Mutant allele frequencies in the cat population of Omaha, Nebraska

The phenotypes of 256 cats seen in Omaha, Nebraska, during the summer of 1983 were recorded and compared to those of other midcontinental USA cat populations. When cats that were "pure-bred," or derived from pure breeds, were excluded, random breeding at the O locus was confirmed and mutant allele frequencies were: O = 0.352, a = 0.813, tb = 0.354, d = 0.525, I = 0.369, S = 0.197, and W = 0.039. Siamese and Himalayan cats constituted 10.9 percent of the total sample (cs = 0.342), but analysis suggests that they are not randomly mating with the general population. Mutant allele frequencies of Omaha cats are more similar to those of cats in Champaign, Illinois, than to those of St. Louis, suggesting that an overland route was more important than a river route in founding the Omaha cat population.     

Gene frequencies in the domestic cats (Felis catus) of urban and rural Bordeaux

A survey was carried out of mutant allele frequencies at seven loci in the domestic cats of Bordeaux and rural areas between 50 and 140 km distant. The results support the suggestion of Pontier (1983) that urban rural clines are apparent at the orange locus, but not for non-agouti or blotched tabby. A triple centroid curve smoothing technique was carried out on all the French populations surveyed so far. This is an attempt to reduce genetic and statistical noise and take account of standard errors of gene frequency estimates. The cline maps of Todd (1977), which included only ten French populations are thereby substantially supported by subsequently obtained data. There appears to be a striking affinity between the cats of Bordeaux and those of St. Pierre et Miquelon. This is the first demonstration of a connection between the cats of French Canada and those of mainland France. The origin of the cat populations of the main areas of French settlement in the St. Lawrence River valley remains unexplained.     

Gene frequencies in the cat population of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the possible origin of this population.

The phenotypes of 295 stray cats seen in the capital area of Buenos Aires, Argentina, between March and December of 1989 were recorded. The corresponding mutant allele frequencies were as follows: O = 0.28, a = 0.83, Ta = 0.01; tb = 0.31; d = 0.45; I = 0.40; S = 0.28; W = 0.02. The allele frequencies calculated at the O locus were consistent with those expected for a randomly breeding population according to the formula for the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The analysis of the genetic distances between Buenos Aires and several European cat populations revealed that the Spanish and, especially, those with a proven more ancestral genetic constitution, are the most closely related. When a similar analysis was carried out, including other Latin American cat populations, those of Spanish origin were found to show the highest degree of relatedness. These findings suggest that the Buenos Aires cat population was not genetically structured following the "two-stepping-stone" model and support the hypothesis that differential gene flows play a transcendental role in understanding the genetic composition of domestic cat populations.     

Pelage mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations of Poland

To determine mutant allele frequencies, surveys of coat phenotypes of the domestic cat (Felis catus L.) were conducted from October 1982 to June 1985 in 23 urban and rural populations of Poland (N = 67-278). The seven gene loci studied included: sex-linked orange (O), agouti (A), tabby (T), full-color expression (D), long hair (L), piebald spotting (S), and dominant white (W). The mutant allele frequencies at these loci are: p(O) = 0-0.139, q(a) = 0.487-0.774, p(Ta) = 0, q(tb) = 0.132-0.451, q(d) = 0-0.332, q(l) = 0-0.220, p(S) = 0.242-0.620, and p(W) = 0. The coefficients of darkness estimated ranged from 0.51 to 0.75, showing no statistically significant differences between urban and rural populations. Of the gene loci studied, only A and S show such differences, with the incidence of alleles a and S being, respectively, significantly higher and lower for urban areas. The relatively great amount of genetic heterogeneity in the cat populations of Poland seems to reflect historical determinants. The Polish data are compared to those from Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, and geographic patterns in distribution for all of the mutant alleles studied are described.     

Mutant gene frequencies in cats of Cyprus

Summary Three areas of the island of Cyprus have been sampled for frequency of nine mutant genes among the domestic cat population. The significance of the observed frequencies are discussed with particular reference to the existence of world-wide clines for O (orange) and t ^b (blotched tabby). The frequencies for Cyprus seems to be intermediate to those reported for European and Asian populations and could be part of the proposed East-West cline for the two genes.     

Tyrosinase mutations associated with Siamese and Burmese patterns in the domestic cat (Felis catus)

The Siamese cat has a highly recognized coat colour phenotype that expresses pigment at the extremities of the body, such as the ears, tail and paws. This temperature-sensitive colouration causes a 'mask' on the face and the phenotype is commonly referred to as 'pointed'. Burmese is an allelic variant that is less temperature-sensitive, producing more pigment throughout the torso than Siamese. Tyrosinase (TYR) mutations have been suspected to cause these phenotypes because mutations in TYR are associated with similar phenotypes in other species. Linkage and synteny mapping in the cat has indirectly supported TYR as the causative gene for these feline phenotypes. TYR mutations associated with Siamese and Burmese phenotypes are described herein. Over 200 cats were analysed, representing 12 breeds as well as randomly bred cats. The SNP associated with the Siamese phenotype is an exon 2 G > A transition changing glycine to arginine (G302R). The SNP associated with the Burmese phenotype is an exon 1 G > T transversion changing glycine to tryptophan (G227W). The G302R mutation segregated concordantly within a pedigree of Himalayan (pointed) Persians. All cats that had 'pointed' or the Burmese coat colour phenotype were homozygous for the corresponding mutations, respectively, suggesting that these phenotypes are a result of the identified mutations or unidentified mutations that are in linkage disequilibrium. Because the same mutations were identified in different breeds with similar phenotypes, the mutations are likely to be identical by descent rather than multiple mutation events occurring at the same site.     

Domestic Cats (Felis silvestris catus) Do Not Show Signs of Secure Attachment to Their Owners

The Ainsworth Strange Situation Test (SST) has been widely used to demonstrate that the bond between both children and dogs to their primary carer typically meets the requirements of a secure attachment (i.e. the carer being perceived as a focus of safety and security in otherwise threatening environments), and has been adapted for cats with a similar claim made. However methodological problems in this latter research make the claim that the cat-owner bond is typically a secure attachment, operationally definable by its behaviour in the SST, questionable. We therefore developed an adapted version of the SST with the necessary methodological controls which include a full counterbalance of the procedure. A cross-over design experiment with 20 cat-owner pairs (10 each undertaking one of the two versions of the SST first) and continuous focal sampling was used to record the duration of a range of behavioural states expressed by the cats that might be useful for assessing secure attachment. Since data were not normally distributed, non-parametric analyses were used on those behaviours shown to be reliable across the two versions of the test (which excluded much cat behaviour). Although cats vocalised more when the owner rather the stranger left the cat with the other individual, there was no other evidence consistent with the interpretation of the bond between a cat and its owner meeting the requirements of a secure attachment. These results are consistent with the view that adult cats are typically quite autonomous, even in their social relationships, and not necessarily dependent on others to provide a sense of security and safety. It is concluded that alternative methods need to be developed to characterise the normal psychological features of the cat-owner bond.     

Responding to misinformation and criticisms regarding United States cat predation estimates

Misinformation (or denialism), the disingenuous assertion of information contradicting overwhelming scientific consensus, increasingly poses a challenge for invasion biology. The issue of free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) provides an example of this misinformation: overwhelming consensus shows that cats are invasive species that impact wildlife and human health yet free-ranging cat advocates propagate misinformation about such impacts to support policies keeping cats on the landscape. These advocates also attempt to discredit peer-reviewed scientific research on cat impacts, as exemplified by the response to a high-profile paper estimating cats annually kill billions of U.S. birds and mammals (Loss et al. in Nat Commun 4:1396, 2013). Although favorably received by scientific and invasive species management communities, an effort was launched to discredit this paper by criticizing its methods, including a report commissioned by a feral cat advocacy group and a post by a feral cat blogger. These same organizations and individuals have made similar criticisms at scientific conferences and policy roundtables. Given the realized effects of this campaign in influencing invasive species policy, we here respond to these criticisms and show they are characterized by numerous errors and misrepresentations. We conclude that the criticisms are part of the broader campaign to fabricate doubt about outdoor cat impacts and stymie policies favoring removal of cats from the landscape. Because misinformation surrounding cats is emblematic of the broader issue of misinformation and denialism, this response will not only facilitate evidence-based policy for managing cats but also stimulate research and discussion into causes and impacts of misinformation in invasion biology.     

Albinism in the domestic cat (Felis catus) is associated with a tyrosinase (TYR) mutation

Albino phenotypes are documented in a variety of species including the domestic cat. As albino phenotypes in other species are associated with tyrosinase (TYR) mutations, TYR was proposed as a candidate gene for albinism in cats. An Oriental and Colourpoint Shorthair cat pedigree segregating for albinism was analysed for association with TYR by linkage and sequence analyses. Microsatellite FCA931, which is closely linked to TYR and TYR sequence variants were tested for segregation with the albinism phenotype. Sequence analysis of genomic DNA from wild-type and albino cats identified a cytosine deletion in TYR at position 975 in exon 2, which causes a frame shift resulting in a premature stop codon nine residues downstream from the mutation. The deletion mutation in TYR and an allele of FCA931 segregated concordantly with the albino phenotype. Taken together, our results suggest that the TYR gene corresponds to the colour locus in cats and its alleles, from dominant to recessive, are as follows: C (full colour) > c(b) (burmese) > or = c(s) (siamese) > c (albino).     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations in the Netherlands

Surveys of gene frequencies in domestic cat (Felis catus) populations were carried out in four cities in the Netherlands. The principal variants recorded included seven mutant alleles affecting coat colour and hair length. Significant differences in frequencies were found between cities at some of the loci considered. The results of these surveys help to clarify certain trends in the distribution of mutant alleles in cat populations across Europe. Some insight is offered into the importance of trade routes in determining these patterns of distribution. In addition, comparisons between owned pets and unwanted cats indicate that human preferences have little effect on mutant allele frequencies.     

Abundance and detection of feral cats decreases after severe fire on Kangaroo Island,Australia

Predation by feral cats (Felis catus) has caused the extinction of many native species in Australia and globally. There is growing evidence that the impacts of feral cats can be amplified in post-fire environments, as cats are drawn to hunt in or around recently burnt areas and are also more effective hunters in open habitats. In 2018–2019, we established arrays of camera traps to estimate the abundance of feral cats on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Much of the island (including five of our seven survey sites) was subsequently burnt in a severe wildfire (December 2019–February 2020). We re-sampled the sites 3–8 months post-fire (seven sites) and 11–12 months post-fire (three sites). At two unburnt sites sampled post-fire, it was possible to produce density estimates of cats using a spatially explicit capture–recapture approach. Where estimating density was not possible (due to low detections or individual cats not being distinguishable), the number of individuals and percentage of trap nights with detections was compared between the sampling periods. Some low-level cat control occurred within 2 km of three of the seven arrays (all within the burn scar) within 3 months of the fire. Across the five burnt sites, there was a decline in cat detections post-fire (including those without post-fire cat control). At 3–8 months post-fire, there was, on average, a 57% reduction in the number of individual cats, and a 65% reduction in the number of nights with cat detections, relative to pre-fire levels. Although cat detections declined following the fire, reduced population sizes of prey species and reduced cover as a result of the fire might still mean that cat predation is a threat to some surviving prey species. Management that reduces feral cat predation pressure on wildlife following wildfire should enhance the likelihood of post-fire wildlife persistence and recovery.     

The Tabby cat locus maps to feline chromosome B1

The Tabby markings of the domestic cat are unique coat patterns for which no causative candidate gene has been inferred from other mammals. In this study, a genome scan was performed on a large pedigree of cats that segregated for Tabby coat markings, specifically for the Abyssinian (Ta-) and blotched (tbtb) phenotypes. There was linkage between the Tabby locus and eight markers on cat chromosome B1. The most significant linkage was between marker FCA700 and Tabby (Z = 7.56, theta = 0.03). Two additional markers in the region supported linkage, although not with significant LOD scores. Pairwise analysis of the markers supported the published genetic map of the cat, although additional meioses are required to refine the region. The linked markers cover a 17-cM region and flank an evolutionary breakpoint, suggesting that the Tabby gene has a homologue on either human chromosome 4 or 8. Alternatively, Tabby could be a unique locus in cats.     

Tabby pattern alleles of the domestic cat

The status of genetic variation of tabby pattern in the domestic cat is reviewed. Three alleles of the tabby locus (T) have been identified, namely, Abyssinian (Ta), striped (T), and blotched (tb). Additional data are presented for the assortment of these alleles. The Abyssinian is incompletely dominant to the striped and blotched alleles, whereas striped is completely dominant to the blotched.     

Consumption of Domestic Cat in Madagascar: Frequency,Purpose, and Health Implications

ABSTRACT

The domestic cat Felis catus has a long history of interaction with humans, and is found throughout the world as a household pet and a feral animal. Despite people's often sentimental association with cats, cat meat is sometimes consumed by them; this practice can have important implications for public health. In Madagascar, a least developed country that has experienced recent political instability, cat consumption is known to occur, but remains poorly understood. To improve our understanding of cat consumption practices in Madagascar we interviewed 512 respondents in five towns. We used semi-structured interviews to: 1) clarify the preference for, and prevalence, correlates, and timing of, cat consumption; 2) describe methods used to procure cats for consumption; 3) identify motives for consuming cat meat; and, 4) evaluate to what extent patterns of cat-meat consumption are influenced by taboos. We found that, although cat was not a preferred source of meat, many (34%) Malagasy respondents had consumed cat meat before, with most (54%) of these indicating such consumption occurred in the last decade. We did not detect a link between consumption of cat meat and recent access to meat (a proxy for food security). Cat meat was almost never purchased, but rather was obtained when the owners consumed their own pet cat, as a gift, or by hunting feral cats. Cat meat was usually consumed in smaller towns following cat–human conflict such as attacks on chickens, but in the large capital city, cat meat was procured primarily from road-killed individuals. These results suggest cat-meat consumption is typically an opportunistic means to obtain inexpensive meat, rather than principally serving as a response to economic hardship. These results further suggest cat handling and consumption may present a potential pathway for transmission of several diseases, including toxoplasmosis, that may warrant heightened public health efforts.     

Social Behaviour of Domestic Cats (Felis lybica f. catus L.): a Study of Dominance in a Group of Female Laboratory Cats

The behaviour of a group of female domestic cats (n = 10) under laboratory conditions is described. Behavioural observations were made on a total of 20 days during a 3-month period; only frequencies were recorded. Analysis of the winner/loser matrix revealed a linear rank order. This rank order correlated with several variables. The higher the rank, the more offensive threats a cat emitted overall, and the more defensive threats it received overall; within a pair, the higher-ranking cat displayed more offensive threats, whereas the lower-ranking cat displayed more defensive threats. The higher a rank, the more bouts of social licking a cat emitted overall, and the more bouts of social sniffing and social rubbing it received overall; within a pair, the higher-ranking cat tended to show more social licking, whereas the lower-ranking cat showed more social sniffing. The higher the rank, the more time a cat tended to spend on the floor, and the less time it spent in a 16-compartment complex; the further animals were apart in rank, the smaller were the proximity scores between them. Finally, higher-ranking cats tended to gain weight, whereas lower-ranking cats tended to lose weight. These data suggest that the concept of dominance may be applied to this group of cats. It is discussed whether the observed rank order is specific for indoor conditions under which the cats were living. The role of social licking is also discussed.     

Laying low: Rugged lowland rainforest preferred by feral cats in the Australian Wet Tropics

Invasive mesopredators are responsible for the decline of many species of native mammals worldwide. Feral cats have been causally linked to multiple extinctions of Australian mammals since European colonization. While feral cats are found throughout Australia, most research has been undertaken in arid habitats, thus there is a limited understanding of feral cat distribution, abundance, and ecology in Australian tropical rainforests. We carried out camera‐trapping surveys at 108 locations across seven study sites, spanning 200 km in the Australian Wet Tropics. Single‐species occupancy analysis was implemented to investigate how environmental factors influence feral cat distribution. Feral cats were detected at a rate of 5.09 photographs/100 days, 11 times higher than previously recorded in the Australian Wet Tropics. The main environmental factors influencing feral cat occupancy were a positive association with terrain ruggedness, a negative association with elevation, and a higher affinity for rainforest than eucalypt forest. These findings were consistent with other studies on feral cat ecology but differed from similar surveys in Australia. Increasingly harsh and consistently wet weather conditions at higher elevations, and improved shelter in topographically complex habitats may drive cat preference for lowland rainforest. Feral cats were positively associated with roads, supporting the theory that roads facilitate access and colonization of feral cats within more remote parts of the rainforest. Higher elevation rainforests with no roads could act as refugia for native prey species within the critical weight range. Regular monitoring of existing roads should be implemented to monitor feral cats, and new linear infrastructure should be limited to prevent encroachment into these areas. This is pertinent as climate change modeling suggests that habitats at higher elevations will become similar to lower elevations, potentially making the environment more suitable for feral cat populations.     

Genetic distinction of wildcat (Felis silvestris) populations in Europe,and hybridization with domestic cats in Hungary

The genetic integrity and evolutionary persistence of declining wildcat populations are threatened by crossbreeding with widespread free-living domestic cats. Here we use allelic variation at 12 microsatellite loci to describe genetic variation in 336 cats sampled from nine European countries. Cats were identified as European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris), Sardinian wildcats (F. s. libyca) and domestic cats (F. s. catus), according to phenotypic traits, geographical locations and independently of any genetic information. Genetic variability was significantly partitioned among taxonomic groups (FST = 0.11; RST = 0.41; P < 0.001) and sampling locations (FST = 0.07; RST = 0.06; P < 0.001), suggesting that wild and domestic cats are subdivided into distinct gene pools in Europe. Multivariate and Bayesian clustering of individual genotypes also showed evidence of distinct cat groups, congruent with current taxonomy, and suggesting geographical population structuring. Admixture analyses identified cryptic hybrids among wildcats in Portugal, Italy and Bulgaria, and evidenced instances of extensive hybridization between wild and domestic cats sampled in Hungary. Cats in Hungary include a composite assemblage of variable phenotypes and genotypes, which, as previously documented in Scotland, might originate from long lasting hybridization and introgression. A number of historical, demographic and ecological conditions can lead to extensive crossbreeding between wild and domestic cats, thus threatening the genetic integrity of wildcat populations in Europe.     

Home range sizes of wildcats (Felis silvestris) and feral domestic cats (Felis silvestris f. catus) in a hilly region of Hungary

The most important factor concerning wild cat populations is the loss of habitat. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the size of the home ranges of wild and domestic cats along with the features of these areas (vegetation, elevation, proximity to human settlement, etc.). A total of 16 wildcats and 19 domestic cats were caught and fitted with radio collars within the period between 1989–1993. It was possible to analyze the radiotelemetry data of 4 wildcats and 3 domestic cats. It resulted that the wildcats occupied larger home ranges than the domestic cats, however, there were exceptions. Home range size variability was extensive in both species. The males occupied larger areas than the females. This was most likely due to the reproductional wandering of males into female home ranges. Also the overlap between the home ranges of males was larger than that of females. However, there were very small overlaps between the core areas. No cats used the same sites at the same time. This indicates that the home ranges of cats exist only in space and time as well. Although these animals are solitary, there was some indication that hierarchy exists between males.     

Spouses and cats and their effects on human mood

Abstract

Previous data indicated that cats influence the moods of singly living people only by decreasing negative moods, while not affecting positive moods. In this study, we asked if such an effect can be 1) replicated, 2) is comparable to the effect of a human partner, and 3) related to the owner's attachment towards the cat. Two hundred and twelve couples with cats, 31 couples without cats, singly living people with cats (47 women, 45 men) and singly living people without cats (43 women, 9 men) volunteered to participate. We used a list of adjectives (the “EWL”-Questionnaire) to assess their mood, which they responded to on an evening of their choice. The Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS) was additionally completed by the cat owners. Selected adjectives were reduced by factor analyses and labeled bad mood, activity, good mood, and seclusion, according to the highest loadings of mood items within each factor. Each mood factor was explained by cat ownership, presence or absence of a partner, and the person's sex. Further, sex, partner status and attachment towards cats explained moods amongst the cat owners. Only the partner, but not the cat, enhanced positive moods. Cats alleviated negative moods, and this effect was comparable to the effect of a human partner. This compensatory effect of cat ownership on negative moods was not comparable to a similar effect of degree of attachment towards the cat on human mood. Possible reasons for the unidirectional effect of cats on human mood are discussed.