The Scavenging Patterns of Feral Cats on Human Remains in an Outdoor Setting

García, Sara Ruiz; Smith, Alexander H.; Baigent, Christiane; Connor, Melissa A.

doi:10.1111/1556-4029.14238

Cited by 13 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The linear striae observed peripheral to the consumed tissue areas are similar to defects documented in scavenging involving racoons [13] and feral cats [20]. For all three species, this is type of defect was the result of scratching the soft tissue with the claws either while consuming tissue or repositioning a limb.…”

Section: Defect Marginssupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Of all donors placed on the surface at the FIRS facility about 63% have been male. Of the scavenged individuals, two were autopsied and one was scavenged by a feral cat before skunk scavenging began [20]. None of the other scavenged individuals had any significant tissue damage prior to scavenging.…”

Section: Re Sults and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While these smaller animals are known to spend time within the research area, many do not scavenge the remains. Documented scavengers at the facility include striped skunks, feral cats [20], and mice. A fence surrounding the research area protects the remains from larger animals.…”

Section: Materials S and Me Thodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Part of this may be that skunks were the first and only vertebrate scavengers on most donors discussed here. However, even when a feral cat had previously scavenged an individual [20], the skunk created a new defect in a different region of the body. Skunks did not exploit autopsy incisions either, often scavenging right next to the incision without overlapping.…”

Section: Tissue Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Racoons are known to make a small hole in the skin and pull muscle tissue through it, leaving the skin mostly intact [13]. Feral cats were observed scavenging a single region of the body and occasionally consuming the tissue layer by layer [20]. By contrast, skunks generally scavenged multiple regions of the body, repositioned the limbs (often drastically), and dug-out areas under and around the remains.…”

Section: Defect Marginsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patterns of striped skunk scavenging on human remains

Smith

2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Scavenging is a known behavior of striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), though it is rarely documented. Striped skunks were observed and documented scavenging nine human donors at the Forensic Investigation Research Station (FIRS) in Whitewater, Colorado from October 2017 through September 2019. Human remains are placed on the surface, outdoors, in a fenced area, and monitored daily through notes, photographs, and multiple systems for scoring decomposition. Motion-activated game cameras are strategically positioned to monitor potential scavenger activity within the facility.When scavenging occurred, game camera images were temporally correlated to daily photographs and notes to confirm the source of observed defects. Striped skunks at the FIRS scavenged the soft tissue of the arms, legs, genitals, and torso. Game camera images documented skunks digging, climbing on top of remains, repositioning limbs, and using their paws to manipulate tissue. These activities impacted soft tissue, bone, and the surrounding environment. Scavenging patterns varied seasonally, with higher frequency and lower selectivity in the winter. Striped skunks are common throughout most of North America and are likely to scavenge human remains when available.Understanding patterns and behaviors of specific scavengers can help investigators accurately interpret defects found on and around human remains.

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Section: Defect Marginssupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Re Sults and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Materials S and Me Thodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Tissue Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Defect Marginsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patterns of striped skunk scavenging on human remains

Smith

2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Incidental observation of bone modification by Crematogaster cf. liengmei (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Cape Town, South Africa

Adetimehin,

Mole,

Finaughty

et al. 2023

Forensic Sci Med Pathol

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Different taxa of insects have been reported to modify the skeletal remains of vertebrates during feeding or the creation of their larval and pupal chambers. Anecdotal reports on the modification of skeletal remains by ants exist but are rare. In this paper, a case of modification of bone due to the feeding activity of the ant, Crematogaster cf. liengmei (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is reported. In November 2022, a bone was encountered incidentally in the vicinity of the Table Mountain National Park. The bone had been colonized by several individuals of Crematogaster cf. liengmei. Several ants were observed feeding on and removing bone particles and soft tissue remnants. A closer observation revealed striae/furrows on the epiphyseal ends of the bone. A 60-kg pig cadaver used in a winter decomposition trial in the same area was similarly colonized by this ant species, resulting in soft-tissue modification. Due to the similarity in the striae/furrows observed on the bone and the bitemarks inflicted by the ants on the right ear of the pig cadaver in the vicinity, it was concluded that the striae/furrows seen on the bone were created by the ants. Our observations show that Crematogaster cf. liengmei is an important taphonomic bio-agent that can contribute to the modification of skeletal remains in terrestrial environments.

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Cat and dog scavenging at indoor forensic scenes: strategies for documentation and detection

Indra,

Schyma,

Lösch

2023

Forensic Sci Med Pathol

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Vertebrate scavenging on human remains is occasionally observed at indoor forensic scenes, especially when pets have access to the body and their deceased owners were socially distanced. Pets feeding on corpses have implications for the forensic investigation, e.g. for trauma analysis and the assessment of the cause of death, the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI), or the recovery of the complete set of remains. Documentation of potential scavenging in forensic practice is tenuous and needs to be improved in order to be able to use the information for future casework. Investigators need to be aware of the alterations pets can cause to human remains and how these affect further analyses. Following a combined literature review for cat and canine scavenging, we present seven new cases from Switzerland with cat and/or dog involvement. We then created a flowchart guide for a systematic collection of data to use at indoor forensic scenes of suspected scavenging. Our literature review revealed the challenge in discriminating between scavenging by domestic cats and dogs, based on the appearance of the lesions alone. Furthermore, the information that is often routinely collected in indoor fatalities with potential scavenging activity is not sufficient to perform this separation. To provide a practical basis for cat and canine scavenging and its differentiation, we summarise strategies and present a flowchart to use in forensic casework of suspected indoor scavenging.

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The Scavenging Patterns of Feral Cats on Human Remains in an Outdoor Setting

Cited by 13 publications

References 17 publications

Patterns of striped skunk scavenging on human remains

Patterns of striped skunk scavenging on human remains

Incidental observation of bone modification by Crematogaster cf. liengmei (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Cape Town, South Africa

Cat and dog scavenging at indoor forensic scenes: strategies for documentation and detection

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