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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 32(7)

Home ranges of feral cats (Felis catus) in central-western New South Wales, Australia

Robyn Molsher A B D , Chris Dickman B , Alan Newsome A and Warren Müller C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Pest Animal Control CRC, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, GPO Box 284, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

B Institute of Wildlife Research, School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

C CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences, GPO Box 664, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Current address: Department of Environment and Conservation – NSW, PO Box 2111, Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia. Email: robyn.molsher@npws.nsw.gov.au

Wildlife Research 32(7) 587-595 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR04093
Submitted: 14 October 2004  Accepted: 23 August 2005   Published: 24 November 2005

Abstract

Twenty-one feral cats were radio-tracked using direct sighting and triangulation techniques (amassing 730 location fixes) during winter in an agricultural landscape in central-western New South Wales. Factors affecting home-range size, home-range overlap and habitat use were assessed. Mean home-range size was 248 ha (s.e. = 34.9, n = 15 cats, 598 location fixes). Home-range size and habitat use were not influenced by sex or age of adult cats, prey abundance or time of day. However, cat weight significantly influenced range size, with heavier cats having larger ranges than smaller cats. Although the cats are apparently solitary, their home ranges overlapped considerably, particularly between young adults and old adult cats. Cats were active both by day and night and did not occupy permanent dens. Home ranges encompassed mixed habitat types that provided both shelter and prey. Open woodland and open forest were the main habitat types covered by home ranges, but within these areas cats showed a preference for grassland, where rabbits were more abundant. The results recorded in this study indicate that cat-control programs should concentrate in mixed habitat areas, where both shelter and food are available, and over widely dispersed areas. The absence of group living suggests that the effectiveness of virally vectored fertility or biological control agents would be limited.


Acknowledgments

This work was carried out as part of a Ph.D. project by the senior author while based at the University of Sydney, and the Pest Animal Control Cooperative Research Centre in Canberra, ACT. The project was funded by the Department of Environment and Heritage with support from the Pest Animal Control CRC. David Hik provided helpful input to the study design and helpful comments on the manuscript were received from Roger Pech, Glenn Edwards and an anonymous reviewer. We are grateful to all those who assisted in the field, including Eddie Gifford, Steve Henry, Adam McKeown, Gil Pfitzner, Anna Nilsson and numerous volunteers. The animal care and ethics committees of CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems (94/95-02) and the University of Sydney (L04/4-95/3/2116) approved methods used in this project.


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