title: Simulating free-roaming cat population management options in open demographic environments.
abstract: Large populations of free-roaming cats (FRCs) generate ongoing concerns for welfare of both individual animals and populations, for human public health, for viability of native wildlife populations, and for local ecological damage. Managing FRC populations is a complex task, without universal agreement on best practices. Previous analyses that use simulation modeling tools to evaluate alternative management methods have focused on relative efficacy of removal (or trap-return, TR), typically involving euthanasia, and sterilization (or trap-neuter-return, TNR) in demographically isolated populations. We used a stochastic demographic simulation approach to evaluate removal, permanent sterilization, and two postulated methods of temporary contraception for FRC population management. Our models include demographic connectivity to neighboring untreated cat populations through natural dispersal in a metapopulation context across urban and rural landscapes, and also feature abandonment of owned animals. Within population type, a given implementation rate of the TR strategy results in the most rapid rate of population decline and (when populations are isolated) the highest probability of population elimination, followed in order of decreasing efficacy by equivalent rates of implementation of TNR and temporary contraception. Even low levels of demographic connectivity significantly reduce the effectiveness of any management intervention, and continued abandonment is similarly problematic. This is the first demographic simulation analysis to consider the use of temporary contraception and account for the realities of FRC dispersal and owned cat abandonment.
authors.affiliation: Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Apple Valley, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Great Basin Bird Observatory, Reno, Nevada, United States of America.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs, Portland, Oregon, United States of America.
authors.forename: Joyce R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.affiliation: Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dennis F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Lawler
authors.affiliation: Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Julie K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Felicia B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Nutter
authors.affiliation: Shelter Research and Development, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Florence, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.affiliation: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zawistowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002369:Castration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002415:Cats; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004777:Environment; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010067:Ownership; D011155:Population Control / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013245:Sterilization, Reproductive / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States