Estimating habitat characteristics associated with the abundance of free-roaming domestic cats across the annual cycle
Hannah E. Clyde
A * , D. Ryan Norris A B , Emily Lupton A and Elizabeth A. Gow A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
B Nature Conservancy of Canada, 245 Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto, ON M4P 3J1, Canada.
Wildlife Research 49(7) 583-595 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR20205
Submitted: 8 December 2020 Accepted: 22 January 2022 Published: 27 April 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing.
Abstract
Context: Domestic cats (Felis catus) hold an important place in human society but can negatively impact ecosystems when roaming freely outdoors.
Aims: Specific research goals included identifying factors associated with cat abundance over the year.
Methods: We deployed trail cameras in Wellington County, Ontario, Canada to estimate what habitat characteristics were associated with cats in the spring/summer and the fall/winter. Within a subset of our study area, we also compared these findings to a previous study that used walking surveys.
Key results: In the spring/summer, cat abundance was positively related to proximity to buildings and negatively related to distance to agriculture. In the fall/winter, cat abundance was negatively related to the presence of coyotes (Canis latrans) and positively related to proximity to major roads. Overall, cat abundance was higher in urban than rural locations, and higher in spring/summer compared to fall/winter. Both our results from trail cameras and walking surveys from a previous study identified that median income, woodlots, and major roads were important habitat characteristics associated with cats during the summer, and we discuss the costs and benefits associated with both approaches.
Conclusions: Free-roaming cats are associated with different habitat characteristics in spring/summer versus fall/winter and vary in abundance across landscape type and season.
Implications: The development of management strategies aimed at reducing free-roaming cats in temperate areas should incorporate seasonal and landscape patterns.
Keywords: companion animals, Felis catus, feral cats, free-ranging cat, habitat use, owned cats, seasonal effects, trail cameras, unmarked, urban.
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