Spatial and Temporal Movements of Free-Roaming Cats and Wildlife in Two Local Government Areas in Greater Sydney, Australia

A study comparing two local government areas (LGAs) in Greater Sydney, Australia—Campbelltown and the Blue Mountains—revealed that while free-roaming cat density was higher in Campbelltown (0.31 cats per hectare), the Blue Mountains had a significantly larger estimated abundance of roaming cats (3,365 vs. 361). Despite this, no significant difference was found in the number of cat or wildlife events captured via motion-capture cameras between the two areas. The study also identified distinct temporal patterns in cat activity, with peaks at different times in each LGA and overlaps in activity with native wildlife such as bandicoots, possums, and small mammals. These findings underscore the utility of camera monitoring on private properties and transect drives for quantifying roaming cat populations, providing critical data to inform management interventions.

Davey, I. J. L., Westman, M. E., Van der Saag, D., Ma, G. C., & Kennedy, B. P. A. (2023). Spatial and Temporal Movements of Free-Roaming Cats and Wildlife in Two Local Government Areas in Greater Sydney, Australia. Animals, 13(10), 1711. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101711