Outdoor fecal deposition by free-roaming cats and attitudes of cat owners and nonowners toward stray pets, wildlife, and water pollution.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate cat population size, management, and outside fecal deposition and evaluate attitudes of cat owners and nonowners to stray animal control, water pollution, and wildlife protection.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
294 adult residents of Cayucos, Los Osos, and Morro Bay, Calif.


METHODS
Telephone survey.


RESULTS
The region's cat population was estimated at 7,284 owned and 2,046 feral cats, and 38% of surveyed households owned a mean of 1.9 cats/household. Forty-four percent of cats defecated outside >75% of the time. Annual fecal deposition (wet weight) by owned cats in the 3 communities was estimated to be 77.6 tonnes (76.4 tons). Cat owners were more likely to oppose cat licensing and impounding stray cats and support trap-neuter-return for stray cats and less likely to be concerned about water pollution, than were noncat owners.


CONCLUSIONS
Feral cats represented a sizeable proportion (22%) of the free roaming cats in this area and could be contributing 30.0 tonnes (29.5 tons) of feces to the environment per year. However, feral cats are not the principal source of fecal loading because owned cats defecating outdoors contribute an estimated 77.6 tonnes (76.4 tons) or 72% of the annual outdoor fecal deposition.
Dabritz
Haydee A
HA
Wildlife Health Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Atwill
E Robert
ER
Gardner
Ian A
IA
Miller
Melissa A
MA
Conrad
Patricia A
PA
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001290:Attitude; D002140:California; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002415:Cats; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011155:Population Control; D013689:Telephone; D014876:Water Pollution