Landowners and cat predation across rural-to-urban landscapes

Lepczyk, Christopher A.; Mertig, Angela G.; Liu, Jianguo

doi:10.1016/s0006-3207(03)00107-1

Cited by 246 publications

(192 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…As a result, cats can efficiently compete with wild predators (Krauze-Gryz et al 2012b). Urban and suburban cats mainly focus on birds, which results in serious predation rates (Lepczyk et al 2004) or increases in sub-lethal factors, such as a reduction in fecundity (Beckerman et al 2007) or food delivery to chicks (Bonnington et al 2013). Special attention should be paid to the influence of house cats on the fauna of nature reserves located in or adjacent to cities or suburbs as the presence of free-ranging domestic cats, which are likely the most abundant predator, can reduce the effectiveness of these protected areas as a tool for protecting nature (Wierzbowska et al 2012).…”

Section: Rural Urbanmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, studies showing the diversity of animal species that are killed by cats as well the magnitude of their hunting pressure are important; they both inform public opinion about the problem and can help raise financial support for mitigation. Most of the studies focused on the diet of free-ranging house cats have been conducted in the USA (Kays and DeWan 2004;Lepczyk et al 2004), Australia and Oceania (Barrat 1997;Gillies and Clout 2003;Morgan et al 2009;van Heezik et al 2010). In Europe, where there is a relationship between high-density human populations and a high abundance of domestic cats, previous investigations were mainly located in the United Kingdom (i.e., Churcher and Lawton 1987;Woods et al 2003;Baker et al 2005;Thomas et al 2012) but also in Sweden (Liberg 1984), Switzerland (Weber and Daily 1998;Tschanz et al 2010), Poland (KrauzeGryz et al 2012a) and Finland (Kauhala et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In previous studies, the diet composition and predation pressure of cats in natural and rural habitats have been contrasted with records from more transformed and built-up areas (e.g., Gillies and Clout 2003;Lepczyk et al 2004;Kauhala et al 2015), but few, if any, studies have addressed the seasonal variation in prey composition in this context (but see Kauhala et al 2015). We attempted to do so and analysed the year-round variability in the different prey items killed by domestic cats at 26 sites in rural and urban environments, which provided us with the opportunity to separate the effects of time and the environment and to test the following three predictions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Annual variation in prey composition of domestic cats in rural and urban environment

2016

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The threat that domestic cats pose to wildlife has gained increased recognition by researchers and conservationists, and in this study, we investigated the seasonal variability and the effects of environment type (rural vs. urban) on the prey composition of free-ranging house cats in Poland. We analysed the variability in 307 monthly prey samples of different prey items killed by cats and brought to their owners (i.e., prey brought home by cats living in one home in one month) between 2002 and 2007 at 26 rural and urban sites. The variability in prey composition over time was analysed using additive models and canonical correspondence analysis. In total, we recorded 1348 prey items. Rodents were the most common prey in both environments, but shrews and reptiles were killed by cats more often in the rural environment while birds (mainly sparrows and pigeons) were more common in the urban environment. Additionally, prey composition changed seasonally. The pooled number of vertebrates killed by cats was largest in September and lowest in January, and rodents were killed most often in September, shrews and birds in June, and reptiles in April. The seasonal variation in the prey composition of cats was relatively high in the rural environment and more stable in the urban environment. Prey composition seemed to follow temporal and spatial variations in prey availability, thus confirming a facultative feeding strategy in free-ranging house cats.

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Section: Rural Urbanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Annual variation in prey composition of domestic cats in rural and urban environment

2016

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“…Even though pet cats may not be the primary source of wildlife decline in urban areas, they do hunt wildlife at levels unsustainable for some species in some places (Lepczyk et al, 2004;van Heezik et 415 al., 2010;Thomas et al, 2012). While several deterrent devices reduce prey brought home (Ruxton et al, 2002;Woods et al, 2003;Nelson et al, 2005;Calver et al, 2007), the BBS uniquely reduces numbers of birds and herpetofauna brought home but not mammals.…”

Section: Implications For Wildlife Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the effectiveness of the Birdsbesafe® anti-predation collar cover in reducing predation on wildlife by pet cats in Western Australia

Hall

Fontaine

Bryant

2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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Highlights •We assessed the predation deterrent Birdsbesafe® (BBS) in an Australian context.• Captures of birds and herpetofauna, but not mammals, fell when cats wore a BBS.• Rainbow coloured BBS were more effective than red or yellow. 20 •To date, the BBS is the only predation deterrent protecting herpetofauna.• The BBS is not suitable where pet cats predate endangered mammals. 25 AbstractMany pet cats hunt and, irrespective of whether or not this threatens wildlife populations, distressed owners may wish to curtail hunting while allowing their pets to roam. Therefore we evaluated the effectiveness of three patterned designs (simple descriptions being rainbow, red and yellow) of the anti-predation collar cover, the Birdsbesafe® (BBS), in reducing prey captures by 114 30 pet cats over 2 years in a suburban Australian context. The BBS offers a colourful indicator of a cat's presence and should therefore alert prey with good colour vision (birds and herpetofauna), but not most mammals with limited colour vision. We also interviewed the 82 owners of cats in the study about their experience using the BBS and their assessment of the behavioural responses of their cats. In the first year of the study, which focused on the effectiveness of different BBS colours, 35 captures of prey with good colour vision were reduced by 54% (95% CL 43% -64%) when cats were wearing a BBS of any colour, with the rainbow and red BBS more effective than the yellow when birds were prey. Captures of mammals were not reduced significantly. The second year assessed the rainbow BBS alone, and those data combined with rainbow data in the first year found a significant reduction of 47% (95% CL 43% -57%) in capture of prey with good colour vision, with no effect of 40 differences across years. We found no evidence that cats maintained a lower predation rate once Page 3 of 37 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 3 the BBS was removed. Seventy-nine per cent of owners reported that their cats had no problems with the BBS and another 17% reported that their cats adjusted within 2 days. Fourteen owners reported that their cats spent more time at home and ate more while wearing the BBS. Two owners reported their cats stayed away from home more while wearing it. Sixty-four per cent of owners 45 using the red collar, 48% using rainbow and 46% using yellow believed that it worked. Overall, 77% of owners planned to continue using the BBS after the study had finished. The BBS is an option for owners wishing to reduce captures of birds and herpetofauna by free-ranging cats, especially where mammalian prey are introduced pests. To date, the BBS is the only predation deterrent that reduces significantly the number of herpetofauna brought home. It is unsuitable where endangered 50 mammalian prey or large invertebrates are vulnerable to predation by pet cats.

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“…McKinney 2008;Cavia et al 2009;Faeth et al 2011); adaptation of some species (known as synurbic) to specific urban conditions (Luniak 2004;Francis and Chadwick 2012); changes in biocenotic relationships -lower pressure from predators and competitors (e.g. Lepczyk et al 2003;Major et al 1996), extension of breeding seasons, increase of abundance, and a decreased in territory in species that are urban adapted (Gliwicz et al 1994) There is also reduced fear of humans and tolerance to urban noise (Ditchkoff et al 2006;Møller 2009). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How small cities affect the biodiversity of ground-dwelling mammals and the relevance of this knowledge in planning urban land expansion in terms of urban wildlife

Łopucki

Kitowski

2017

Urban Ecosyst

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Fundamental principles regarding urban biodiversity are based on studies conducted in large cities. However we cannot know whether the same phenomena occur in smaller cities or how small cities affect biodiversity. Small cities are an inherent element of urbanization and in the future, most global urban growth is expected to take place in small and mediumsized cities. Understanding the effects of small cities on biodiversity will be an important aspect in planning urban land expansion. Our study examined the effects of a small city on communities of small ground-dwelling mammals on 41 sites arranged in a four step gradient of urbanization. In 6700 trapdays, we caught 2333 individuals comprising 15 species. In the downtown area the same phenomena as those described for large cities were observed: a reduction in species richness and diversity, a decline in the abundance of urban sensitive species and an increase in synurbic species. However, in contrast to large city studies, green areas outside the downtown area did not differ from rural sites in small mammal population parameters. This phenomenon of relatively unchanged fauna outside the downtown area shows that small cities have the potential to maintain a high level of diversity of small grounddwelling mammals if appropriate planning of further building expansion is implemented. More studies of small cities are needed to better assess their impact on biodiversity. This knowledge can then be applied in better planning for urban wildlife. Generalizations based solely on large city studies are inadequate and may lead to incomplete or inappropriate conservation strategies for small cities.

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Landowners and cat predation across rural-to-urban landscapes

Cited by 246 publications

References 26 publications

Annual variation in prey composition of domestic cats in rural and urban environment

Annual variation in prey composition of domestic cats in rural and urban environment

Assessing the effectiveness of the Birdsbesafe® anti-predation collar cover in reducing predation on wildlife by pet cats in Western Australia

How small cities affect the biodiversity of ground-dwelling mammals and the relevance of this knowledge in planning urban land expansion in terms of urban wildlife

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