Domestic dogs as nest predators of shorebirds in NE Brazil

Diniz, C. G., de Morais Magalhães, N. G., Diniz, D. G., Pereira, P. D. C., Paulo, D. C., Renato, F., Sherry, D.F. & do Pará, T. Domestic Dogs as Nest Predators of Wilson’s plover (Charadrius wilsonia) in Northeastern Brazil.

Although Wilson´s plovers (Charadrius wilsonia) are migratory, a resident population breeds in coastal northeastern Brazil and there population trend is described as decreasing by the IUCN Red List. Domestic dogs are a major predator of Wilson’s plover nests on an island in northeastern Brazil where dogs are kept to guard fishing equipment. Local fishermen, however, are motivated to protect the nests of shorebirds and when shown video recordings documenting nest predation acted quickly to remove dogs. We found that providing local residents with evidence about the causes of nest predation could play an effective role in protecting bird populations. 

Legal Status of Wildcats and their hybrids

HERITAGE, S. N. 2015. Legal Status of Wildcats and their hybrids.

This paper highlights new research into levels of hybridisation in wild-living cats in Scotland.
It describes the methods being used to select wildcats suitable for conservation breeding
and how we plan to distinguish wildcats from feral cats and hybrids in the field and for the
trap, neuter, vaccinate and release (TNVR) programme under Scottish Wildcat Action. It
recognises that most wild-living and captive ‘wildcats’ appear to have some domestic
ancestry and that this poses challenges for their legal protection.

Patterns of seroprevalence of feline viruses among domestic cats and Pallas’ cats

Pavlova, E. V., Kirilyuk, V. E., & Naidenko, S. V. (2015). Patterns of seroprevalence of feline viruses among domestic cats (Felis catus) and Pallas’ cats (Otocolobus manul) in Daursky Reserve, Russia. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 93(11), 849-855.

Few data are available on the prevalence of feline viruses in the wild and little is known about natural sources of infections. The aim of this study was to estimate patterns of seroprevalence to feline viruses (feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline calicivirus (FCV), feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline herpesvirus (FHV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV)) in two cat species, domestic cats (Felis catus L., 1758) (n = 61) and Pallas’ cats (Otocolobus manul (Pallas, 1776)) (n = 24), living in the same area, in Daursky Reserve, Russia. Our results indicate that four of five viruses are circulating in the study area, with the exception of FHV. The pattern of FCV and FPV prevalence differed from FIV and FeLV. FCV and FPV seroprevalence did not depend on the sex and predominated in the group of cats living in the village (76% and 55%, respectively). No Pallas’ cats were seropositive to these viruses. The prevalence of FIV and FeLV were similar in areas with different cat densities (at the stations (16% for both viruses) and in the village (16% for both viruses)). The patterns of seroprevalence between species testify to the low rate of interspecific contacts. In Pallas’ cats, we found the presence of antibodies to FIV to be 5% and antigens of FeLV to be 5%, pathogens for which transmission demand close direct contacts between animals (mainly aggressive and (or) sexual contact), which is typical in the breeding season. Arid climate may also reduce patterns of viral prevalence in the study area, decreasing the risk of infection for both cat species.

Pet cat management practices among owners

Howell, T. J., Mornement, K., & Bennett, P. C. (2015). Pet cat management practices among a representative sample of owners in Victoria, Australia. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research.

Although cats are commonly kept as pets, the extent to which they experience optimal welfare is not well researched. Owner management practices are likely to affect the welfare outcomes of pet cats. The aim of this study was to determine different ways in which pet cat owners attempt to meet their cat's environmental, diet and exercise, behavioral, social, and health needs, using a representative sample of owners in Victoria, Australia. A sample of 488 Victorian pet cat owners (40.0% male), representing 611,000 households, completed an online survey detailing their cat management practices. Descriptive data were used to understand trends in pet keeping practices, and correlations established relationships between demographic variables and pet practices. Our results suggest that Victorians are mostly effectively managing their pet cats, but some common practices could adversely affect pet cat welfare. Nearly half (49%) of all owners reported that their cat roams freely outdoors, which could result in injuries to the cat. Furthermore, 39% of owners indicated that their cat is moderately supervised, not very well supervised, or not supervised at all, during interactions with children. This could result in injuries to the cat through rough play, or to the child through scratches. Female owners were more likely than male owners to rate highly on statements regarding their ability to care for their cat and their satisfaction with the cat's behavior. They also reported a lower frequency of behavioral problems, and a more recent check and/or treatment for parasites. Older owners were less likely than younger owners to have lost a pet cat that they could not find, or to leave their cat without human company for long periods. However, they were more likely to report a high frequency of behavioral problems in their cat than young owners. These data could be used to compare changing practices over time, and help determine the effectiveness, or otherwise, of educational campaigns targeted at improving pet cat welfare.

Use and perception of collars for companion cats in NZ

Harrod, M., Keown, A. J., & Farnworth, M. J. (2015). Use and perception of collars for companion cats in New Zealand. New Zealand veterinary journal, 1-4.


AIMS: To investigate the use and utility of collars for companion cats in New Zealand, and to explore public perception of collar use.

METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed using emails and social media to members of the general public in New Zealand. The questionnaire collected details of respondents, cat ownership status, and responses to a number of questions regarding collar use in cats.

RESULTS: A total of 511 responses were collected. Of these, 393/511 (76.9%) reported owning ≥1 cat at the time of the survey, and 141/393 (35.9%) stated that ≥1 of their cats wore collars and 211/393 (53.7%) had ≥1 of their cats micro-chipped. Of the respondents with a pet cat, 351/393 (89.3%) allowed their cats some outdoor access. Respondents mainly used collars for identification and to reduce predation. Reasons for not using collars included cat intolerance of collars, repeated collar loss and concern over collar safety. Differences were found between cat owners and non-owners regarding whether they agreed that cats were important for pest control (43 vs. 25%, p<0.001); that not all cats will tolerate collars (81 vs. 64%, p<0.001); that cats should be kept indoors at night (37 vs. 58%, p<0.001); or disagreed that well fed cats will not catch birds (60 vs. 70%, p=0.04); and disagreed that a cat without a collar was likely to be a stray (85 vs. 76%, p<0.001). Respondents most trusted veterinarians and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as sources of pet care information.

CONCLUSIONS: Collar use within this sample of cat owners in New Zealand appeared to be low, with more using microchips for identification. The majority of cat owners in this study indicated their cats had some outdoor access, with collars being used for cat identification and to reduce hunting behaviour. Significant differences existed in opinions on cat management between cat owners and non-owners in this study. It should be noted that this preliminary exploration was based on a self-selected group of respondents and so results and conclusions cannot be extrapolated to the wider population.

RELEVANCE: As the most trusted source of information about pet care, an enhanced understanding of cat ownership and management may be of use to veterinarians to promote responsible pet ownership and to develop national policies and practices to improve cat welfare.

The dog and cat population on Maio Island, Cape Verde

Antunes, A. C. L., Ducheyne, E., Bryssinckx, W., Vieira, S., Malta, M., Vaz, Y., Nunez, T. & Mintiens, K. (2015). The dog and cat population on Maio Island, Cape Verde: characterisation and prediction based on household survey and remotely sensed imagery. Geospatial Health, 10(2).

The objective was to estimate and characterise the dog and cat population on Maio Island, Cape Verde. Remotely sensed imagery was used to document the number of houses across the island and a household survey was carried out in six administrative areas recording the location of each animal using a global positioning system instrument. Linear statistical models were applied to predict the dog and cat populations based on the number of houses found and according to various levels of data aggregation. In the surveyed localities, a total of 457 dogs and 306 cats were found. The majority of animals had owners and only a few had free access to outdoor activities. The estimated population size was 531 dogs [95% confidence interval (CI): 453-609] and 354 cats (95% CI: 275-431). Stray animals were not a concern on the island in contrast to the rest of the country

Monitoring techniques in the capture and adoption of dogs and cats

Galvis, J. O. A., Baquero, O. S., Dias, R. A., Ferreira, F., Chiozzotto, E. N., & Grisi-Filho, J. H. H. (2015). Monitoring techniques in the capture and adoption of dogs and cats. Geospatial health, 10(2).

The continuous improvement of the information systems of organizations that work toward the control of stray dog and cat populations facilitates the implementation of programs aimed at reducing the number of animals that roam free in public streets. This study aimed to present techniques to improve the understanding of the spatial distribution of stray dogs and cats and of people who adopt these animals and the fate of these animals in zoonosis control centers (ZCC). Ripley’s K function was used with a Euclidean distance graph to detect the distribution pattern of dogs and cats captured and of the people who adopted these animals. An estimate of the kernel density was used to allow a better assessment of the spatial distribution of the phenomenon studied. The results showed that the distribution of captured animals and of the people who adopted these animals form a spatial cluster (p = 0.01). Most of the animals were captured near the premises of the ZCC and near the downtown area. Factors such as the abandonment of animals near animal control agencies and the availability of food sources are the main hypotheses associated to the distribution of the captures. The awareness of the people who live in places where there is a greater number of stray animals and the distribution of the urban population are the main hypotheses to explain the distribution of the adoptions. The results will help to implement control measures over these populations in the most problematic areas.

Monitoring feral cats' movements at important seabird colony

Bonnaud, E., Berger, G., Zarzoso-Lacoste, D., Bourgeois, K., Palmas, P., & Vidal, É. (2015). First steps in studying cat movement behaviour through VHF tracking at a major world breeding site for the Mediterranean endemic Yelkouan shearwater. Revue d'Ecologie, 70 (12)

Cats are considered one of the most harmful invasive predators of island native species, particularly adult shearwaters, which are highly vulnerable to predation. Populations of Yelkouan shearwater, an endemic species of the Mediterranean basin with only a few large breeding colonies, are predicted to decline in response to feral or free-roaming cats. In a previous study, the impact of introduced cats on the Yelkouan shearwater population of Le Levant Island was assessed through the analysis of cat diet over a two-year period. The study showed that cats prey upon three staple species: rabbits, rats, and shearwaters, with a peak of predation on shearwaters immediately upon their arrival at colonies (prospecting period). Here, we supplement this previous work by conducting a preliminary study on the movement patterns of four free-roaming cats (three feral and one domestic) using very high frequency (VHF) tracking to analyse individual behaviour and home ranges on Le Levant Island, one of the Yelkouan shearwater’s major breeding sites. Our results show that two of the three feral cats were recorded inside and in close vicinity to the shearwater colonies, mainly during the prospecting period, while the domestic cat was never recorded inside the colonies. This suggests that some feral cats could show movement behavioural patterns linked to the shearwater presence as soon as these seabirds arrive at the colonies. The monitored domestic cat also showed a relatively small home range, while feral cats covered larger distances and with overlapping territories. Based on these preliminary results of cat movement behaviour, in addition to the previous results of cat predation, it is evident that cat impact must be reduced. This may be achieved through accurate management strategy that takes cat movement behaviour into account to avoid exhausting one of the most important breeding sites for this Mediterranean endemic species

Studying cat movement behaviour through VHF tracking on Mediterranean island

Bonnaud, E., Berger, G., Zarzoso-Lacoste, D., Bourgeois, K., Palmas, P., & Vidal, É. (2015). First steps in studying cat movement behaviour through VHF tracking at a major world breeding site for the Mediterranean endemic Yelkouan shearwater. Revue d'Écologie, 70  Sup.12

Le chat représente un des prédateurs invasifs les plus menaçants pour les espèces natives des îles et particulièrement pour les oiseaux marins adultes qui sont fortement vulnérables à la prédation. Les populations du Puffin Yelkouan, espèce endémique du bassin méditerranéen, sont réparties en quelques grandes colonies de reproduction et sont en voie de déclin, notamment du fait de l’impact des chats harets et errants. Dans une étude précédemment publiée, l’impact des chats introduits sur la population de puffins de l’île du Levant a été évalué au travers du régime alimentaire du chat sur une période de deux ans. Cette étude a mis en évidence que les chats consommaient trois proies principales : le Lapin, le Rat noir et le Puffin Yelkouan, et qu’un pic de prédation de puffins était observé dès leur arrivée sur les colonies (période de prospection). Nous avons donc cherché à compléter ce travail par une étude préliminaire visant à étudier les patrons de mouvement de quatre chats (trois chats harets et un chat domestique) via un suivi VHF (very high frequency), dans le but d’analyser leurs comportements individuels et leurs domaines vitaux sur l’île du Levant, qui est l’un des principaux sites de reproduction du Puffin Yelkouan. Nos résultats montrent que deux des trois chats harets ont été détectés dans les colonies de puffins durant les périodes de prospection et de reproduction de cet oiseau marin alors que le chat domestique n’a jamais été détecté dans ces colonies. Cela suggère que les patrons de déplacement des quatre chats suivis puissent être liés à la présence des puffins dès que ces oiseaux marins arrivent à la colonie. Les chats suivis montrent des domaines vitaux de taille relativement réduite, plus larges pour les chats harets qui couvrent de plus grandes distances, et avec des territoires chevauchants, que pour le chat domestique. Ces résultats préliminaires de patrons de déplacements, couplés aux résultats précédents de prédation du chat sur le Puffin Yelkouan, nous indiquent que l’impact du chat haret se doit d’être limité. Cet objectif doit être atteint en effectuant une stratégie de gestion efficace qui tiendrait compte des patrons de déplacements des chats afin d’éviter l’épuisement d’un des sites de reproduction les plus importants pour cette espèce de puffin endémique de Méditerranée


Cats are considered one of the most harmful invasive predators of island native species, particularly adult shearwaters, which are highly vulnerable to predation. Populations of Yelkouan shearwater, an endemic species of the Mediterranean basin with only a few large breeding colonies, are predicted to decline in response to feral or free-roaming cats. In a previous study, the impact of introduced cats on the Yelkouan shearwater population of Le Levant Island was assessed through the analysis of cat diet over a two-year period. The study showed that cats prey upon three staple species: rabbits, rats, and shearwaters, with a peak of predation on shearwaters immediately upon their arrival at colonies (prospecting period). Here, we supplement this previous work by conducting a preliminary study on the movement patterns of four free-roaming cats (three feral and one domestic) using very high frequency (VHF) tracking to analyse individual behaviour and home ranges on Le Levant Island, one of the Yelkouan shearwater’s major breeding sites. Our results show that two of the three feral cats were recorded inside and in close vicinity to the shearwater colonies, mainly during the prospecting period, while the domestic cat was never recorded inside the colonies. This suggests that some feral cats could show movement behavioural patterns linked to the shearwater presence as soon as these seabirds arrive at the colonies. The monitored domestic cat also showed a relatively small home range, while feral cats covered larger distances and with overlapping territories. Based on these preliminary results of cat movement behaviour, in addition to the previous results of cat predation, it is evident that cat impact must be reduced. This may be achieved through accurate management strategy that takes cat movement behaviour into account to avoid exhausting one of the most important breeding sites for this Mediterranean endemic species

Little recovery of burrowing petrels after cat eradication

Cerfonteyn, M., & Ryan, P. G. 2016. Have burrowing petrels recovered on Marion Island two decades after cats were eradicated? Evidence from sub-Antarctic skua prey remains. Antarctic Science, 1-7.

In the 1980s, penguins dominated the prey remains of sub-Antarctic skuas Stercorarius antarcticus breeding on Marion Island, whereas on neighbouring Prince Edward Island burrowing petrels made up >95% of prey remains in nest middens. This difference resulted at least in part from the impact of introduced cats Felis catus on Marion Island’s burrowing petrel populations. Cats were introduced to Marion Island in 1949, and prior to their eradication in 1991, they killed an estimated 450 000 petrels each year, greatly reducing the densities of petrels breeding on the island. A repeat survey of skua prey remains showed that penguins still dominated the prey of breeding sub-Antarctic skuas on Marion Island in the summer of 2010–11, two decades after cats were eradicated from the island. The proportion of penguin remains decreased slightly compared to 1987–88, but this might be expected given the decreases in penguin numbers on Marion Island over this period. Regurgitated pellets confirmed the dominance of penguin prey on Marion Island. Taken together with the decrease in skua numbers on Marion Island over the last two decades, our results suggest that there has been little recovery in the population of at least summer-breeding burrowing petrels since cats were eradicated.