A review of feral cat control.
Animal overpopulation including feral cats is an important global problem. There are many stakeholders involved in the feral cat debate over 'what to do about the problem', including those who consider them a nuisance, the public at risk from zoonotic disease, people who are concerned about the welfare of feral cats, those concerned with wildlife impacts, and the cats themselves. How best to control this population is controversial and has ranged from culling, relocation, and more recently 'trap neuter return' (TNR) methods. Data support the success of TNR in reducing cat populations, but to have a large impact it will have to be adopted on a far greater scale than it is currently practised. Non-surgical contraception is a realistic future goal. Because the feral cat problem was created by humans, concerted educational efforts on responsible pet ownership and the intrinsic value of animals is an integral part of a solution.
Robertson
Sheilah A
SA
University of Florida, Box 100136, Gainesville, FL 32610-0136, USA. robertsons@vetmed.ufl.edu
D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002369:Castration / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011155:Population Control / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health; D015047:Zoonoses