Demography and Movements of Free-Ranging Domestic Cats in Rural Illinois

Abstract

Free-ranging domestic cats on farmsteads were censused annually in August 1977-81 within a 5,182-ha area typical of the cash-grain region in central Illinois. The estimated average number of cats on the area in late summer was 326 (6.3/100 ha). Annual recruitment of immature cats into the late summer population averaged 1.5/adult female. Survival beyond 3-5 years of age was rare; <1% survived 7 or more years. Eleven adult cats were radio-monitored during a 30-day period in summer; four males ranged over larger areas (P < 0.01) than seven females (228 _ 100 ha and 112 + 21 ha, respectively). When cats were not on farmsteads, approximately 73% of their radiolocation points (N = 1,227) were in edge or linear configurations of cover. Cats made disproportionately high (P < 0.05) use of farmsteads and perimeters, roadsides, and field interfaces and disproportionately low use (P < 0.05) of fields of corn and soybeans. Domestic cats on the area were well fed by humans but routinely deposited prey at their residences. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 49(2):340-346 In Illinois, as elsewhere in the Midwest, there is little information concerning the population size and structure of free-ranging domestic cats or the potential significance of these felines to wildlife populations. Consequently, cat populations were studied on a rural area in eastcentral Illinois from 1977 to 1981 to determine: (1) the demography of the free-ranging cat This content downloaded from 157.55.39.110 on Sat, 24 Sep 2016 05:59:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms J. Wildl. Manage. 49(2):1985 FARM CATS * Warner 341 population associated with rural residences; (2) the feeding behavior of these cats; and (3) the summer range and use of cover by a sample of radio-monitored cats. W. R. Edwards and G. C. Sanderson, I11. Nat. Hist. Surv. (INHS), and J. A. Moak and F. G. Hubert, Jr., Ill. Dep. of Conserv., provided technical and editorial assistance. L. P. Hansen and R. P. Larkin (INHS) also read a first draft of the manuscript. Valuable field assistance was provided by student interns from Eastern Illinois Univ. and by technical assistants of the INHS. This work is a contribution, in part, of Fed. Aid in Wildl. Restoration Proj. W-66-R, the Ill. Nat. Hist. Surv., the Ill. Dep. of Conserv. (IDOC), and the U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. (USFWS), cooperating. The IDOC and USFWS have no responsibility for the form and content of the data in this report or for the conclusions reached.