Brooke Kennedy - Counting Cats: How to quantify free roaming cat populations

Quantifying cat populations and their ecological impacts remains a challenge. This study aimed to quantify free-roaming cat movements in four diverse local government areas (LGAs) to inform best-practice cat population monitoring.
Cameras were used to determine when cats roamed, and in relation to other species, and cat occupancy and detection rates. Transect drives were used to estimate cat encounter rates (number of cats/km), density (density of cats/ha) and abundance (estimated cat population).
Cameras involve an initial financial outlay and although they offer continuous observation with little maintenance, analysis can be time consuming. Transects required a total of 36 hours of man power and 3 hours of analysis.
Both are valuable methodologies for quantifying free-roaming cat populations, understanding their impacts, and monitoring interventions. The most appropriate methodology depends on the resources available. Combining methodologies is recommended to provide the most complete understanding of cat populations.