Epizootic of toxoplasmosis in several marsupials in Zoo

Patton, S., Johnson, S. L., Loeffler, D. G., Wright, B. G., & Jensen, J. M. (1986). Epizootic of toxoplasmosis in kangaroos, wallabies, and potaroos: possible transmission via domestic cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 189(9), 1166-1169.

Between July 28 and August 6 1984, adult marsupials kept at the Knoxville Zoo, USA, including 5 Potorous tridactylus, 3 Wallabia eugenii, 3 Macropus giganteus and 2 M. rufus, became lethargic, developed respiratory distress and died. Acute interstitial pneumonia was seen at necropsy in all 13 animals and multifocal granulomatous necrotizing hepatitis in 10; intracellular and free T. gondii tachyzoites were seen in both organs. Parasites were also found in gastrointestinal lesions and in the cells of the muscular tunica. Foci of necrosis and inflammation were seen in other viscera. One animal had T. gondii tachyzoites in the eye. Of the 3 animals from which blood was collected, 2 adult kangaroos were positive in the IHAT for T. gondii antibodies. All 12 mice inoculated with solutions from infected organs died 2 to 14 days later and T. gondii were seen in their liver and lung tissue smears and in the ascitic fluid of 4 mice. 8 of 11 surviving marsupials were seropositive; 2 animals had increasing titres during the 8 weeks of the epizootic. Blood and faeces of exotic cats kept near the marsupials were also investigated; only one Asian lion was found seropositive. Faecal oocysts were not found. 2 of 8 cats trapped in the zoo, but none of the 4 oppossums, were seropositive. One of the seronegative cats was shedding oocysts at the time of capture.

An evaluation of the biological control of the feral cat

Howell, P.G. 1984. An evaluation of the biological control of the feral cat Felis catus (Linnaeus, 1758). Acta Zoologica Fennica, 172: 111-113.

Conditions in the population of feral cats on Marion Island, to the southeast of South Africa, approached the optimal for the release of a feline parvovirus for biological control. The introduction of feline panleucopenia virus into the population in 1977 is described, together with the methods used to monitor the effect of the virus. Studies on population density showed a conservatively estimated reduction of 80% over the following 5 years.

Diet of fox, dog and cat in south-eastern Victoria

Triggs, B., Brunner, H., & Cullen, J. M. (1984). The food of fox, dog and cat in Croajingalong National Park, south-eastern Victoria. Wildlife Research, 11(3), 491-499.

The diet of foxes, dogs and cats living in Croajingalong National Park in extreme south-easten Victoria was studied during 1979 and 1980. From 1397 scats collected over 20 months, remains of 22 indigenous and 7 introduced mammal species were identified. Remains of ringtail possums Pseudocheirus peregrinus predominated in the scats from all three predators (fox 58%, cat 56% and dog 38%). Other main prey species for the fox and cat were Antechinus spp.(24% and 15% respectively) and Rattus spp. (15% and 19%) and for the dog two species of wallabies, Macropus rufogriseus and Wallabia bicolor (34%), wombat Vombatus ursinus (11%), Antechinus spp.(l5%) and Rattus spp.(10%). Nonmammalian items for the three predators were birds, reptiles, fish, insects, crustaceans, molluscs and plant material.

Cats on Dassen Island

Apps, P. 1984. Cats on Dassen Island. Acta Zool. Fennica, 172: 115-116.

Dassen Island, a small island off the west coast of South Africa, is an important nesting site for sea birds. Introduced mammals include Felis catus and Oryctolagus cuniculus. Studies on the ecological impact of the feral cat population showed that birds and rabbits contributed almost equally to the diet of the cats, but that most of the birds were scavenged, so that the impact of cat predation on their populations was insignificant, while rabbits were hunted and the effect may have been ecologically important. The cats' ecological role was influenced strongly by their behaviour, which must be considered in the planning of conservation or control measures.

Population biology of feral cats on Marion Island

Van Aarde, R. J. (1984). Population biology and the control of feral cats on Marion Island. Acta Zoologica Fennica, 172, 107-110.

Predation by feral cats, Felis catus, on burrowing birds of southern temperate and sub-Antarctic islands has resulted in their presence being considered undesirable. Attempts to eradicate or control these cats on Marion Island, a temperate island to the southeast of South Africa, have included the introduction of the host-specific feline panleucopaenia virus during March 1977. Surveys suggest a continued decrease in population size since 1977, the mean cat density being 65% lower in June 1980 than in June 1976.


Bloomer, J. P., & Bester, M. N. (1992). Control of feral cats on sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Indian Ocean. Biological Conservation, 60(3), 211-219.

Since their introduction in 1949, feral cats have caused extensive damage to seabird populations on sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Indian Ocean. This paper reports on the first four years of an eradication programme launced in 1986. Eight hundred and seventy-two cats were shot dead and 80 trapped during 14 725 hours of hunting. Cats sighted per hour of night hunting and kills per hour decreased dramatically. Hunting success (cats killed as a proportion of those seen) decreased. The only reliable indication of the decrease in density as a result of hunting was the decrease in the number of cats seen per hour of night hunting. By the end of the third season it was apparent that hunting alone was no longer removing sufficient animals to maintain the population decline, and trapping was incorporated into the eradication programme.

Cat's diet and prey impact in Sweden

Liberg, O. 1984. Food habits and prey impact by feral and house-based domestic cats in a rural area in southern Sweden. Journal of Mammalogy, 65(3): 424-432

Natural prey of domestic cats in the Revinge area in southern Sweden during 1974-79 was related to prey abundance, annual production, and availability. Of 1437 scats collected, 996 contained remains of vertebrate prey. Most cats (80-85%) were house-based and obtained from 15 to 90% of their food from natural prey, depending on abundance and availability of the latter. Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were the most important prey, and cats responded functionally to changes in abundance and availability of this prey. Prolonged snow cover made rabbits vulnerable to cats irrespective of abundance. Small rodents were the second most important cat prey, while brown hares (Lepus europeus) and birds were less important. In a period with high rabbit abundance, cat predation corresponded to 4% of annual production of rabbits and to about 20% of annual production of field voles (Microtus agrestis) and wood mice (Apodemus silvaticus). Prey choice of feral cats was similar to that of house-based cats, but as the former subsisted almost completely on natural prey, their absolute intake (294g/day during years with high rabbit abundance) was 4 times that of an average house-based cat (66 g/day).