Demographic differences between urban feeding groups of neutered and sexually intact free-roaming cats following a trap-neuter-return procedure

Abstract

Targeting the TNR method mainly at feeding groups in urban residential neighbourhoods may result in increased group size, as a consequence of 2 major changes in group dynamics: sexually intact cats immigrate into the neutered groups more readily and neutered cats reduce their emigration rates, possibly because of a reduction in reproductive and competitive pressures. To maintain a high proportion of neutered cats in such cat groups, persistent TNR campaigns are therefore necessary.

Trap-Neuter-Return Activities in Urban Stray Cat Colonies in Australia

“…However, immigration is a major factor contributing to colony size [40]. In an Israeli study over one year that monitored desexed and entire colonies that were fed, despite initially desexing all cats in the desexed colonies, colony size increased compared to the entire cat colonies, because sexually intact cats more readily immigrated into desexed colonies, and desexed cats were less likely to emigrate [40]. Desexing immigrant cats is important to control colony size in TNR programs.…”

Nuisances and welfare of free-roaming cats in urban settings and their association with cat reproduction

“…Moreover, similar to previous data from other countries in the northern hemisphere (Scott et al, 2002;Wallace and Levy, 2006), cats parturition season in Israel starts and peaks during the spring season in March and April and gradually ceases until winter in November, December and January. Complaints regarding kittens had a similar seasonality pattern as parturitionrelated complaints, but peaked one month later; this could be explained by the typical behavior of kittens, which usually stay with their mothers in hiding and appear only at about 4-5 weeks of age (Bateson, 2000;Gunther et al, 2011).…”

“…Some of these interactions include public health hazards, due to aggressive behavior of cats toward humans and the invasion of these cats to private grounds, factories and educational facilities. Positive association between carcasses to breeding might be explained by the high mortality rates of kittens that are more prone to infectious diseases as well as to other life-threatening risks (Izawa and Ono, 1986;Mirmovitch, 1995;Nutter et al, 2004;Gunther et al, 2011). Therefore, association between kitten numbers (represented by kitten-related complaints) to cats' mortality (represented by carcasses complaints) is not surprising.…”

“…Thus, in highly dense populations, where the care provided to FRC is limited, cats and especially kittens might suffer high rates of morbidity and mortality (Natoli, 1994;Gunther and Terkel, 2002). It was previously reported that 75% to 90% of kittens die before six months of age in high density FRC populations (Izawa and Ono, 1986;Mirmovitch, 1995;Nutter et al, 2004;Gunther et al, 2011). Data regarding infectious diseases affecting these populations are well established (Slater, 2007) and a recent study that used individual cameras on suburban outdoor pet cats, also found a high frequency of other life threatening hazards to these cats, such as crossing roads, encountering other cats, eating and drinking substances away from home, exploring storm drain systems and entering crawlspaces of houses (Loyd et al, 2013).…”

“…Data regarding infectious diseases affecting these populations are well established (Slater, 2007) and a recent study that used individual cameras on suburban outdoor pet cats, also found a high frequency of other life threatening hazards to these cats, such as crossing roads, encountering other cats, eating and drinking substances away from home, exploring storm drain systems and entering crawlspaces of houses (Loyd et al, 2013). In the last few decades, public concern regarding FRC welfare raised awareness for the use of non-kill methods to control of FRC population, mainly the trap-neuter-return (TNR) method (Slater et al, 2008;Gunther et al, 2011). However, established data regarding FRC nuisances and welfare impairment are essential for the design of cost effectiveness analyses of such plans towards controlling FRC populations.…”