Feral cat diet in Majorca

Millan, J. (2010). Feeding habits of feral cats Felis silvestris catus in the countryside of Majorca Island, Spain. Wildlife Biology in Practice, 6(1), 32-38.

The diet of feral cats (Felis silvestris catus) in the Mediterranean island of Majorca (Spain) was studied from July 2008 to June 2009 by the analysis of the scats of 75 feral cats captured in baited traps in 14 different areas. A total of 138 preys were identified in the analyzed scats. Mammals were the main group preyed on and constituted 93% both in frequency and biomass. Among them, mice were the most frequent prey consumed (55% Mus sp., 18% Apodemus sylvaticus) but represented only 20% of biomass. Rat was present in 29% of scats and was the main component in terms of biomass (57%). Rabbit was found at a frequency of 6.6%, and constituted 18% of biomass. Other prey (birds, geckos and insects) were found in lower frequency, and all pooled constituted only 7% of biomass. Reproductive females preyed less upon mice (20%) than the other cats (77%). This may indicate that these females tended to predate upon higher preys, which may be secondary to increased energetic requirements due to pregnancy or lactation. No seasonal variations were found in any of the different parameters studied. Results indicate that rodents constitute all year round the main prey item in feral cat diet in the countryside of Majorca.

Feral cats in Mallorca: a major reservoir of toxoplasmosis

Millán, J., Cabezón, O., Pabón, M., Dubey, J. P., & Almería, S. (2009). Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in feral cats (Felis silvestris catus) in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.Veterinary parasitology, 165(3), 323-326.

Felids are important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection because they are the only hosts that can excrete environmentally-resistant oocysts, and there is little information of infections in truly free-living cats (Felis silvestris catus) because these cats are difficult to catch. These cats have no specific owner, are not subject of vaccination programs and do not receive prophylactic or curative treatments against parasites.

Antibodies to T. gondii assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT) were found in 50 (84.7%) of 59 cats with a majority of cats having high MAT titers (>1:500 in 45 cats). Seroprevalence (MAT, 1:25 or more) was significantly higher in adults (94.6%) than in juveniles (<6 month old; 40.0%). Seroprevalence to N. caninum, assayed by cELISA (VMRD) and confirmed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test, was low (6.8%, 4 of 59). The prevalence of T. gondii observed in wild cats in Majorca is one of the highest reported worldwide in this species and the highest observed in Europe to date. The results suggest that feral cats in Majorca have a high rate of T. gondii infection with important implications for public health on the island since the seropositive cats are likely to have already shed T. gondii oocysts in the environment.