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Animals
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Free-Roaming Cats and Dogs: Ecology, Management and Inter-Species Interactions
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Free-Roaming Cats and Dogs: Ecology, Management and Inter-Species Interactions

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 8201

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Brooke P. A. Kennedy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
Interests: anthrozoology; dog; cat; wildlife; ecology; One Health
Dr. Gemma C. Ma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals New South Wales, Yagoona, NSW 2199, Australia
2. Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
Interests: human–animal interactions; shelter medicine; cat population management; dog population management; epidemiology; One Health; One Welfare

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dogs and cats hold a special place in the lives of many as companions and family members; yet, when free roaming, both species can impact the health and welfare of humans, other non-human animals, and the environment. As sentient beings, the health and welfare of free-roaming cats and dogs themselves also warrant consideration. Constructively addressing the issue of free-roaming cats and dogs demands a multi-disciplinary One Health or One Welfare approach that considers the perspectives, values, and objectives of diverse stakeholders.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue. We welcome submissions that explore the topic of free-roaming cats and dogs from various angles, encompassing the health and welfare of cats and dogs themselves, ecological considerations relating to wildlife conservation, as well as the broader implications for human and environmental health and welfare. Submissions that incorporate humane, place-based, and nuanced approaches to free-roaming cat and dog management are encouraged.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Cat and/or dog population management;
  • Free-roaming cats and/or dogs ecology;
  • Interactions between humans and free-roaming cats and/or dogs.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Brooke P. A. Kennedy
Dr. Gemma C. Ma
Guest Editors

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

  • One Health
  • One Welfare
  • dogs
  • cats
  • Felis catus
  • Canis familiaris
  • ecology
  • human–animal interactions
  • cat population management
  • dog population management

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 9344 KiB  
Article
Feline Encounters Down Under: Investigating the Activity of Cats and Native Wildlife at Sydney’s North Head
by Brooke P. A. Kennedy, Anna Clemann and Gemma C. Ma
Animals 2024, 14(17), 2485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172485 - 27 Aug 2024
Viewed by 925
Abstract
Cats (Felis catus) are widespread across Australia, including within natural and protected areas, and in many areas, cats, including owned domestic cats, are not restricted in where or when they can roam. In Australia, cats have contributed to the decline of [...] Read more.
Cats (Felis catus) are widespread across Australia, including within natural and protected areas, and in many areas, cats, including owned domestic cats, are not restricted in where or when they can roam. In Australia, cats have contributed to the decline of many native species and continue to be a problem for governments. North Head, Manly, is home to an endangered population of Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) and the only mainland breeding colony of Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) in New South Wales (NSW). Camera traps were installed for a 5-week period across North Head to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of cat activity. As well as capturing instances of cats, the cameras detected native animals such as birds, possums, Long-nosed Bandicoots and other small mammals. An analysis of the camera images showed cats could be found within protected areas of the headland (where cats are prohibited) and along the boundary with the adjacent suburban area of Manly. Cats were mostly detected during the night. There were high occurrences of overlap between cats and Long-nosed Bandicoots (Dhat 0.82), possums (Dhat 0.88) and other small mammals (Dhat 0.67). These findings indicate that cats are active across the Manly headland at the same time as native animals, both within protected areas where cats are prohibited and in adjacent residential areas, and this could have implications for these populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Free-Roaming Cats and Dogs: Ecology, Management and Inter-Species Interactions)
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23 pages, 321 KiB  
Article
Public Attitudes towards and Management Strategies for Community Cats in Urban China
by Xuan Gu, Di Wu, Zilin Zhang, Guo Peng, Anru Ni, Bo Wang, Xiufan Xiong, Yujie Liu and Li Wang
Animals 2024, 14(16), 2301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14162301 - 7 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1298
Abstract
Managing community cats in urban China is a contentious and emerging issue, with debates centering on the most effective and humane approaches. This study aimed to investigate public attitudes towards community cats and various management strategies. A survey was conducted involving 5382 urban [...] Read more.
Managing community cats in urban China is a contentious and emerging issue, with debates centering on the most effective and humane approaches. This study aimed to investigate public attitudes towards community cats and various management strategies. A survey was conducted involving 5382 urban residents in China. Their attitudes towards the positive and negative roles of community cats in urban areas and their support for different management methods were examined, including trap-and-kill, taking no action, centralized management, and trap–neuter–return (TNR) and its variations. Results indicated that 63% of participants were willing to coexist with community cats, 71% opposed trap-and-kill, and 61% agreed or strongly agreed with the TNR method and its variations. Older residents or those with higher incomes were more likely to support coexistence with community cats. In contrast, younger or lower-income residents were more likely to support non-coexistence. Residents in first- or second-tier cities (e.g., Beijing, Hangzhou, and Jinan Cities in China) were more inclined to support trap-and-kill and less likely to support coexistence than their counterparts in fourth-tier cities (e.g., county-level cities in China). Moreover, those with lower education or incomes were more supportive of trap-and-kill and taking no action as the methods to manage community cats than those with relatively higher education or incomes. Those with higher incomes held more positive attitudes towards community cats and were more supportive of TNR and its variations than their counterparts with lower incomes. Males were more inclined to support trap-and-kill and taking no action and less inclined to support centralized management and TNR than females. The implications of the findings on TNR with adoption programs in urban China are discussed. These novel findings underscore the need for targeted educational campaigns to promote humane and effective management strategies, addressing public concerns and community cats’ welfare. The study’s insights are critical for informing policy and improving community cat management in urban China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Free-Roaming Cats and Dogs: Ecology, Management and Inter-Species Interactions)
20 pages, 4530 KiB  
Article
Owned-Dog Demographics, Ownership Dynamics, and Attitudes across Three States of India
by George Brill, Amit Chaudhari, Katherine Polak, Suchitra Rawat, Divyanshi Pandey, Pooja Bhatt, Parul Kevin Dholakia and Anju Murali
Animals 2024, 14(10), 1464; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14101464 - 14 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2713
Abstract
This paper presents the demographics, dynamics, and attitudes of dog ownership across three states in India. The background of this research is set against the increasing significance of pet ownership in urban Indian contexts, with a particular focus on understanding the variations in [...] Read more.
This paper presents the demographics, dynamics, and attitudes of dog ownership across three states in India. The background of this research is set against the increasing significance of pet ownership in urban Indian contexts, with a particular focus on understanding the variations in dog-ownership patterns and their implications for public health and animal welfare. We employed a survey-based approach, gathering quantitative survey data from dog owners (n = 563) and non-dog-owners (n = 9282) across different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds in seven Indian settlements. The results reveal notable differences in dog-ownership patterns, influenced by regional state. In particular, settlements in Gujarat were found to have significantly fewer dog-owning households than those in Tamil Nadu, with no differences found according to settlement size. Dog ownership was found to be more common in households of higher socioeconomic standing, and settlements in Uttarakhand were found more frequently to possess dogs for reasons other than companionship. Data from Ahmedabad and Vadodara, specifically, also indicate rapidly increasing rates of pet ownership. Sterilisation and rabies vaccination proportions were typically low and high, respectively, across all settlements, with few significant differences found among settlements. Confinement of owned dogs at night was significantly lower in Nainital than all other settlements. Differences in attitudes towards roaming dogs between dog owners and non-dog-owners were also examined, with the results indicating both positive and negative trends accordingly. Our results emphasise the need for region-specific strategies in public health and animal welfare policies, acknowledging the diverse nature of pet ownership in India. This research provides valuable insight for policymakers and animal welfare organisations, underlining the importance of tailored approaches to address the unique challenges and opportunities in the Indian context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Free-Roaming Cats and Dogs: Ecology, Management and Inter-Species Interactions)
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Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 881 KiB  
Review
Community Engagement and the Effectiveness of Free-Roaming Cat Control Techniques: A Systematic Review
by Daniela Ramírez Riveros and César González-Lagos
Animals 2024, 14(3), 492; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030492 - 2 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2569
Abstract
Although free-roaming and feral cat control techniques are often applied in human communities, community engagement is not always considered. A systematic literature review following an update of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) methodology was conducted to evaluate [...] Read more.
Although free-roaming and feral cat control techniques are often applied in human communities, community engagement is not always considered. A systematic literature review following an update of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) methodology was conducted to evaluate whether community engagement influences the effectiveness of control techniques, excluding culling, in managing cat populations. The degree of community engagement was estimated based on the number of roles reported during the application of the control technique, which included adoption, trapping, care, and/or education. Education followed by adoption was the determining factor in the decreasing cat populations over time. The limited evaluations of control technique effectiveness, narrow geographical scope, and our simple measure of engagement emphasize the need for more detailed studies. These studies should evaluate the effectiveness of control techniques, while considering community engagement more comprehensively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Free-Roaming Cats and Dogs: Ecology, Management and Inter-Species Interactions)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Dear Colleagues,

Dogs and cats hold a special place in the lives of many as companions and family members; yet, when free roaming, both species can impact the health and welfare of humans, other non-human animals, and the environment. As sentient beings, the health and welfare of free-roaming cats and dogs themselves also warrant consideration. Constructively addressing the issue of free-roaming cats and dogs demands a multi-disciplinary One Health or One Welfare approach that considers the perspectives, values, and objectives of diverse stakeholders.

We welcome submissions that explore the topic of free-roaming cats and dogs from various angles, encompassing the health and welfare of cats and dogs themselves, ecological considerations relating to wildlife conservation, as well as the broader implications for human and environmental health and welfare. Submissions that incorporate humane, place-based, and nuanced approaches to free-roaming cat and dog management are encouraged.

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