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Cat Behavioural Ecology
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Cat Behavioural Ecology

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Companion Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 13626

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marie-Amélie Forin-Wiart

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecology, Physiology and Ethology, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
Interests: free-ranging cats;behavioural ecology;foraging behaviour;behavioural plasticity;behavioural landscape

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cats have lived in close proximity to humans for thousands of years and are now the most common pets in homes around the world. Their propensity to hunt wildlife and live independently of humans reminds us, however, that the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is the result of a taming process more than of domestication. The domestic cat is one of the most widely distributed terrestrial carnivores due to its great behavioural plasticity, and individuals evolve along a continuum depending on their association with humans, e.g., in terms of degree of feeding and freedom of movement. Between the indoor-only cats and the feral cats, there are free-ranging cats. Some may be fed ad libitum and free to leave and/or enter the home (free-ranging house cats). Others may not be attached to a particular dwelling, though being fed by humans (semi-feral or semi-owned cats). Finally, some individuals may be attached to farm buildings where they are fed only occasionally (farm cats).

Both the observed complexity of domestic cat populations and the inter-individual behavioural variations explain to a large extent the difficulty of studies trying to highlight consistent patterns. However, methodological (e.g., citizen science) and technological (e.g., bio-loggers, environmental DNA) advances may provide some answers. This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research on the behavioural ecology of domestic cats. Studies on other species are invited, if they may improve knowledge about cats .

Dr. Marie-Amélie Forin-Wiart
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • free-ranging cats
  • behavioural ecology
  • behavioural plasticity
  • bio-loggers
  • citizen science
  • conservation
  • DNA
  • human-cat relationship
  • foraging behaviour
  • sociobiology
  • space use
  • temperament
  • wildlife
  • zoonoses

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 6547 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal and Individual Patterns of Domestic Cat (Felis catus) Hunting Behaviour in France
by Irene Castañeda, Marie-Amélie Forin-Wiart, Benoît Pisanu and Nathalie de Bouillane de Lacoste
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3507; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223507 - 14 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2143
Abstract
Domestic cats (Felis catus), one of the most popular pets, are widespread worldwide. This medium-sized carnivore has well-known negative effects on biodiversity, but there is still a need to better understand the approximate causes of their predation. Based on a citizen [...] Read more.
Domestic cats (Felis catus), one of the most popular pets, are widespread worldwide. This medium-sized carnivore has well-known negative effects on biodiversity, but there is still a need to better understand the approximate causes of their predation. Based on a citizen science project, we assessed the role of spatiotemporal (i.e., latitude, longitude, and seasons), climatic (i.e., rainfall), anthropogenic (i.e., human footprint, HFI), and individual (i.e., sex and age) variables on the number of preys returned home by cats in metropolitan France. Over the 5048 cats monitored between 2015 and 2022, prey from 12 different classes (n = 36,568) were returned home: 68% mammals, 21% birds, and 8% squamates. Shrews brought home by cats peaked during summer, while rodents were recorded during summer–autumn. Birds brought home by cats peaked in spring–summer and in autumn, and lizards peaked in spring and in late summer. Lower HFI was associated with more voles and mice brought home, and the opposite trend was observed for lizards and birds. Younger cats were more prone to bring home shrews, birds, and reptiles. Although environmental factors play a minor role in prey brought home by cats, some geographical characteristics of prey species distribution partly explains the hunting behaviour of cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cat Behavioural Ecology)
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18 pages, 3599 KiB  
Article
Piloting an International Comparison of Readily Accessible Online English Language Advice Surrounding Responsible Cat Ownership
by Reece J. Dalais, Michael C. Calver and Mark J. Farnworth
Animals 2023, 13(15), 2434; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152434 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 921
Abstract
Cats are popular companion animals globally. While the general academic definition of responsible cat ownership is agreed upon, committing to responsible cat ownership is multifaceted, often reflecting regional priorities and values. Utilising a virtual private network (VPN), an English-language online search for ‘responsible [...] Read more.
Cats are popular companion animals globally. While the general academic definition of responsible cat ownership is agreed upon, committing to responsible cat ownership is multifaceted, often reflecting regional priorities and values. Utilising a virtual private network (VPN), an English-language online search for ‘responsible cat ownership’ was applied from major cities in 10 different nations, accounting for five different geographic regions and nine different geographic sub-regions. Data were extracted from the first 20 webpages of each search and included author affiliation, country of webpage origin, and all recommendations towards responsible cat ownership. Searches identified 58 different webpages, 142 duplicate results, and 16 different recommendations. Both before (60.5%) and after (58.6%) duplicate exclusion, irrespective of region, most webpages originated from Australia, so recommendations may lack local nuance in other countries. Similarly, local government webpages were the most common author affiliation both before (35.5%) and after (37.9%) duplicate exclusion—moreover, most Australian webpages were authored by local government (55.9%). More than half of all webpages recommended registration and microchipping (65.5%), desexing (65.5%), and containment (60.3%), probably due to the predominance of local government and Australian webpages online—reflecting Australia’s strong legislative stance. Both Australia and New Zealand showed majority recommendations for containment but not for environmental and behavioural enrichment in households. This may be partially explained by the significantly higher agreement in Australia and New Zealand that cats threaten valued wildlife in cities, towns, and rural areas. Unlike the Oceanian nations, other countries clearly recommended improved understanding and provision for cat needs, but with little evidence of support for containment. Thus, divergent welfare considerations inform major webpages associated with attitudes towards cat ownership internationally. Encouraging containment, a responsible cat ownership practice with benefits for cats and wildlife, may be more likely to succeed outside Oceania if cat welfare is emphasised instead of wildlife protection. Within Oceania, more attention could be given to enhancing the well-being of contained cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cat Behavioural Ecology)
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11 pages, 2153 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Movement Patterns of Urban Domestic Cats Living on the Edge in an African City
by Robert E. Simmons, Colleen L. Seymour, Sharon T. George, Koebraa Peters, Frances Morling and M. Justin O’Riain
Animals 2023, 13(6), 1013; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061013 - 10 Mar 2023
Viewed by 2035
Abstract
Domestic cats (Felis catus) are amongst the most destructive invasive vertebrates globally, depredating billions of native animals annually. The size and seasonal variation of their geographical “footprint” is key to understanding their effects on wildlife, particularly if they live near conservation [...] Read more.
Domestic cats (Felis catus) are amongst the most destructive invasive vertebrates globally, depredating billions of native animals annually. The size and seasonal variation of their geographical “footprint” is key to understanding their effects on wildlife, particularly if they live near conservation areas. Here we report the first GPS-tracking studies of free-roaming owned cats in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. A total of 23 cats was tracked (14 cats in summer, 9 in winter) using miniature (22 g) GPS locators in 2010–2011. In summer, all cats living on the urban-edge (UE: n = 7) made extensive use of protected areas, while only one of seven urban (U) cats (>150 m from the edge) did so. In winter two of four UE and two of five U cats entered protected areas. Home ranges (95% kernel density estimates) were significantly larger in summer (3.00 ± 1.23 ha) than winter (0.87 ± 0.25 ha) and cats ventured further from their homes in summer (maximum 849 m) than in winter (max 298 m). The predation risk posed by caracal (Caracal caracal) may limit the time cats spend in protected areas, but our results suggest that cat buffers around conservation areas should be at least ~600 m wide to reduce impacts to native fauna. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cat Behavioural Ecology)
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18 pages, 4989 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Locomotor and Feeding Rhythms between Indoor and Outdoor Cats Living in Captivity
by Marine Parker, Jessica Serra, Bertrand L. Deputte, Brunilde Ract-Madoux, Marie Faustin and Etienne Challet
Animals 2022, 12(18), 2440; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12182440 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2111
Abstract
The plastic nature of cat behaviour allows this “friendly symbiont” of humans to adapt to various housing conditions. Beyond daylight, one could wonder if other environmental factors affect its patterns. Yet, how its activity and feeding rhythms are impacted by its environment is [...] Read more.
The plastic nature of cat behaviour allows this “friendly symbiont” of humans to adapt to various housing conditions. Beyond daylight, one could wonder if other environmental factors affect its patterns. Yet, how its activity and feeding rhythms are impacted by its environment is rarely studied in standardised conditions between populations. We compared the behaviour of cats living in a 29 m2 indoor room and cats living in a 1145 m2 outdoor enclosure, tracking them simultaneously in summer for 21 days, with advanced technologies. Both populations received daylight but weather fluctuations only occurred outdoors. Bimodality was detected in the activity and feeding rhythms of both groups, while twilight triggered crepuscular peaks. Daily, the outdoor population covered more distance (4.29 ± 0.27 km; p < 0.001) and consumed more food (67.44 ± 2.65 g; p < 0.05) than the indoor population (2.33 ± 0.17 km, 57.75 ± 2.85 g, respectively), but displayed less rhythmic behaviours, assumedly because of rhythm disruptors met only in outdoor conditions. Finally, outdoor housing seemed to promote the exploratory behaviour of the cats at night, while indoor housing increased both meal frequency (p = 0.063) and the impact of human interactions on the feeding rhythms of the cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cat Behavioural Ecology)
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11 pages, 493 KiB  
Article
A Feline Semiochemical Composition Influences the Cat’s Toileting Location Choice
by Naïma Kasbaoui, Míriam Marcet-Rius, Cécile Bienboire-Frosini, Fanny Menuge, Philippe Monneret, Estelle Descout, Alessandro Cozzi and Patrick Pageat
Animals 2022, 12(7), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070938 - 06 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2416
Abstract
Unwanted toileting is amongst the most undesirable behaviors in domestic cats and can lead to conflicts between cats and the communities they are living in. This study aimed to confirm the effect of a semiochemical composition, reconstituted volatile fraction derived from cat anal [...] Read more.
Unwanted toileting is amongst the most undesirable behaviors in domestic cats and can lead to conflicts between cats and the communities they are living in. This study aimed to confirm the effect of a semiochemical composition, reconstituted volatile fraction derived from cat anal glands, on the elimination behavior of domestic cats. A total of 31 cats were tested individually, for 23 h, in a blinded randomized choice test, with two litter trays, one sprayed with the treatment and the other with the control. Parameters included elimination weight, urine only weight, the record of the elimination type and counting of urine spots and stools, exploration duration of each litter tray, and first and second choice of litter tray to eliminate. Across all parameters, cats urinated and defecated significantly less in the litter tray where the semiochemical composition was sprayed than in the litter tray where the control was sprayed (for example: elimination weight p < 0.0001; urine only weight p < 0.0001; exploration duration p < 0.0001, and first elimination choice p < 0.0001). These results demonstrate that a semiochemical composition-derived from cat anal glands significantly decreases elimination at the location where it is sprayed. Future research is warranted to explore the possibility to manage unwanted toileting using this semiochemical composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cat Behavioural Ecology)
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11 pages, 416 KiB  
Article
Influencing Elimination Location in the Domestic Cat: A Semiochemical Approach
by Naïma Kasbaoui, Cécile Bienboire-Frosini, Philippe Monneret, Julien Leclercq, Estelle Descout, Alessandro Cozzi and Patrick Pageat
Animals 2022, 12(7), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070896 - 31 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2556
Abstract
In the domestic cat, elimination at an inappropriate location is considered by cat owners and non-cat owners as an undesirable behaviour. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a semiochemical formulation, reconstituted volatile fraction of cat anal gland secretions [...] Read more.
In the domestic cat, elimination at an inappropriate location is considered by cat owners and non-cat owners as an undesirable behaviour. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a semiochemical formulation, reconstituted volatile fraction of cat anal gland secretions on the elimination behaviour of domestic cats. The study was conducted in four catteries, which housed 33 cats, using 37 litter trays and followed a randomised crossover design using the litter tray as the experimental unit. The parameters studied included daily elimination (urine plus stools) weight, urine weight, stool weight, elimination type and urine/stool quantity scoring. The parameters were analysed using GLMM with SAS 9.4 software. Four out of the six parameters studied showed a treatment effect, consistently in favour of cats defecating significantly less in the litter trays sprayed with the treatment versus litter trays sprayed with the control (elimination weight p = 0.0199; elimination type p = 0.0251; stool weight p = 0.0005 and stool quantity p = 0.003). These results demonstrate that an intraspecific semiochemical message originating from cat anal glands influences cats’ defecation location. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cat Behavioural Ecology)
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