International differences in practices and attitudes regarding pet cats' interactions with wildlife were assessed by surveying citizens from at least two cities in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, China and Japan. Predictions tested were: (i) cat owners would agree less than non-cat owners that cats might threaten wildlife, (ii) cat owners value wildlife less than non-cat owners, (iii) cat owners are less accepting of cat legislation/restrictions than non-owners, and (iv) respondents from regions with high endemic biodiversity (Australia, New Zealand, China and the USA state of Hawaii) would be most concerned about pet cats threatening wildlife. Everywhere non-owners were more likely than owners to agree that pet cats killing wildlife were a problem in cities, towns and rural areas. Agreement amongst non-owners was highest in Australia (95%) and New Zealand (78%) and lowest in the UK (38%). Irrespective of ownership, over 85% of respondents from all countries except China (65%) valued wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas. Non-owners advocated cat legislation more strongly than owners except in Japan. Australian non-owners were the most supportive (88%), followed by Chinese non-owners (80%) and Japanese owners (79.5%). The UK was least supportive (non-owners 43%, owners 25%). Many Australian (62%), New Zealand (51%) and Chinese owners (42%) agreed that pet cats killing wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas was a problem, while Hawaiian owners were similar to the mainland USA (20%). Thus high endemic biodiversity might contribute to attitudes in some, but not all, countries. Husbandry practices varied internationally, with predation highest where fewer cats were confined. Although the risk of wildlife population declines caused by pet cats justifies precautionary action, campaigns based on wildlife protection are unlikely to succeed outside Australia or New Zealand. Restrictions on roaming protect wildlife and benefit cat welfare, so welfare is a better rationale.
The effects of feral cats on Pacific island ecosystems are a well known and long standing pest problem. While control and/or eradication of feral cat populations have been successfully accomplished on several islands, they are typically in locations with little to no human population. The Hawaiian Islands have a human population of just over 1.2 million people, making certain feral cat control methods difficult, if not impossible, to implement. The University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, located in Honolulu, has a large number of feral cats living on it that often cause problems among the numerous stakeholders who use or frequent the campus. One of the primary concerns related to the cats is their feces, which may carry such diseases as toxoplasmosis and may cause illness in the employees that have to clean up after the cats. The university has implemented the use of feeding stations and litter boxes to obtain a population estimate and control the quantity of cat feces on the ground. But these two approaches have not been successful, due to inconsistent participation by the cat colony caretakers. Hence, little information exists about the status of the campus's feral cat population. In order to begin addressing the campus cat problem, our goal is to develop a survey method for estimating the distribution and size of cat colonies, conduct health assessments, and identify ownership of cats with microchips. We are conducting surveys to estimate the population size, to see if it changes over time, and to determine basic health indices of the cats. Ultimately, we expect to provide information on whether the feral cat population is changing over time and whether or not trap-neuter-release efforts are succeeding and reducing the population relative to removal, and status quo management options.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.