few terrestrial refuges from potential cat predation. However, cats spent on average 79% of their outdoor time within 50 meters to their owner's home, which suggests that the primary impact is local and most acute for wildlife in the vicinity to homes with cats. We discuss the catscape as a conceptual and quantitative tool for better understanding and mitigating the environmental impact of domestic cats.

Free-ranging domestic cats are characterized by increased metal content in reproductive tissues

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Rzymski ◽  
Przemysław Niedzielski ◽  
Barbara Poniedziałek ◽  
Paweł Rzymski ◽  
Joanna Pacyńska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metal Content ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Reproductive Tissues ◽  
Free Ranging

scholarly journals Molecular detection of viral agents in free-ranging and captive neotropical felids in Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 660-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana M. Furtado ◽  
Sueli A. Taniwaki ◽  
Iracema N. de Barros ◽  
Paulo E. Brandão ◽  
José L. Catão-Dias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Molecular Detection ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Leukemia Virus ◽  
Feline Leukemia Virus ◽  
Molecular Testing ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Feline Coronavirus

We describe molecular testing for felid alphaherpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), carnivore protoparvovirus 1 (CPPV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), alphacoronavirus 1 (feline coronavirus [FCoV]), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and canine distemper virus (CDV) in whole blood samples of 109 free-ranging and 68 captive neotropical felids from Brazil. Samples from 2 jaguars ( Panthera onca) and 1 oncilla ( Leopardus tigrinus) were positive for FHV-1; 2 jaguars, 1 puma ( Puma concolor), and 1 jaguarundi ( Herpairulus yagouaroundi) tested positive for CPPV-1; and 1 puma was positive for FIV. Based on comparison of 103 nucleotides of the UL24-UL25 gene, the FHV-1 sequences were 99–100% similar to the FHV-1 strain of domestic cats. Nucleotide sequences of CPPV-1 were closely related to sequences detected in other wild carnivores, comparing 294 nucleotides of the VP1 gene. The FIV nucleotide sequence detected in the free-ranging puma, based on comparison of 444 nucleotides of the pol gene, grouped with other lentiviruses described in pumas, and had 82.4% identity with a free-ranging puma from Yellowstone Park and 79.5% with a captive puma from Brazil. Our data document the circulation of FHV-1, CPPV-1, and FIV in neotropical felids in Brazil.

scholarly journals Feline panleukopaenia virus in captive non-domestic felids in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily P. Lane ◽  
Helene Brettschneider ◽  
Peter Caldwell ◽  
Almero Oosthuizen ◽  
Desiré L. Dalton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Capsid Protein Gene ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
African Black ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Modified Live Vaccine ◽  
Free Ranging

An outbreak of feline panleukopaenia virus (FPLV) infection was diagnosed by pathology, electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vaccinated captive-bred subadult cheetahs in South Africa. Subsequent to this disease outbreak, 12 cases of FPLV diagnosed on histology were confirmed by PCR in captive African black-footed cat, caracal, cheetah, lion, ocelot and serval. Phylogenetic analyses of the viral capsid protein gene on PCR-positive samples, vaccine and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reference strains identified a previously unknown strain of FPLV, present since at least 2006, that differs from both the inactivated and the modified live vaccine strains. A previously described South African strain from domestic cats and cheetahs was identified in a serval. Surveys of FPLV strains in South African felids are needed to determine the geographical and host species distribution of this virus. Since non-domestic species may be reservoirs of parvoviruses, and since these viruses readily change host specificity, the risks of FPLV transmission between captive-bred and free-ranging carnivores and domestic cats and dogs warrant further research.Keywords: feline panleukopaenia; parvovirus; felid; cheetah; vaccination

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