House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management
This paper provides an overview of the predatory activities of the house cat (Felis catus) in Australia, focusing principally on the interactions of domestic and stray cats with native species of prey. Like their free-living, or feral, counterparts, domestic cats take a broad range of prey, with sma...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Utah State University
2017-02-01
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| Series: | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol3/iss1/9 |
| _version_ | 1818273077943861248 |
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| author | Christopher R. Dickman |
| author_facet | Christopher R. Dickman |
| author_sort | Christopher R. Dickman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper provides an overview of the predatory activities of the house cat (Felis catus) in Australia, focusing principally on the interactions of domestic and stray cats with native species of prey. Like their free-living, or feral, counterparts, domestic cats take a broad range of prey, with small mammals, birds, and human-derived foods forming the bulk of the diet. Domestic and stray cats have contributed to declines of suburban populations of eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) and superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) in Victoria, Australia. The effects of cats on prey communities remain speculative. In Sydney, artificial nests placed in trees in forest remnants suffered less predation where cat activity was high rather than where it was low, indicating that cats beneficially reduced damage by introduced rats and other nest predators. However, high cat activity was associated with reduced bird diversity. Legislation to encourage responsible cat ownership has been passed in Australia; it should have positive outcomes for both wildlife conservation and cat welfare. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T21:52:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d9910fa4d51416b927cf76b4b4020e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2155-3874 2155-3874 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T21:52:14Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | Utah State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d9910fa4d51416b927cf76b4b4020e52022-12-22T00:10:46ZengUtah State UniversityHuman-Wildlife Interactions2155-38742155-38742017-02-013110.26077/55nn-p702House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and ManagementChristopher R. Dickman0University of SydneyThis paper provides an overview of the predatory activities of the house cat (Felis catus) in Australia, focusing principally on the interactions of domestic and stray cats with native species of prey. Like their free-living, or feral, counterparts, domestic cats take a broad range of prey, with small mammals, birds, and human-derived foods forming the bulk of the diet. Domestic and stray cats have contributed to declines of suburban populations of eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) and superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) in Victoria, Australia. The effects of cats on prey communities remain speculative. In Sydney, artificial nests placed in trees in forest remnants suffered less predation where cat activity was high rather than where it was low, indicating that cats beneficially reduced damage by introduced rats and other nest predators. However, high cat activity was associated with reduced bird diversity. Legislation to encourage responsible cat ownership has been passed in Australia; it should have positive outcomes for both wildlife conservation and cat welfare.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol3/iss1/9australiafelis catushouse cathuman–wildlife conflicts |
| spellingShingle | Christopher R. Dickman House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management Human-Wildlife Interactions australia felis catus house cat human–wildlife conflicts |
| title | House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management |
| title_full | House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management |
| title_fullStr | House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management |
| title_full_unstemmed | House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management |
| title_short | House Cats as Predators in the Australian Environment: Impacts and Management |
| title_sort | house cats as predators in the australian environment impacts and management |
| topic | australia felis catus house cat human–wildlife conflicts |
| url | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol3/iss1/9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christopherrdickman housecatsaspredatorsintheaustralianenvironmentimpactsandmanagement |