Abstract
Simple SummaryFeral cats pose a threat to many populations of small- to medium-sized animal species around the world, primarily through predation and disease. For this reason, feral cat management has become a priority in parts of the world where at-risk species are facing high threats of extinction. To implement a successful feral cat management program, there are specific technical and social requirements that need to be met. Most of the recent research conducted around feral cat management has examined the technical aspects, but there is considerably less research around the social aspects that may influence the success of feral cat management in inhabited areas. This review aims to identify and discuss feral cat management from a social perspective, and to highlight potential areas for future research that may aid in building successful campaigns in the future.This review examines the social aspects that influence feral cat management. In particular, it examines definitions and perceptions of feral cats as a species in different countries and across cultures. Using case studies from around the world, we investigate the factors that can influence public perceptions and social acceptance of feral cats and management methods. The review then highlights the importance of social factors in management and suggests the best approach to use in the future to ease the process of gaining a social license for management campaigns. Implications of the influence of education and awareness on public perception and acceptance are further explained, and are suggested to be an essential tool in successfully engaging the community about management in the future.
Highlights
The cat (Felis catus) has been associated with human companionship for thousands of years [1].As well as being considered to be domestic pets, cats serve as a means of keeping mice, rats, and other rodent populations under control in homes and on board ships, which in turn has traditionally aided in keeping food and supplies safe, and controlling disease [1,2]
This review has highlighted the importance of consulting all stakeholder groups that have an interest in feral cat management, including the general public, prior to plan implementation
It has outlined the benefits that may accrue through more thorough investigation of public perceptions and attitudes that influence views about feral cats and cat management among stakeholders
Summary
The cat (Felis catus) has been associated with human companionship for thousands of years [1]. This is especially true if the species is one that is considered closely connected to humans, such as the cat [45,46] For this reason, it is imperative that the local communities associated with the areas where management will take place understand the importance of managing invasive species such as feral cats, so that the programs that rely on public funding are able to generate and maintain support from funding bodies [37]. It is imperative that the local communities associated with the areas where management will take place understand the importance of managing invasive species such as feral cats, so that the programs that rely on public funding are able to generate and maintain support from funding bodies [37] This may be further complicated by the idea that the definition of a feral cat itself varies depending on location and on the situation of the individual cat [47]. This paper contributes to the discussion around the management of feral cats by reviewing the literature on the social aspects of invasive species management with particular emphasis on feral cats, and the influence of these aspects in the effectiveness of outcomes
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