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==Prey Selection==

==Prey Selection==

Cats most commonly catch '''prey that is around 1% of their own bodyweight'''<ref name = "Pearre">Pearre, S. Maass, R. (1998) Trends in the prey size-based trophic niches of feral House Cats ''Felis catus'' L. ''Mammal Review''. 28(3), 125-139.</ref> , with 80% of reported prey caught being <50g in weight according to one study<ref name ="Brio">Brio, Z., Lanszki, J., Szemethy, L., Heltai, M., Randi, E. (2005) Feeding habits of feral domestic cats (''Felis catus''), wild cats (''Felis silvestris'') and their hybrids: trophic niche overlap among cat groups in Hungary. ''Journal of Zoology''. 266, 187-196.</ref>. In an observational study of feline predatory behaviour in suburban nature preserve in New York, mammals and birds made up 52% and 23% of kills respectively, with an overall '''success rate for killing of 13%''' <ref name ="Kays">Kays, R. W., DeWan, A.A. (2004) Ecological impact of inside/outside house cats around a suburban nature preserve. ''Animal Conservation''. 7, 273-283.</ref>. Cats show preferences in terms of their predatory targets, and are tolerant of '''high failure rates in predatory attacks'''.  

Cats usually catch '''prey that is around 1% of their own bodyweight'''<ref name = "Pearre">Pearre, S. Maass, R. (1998) Trends in the prey size-based trophic niches of feral House Cats ''Felis catus'' L. ''Mammal Review''. 28(3), 125-139.</ref> , with 80% of reported prey caught being <50g in weight according to one study<ref name ="Brio">Brio, Z., Lanszki, J., Szemethy, L., Heltai, M., Randi, E. (2005) Feeding habits of feral domestic cats (''Felis catus''), wild cats (''Felis silvestris'') and their hybrids: trophic niche overlap among cat groups in Hungary. ''Journal of Zoology''. 266, 187-196.</ref>. In an observational study of feline predatory behaviour in suburban nature preserve in New York, mammals and birds made up 52% and 23% of kills respectively, with an overall '''success rate for killing of 13%''' <ref name ="Kays">Kays, R. W., DeWan, A.A. (2004) Ecological impact of inside/outside house cats around a suburban nature preserve. ''Animal Conservation''. 7, 273-283.</ref>. Cats show preferences in terms of their predatory targets, and are tolerant of '''high failure rates in predatory attacks'''.  

The selection of '''prey target is also influenced by hunger'''. Although hunger does not appear to affect the rate of hunting behaviour, larger, potentially more dangerous, prey will be targeted when cats are hungry <ref name ="Biben">Biben, M. (1979) Predation and predatory play behaviour of domestic cats. ''Animal Behaviour''. 27, 81-94.</ref>. In the same study, hunger was shown to increase the speed of killing behaviour, with satiated cats toying with prey for longer.

The selection of '''prey target is also influenced by hunger'''. Although hunger does not appear to affect the rate of hunting behaviour, larger, potentially more dangerous, prey will be targeted when cats are hungry <ref name ="Biben">Biben, M. (1979) Predation and predatory play behaviour of domestic cats. ''Animal Behaviour''. 27, 81-94.</ref>. In the same study, hunger was shown to increase the speed of killing behaviour, with satiated cats toying with prey for longer.