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==Home Range==

==Home Range==

The home range that surrounds the core territory is quite large and is intensely defended. Beyond this home range, the wider territory controlled by the cat or cat group may be very large. Feral and wild cats may hold territories that are more than 1-2 square miles. However, it is clear that cats may need to pass through areas of each other’s territory and the boundaries are not absolute. Claw and urine marks are therefore intended to warn other cats to avoid certain locations at certain times so that they do not come into conflict with each other. This works well when there is a large enough territory for the different types of odour marks to be deposited in a meaningful way that allows the cats to avoid potential enemies and remain close to their affiliates.  

The home range is the main area of territory that encompasses the resources that the cat needs for survival, inducing latrine locations, resting sites and hunting areas. Beyond this home range, the wider territory controlled by the cat, or cat group, may be very large. Feral and wild cats may hold territories that are more than 1-2 square miles. However, it is clear that cats may need to pass through areas of each other’s territory and the boundaries are not absolute. Claw and urine marks are therefore used to warn other cats to avoid certain locations at certain times so that they do not come into conflict with each other. This works well when there is enough space for the different types of odour marks to be deposited in a meaningful way that allows the cats to avoid potential competitors.  

The size of the territorial range of cats (home range) varies between feral and pet cats, male and female cats and neutered and entire cats. Although evidence regarding the absolute size of home ranges is inconsistent between studies performed in different countries and habitats, intact male home ranges are, on average, three times larger than intact female home ranges <ref>Liberg, O., Sandell, M., Pontier, D., Natoli, E. (2000) Density, spatial organization and reproductive tactics in the domestic cat and other felids. Pp. 119-148 In: D. C. Turner and P. Bateson (eds.). ''The Domestic Cat: the biology of its behavior''. 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.</ref>. The same author found that pet females in Sweden had home ranges of around 30-40 hectares and rarely roamed further than 600m from their homes<ref>Liberg, O. (1980) Spacing patterns in a population of rural free roaming domestic cats. ''Oikos''. 38, 336-349.</ref>, and feral females had home ranges that were about four times larger than those of pet females<ref>Liberg, O. (1984) Home range and territoriality in free ranging house cats. Acta Zoologica Fennica. 171, 283-285.</ref>. It appears that '''male home range size is determined by the availability of reproductive opportunities''', whilst that of '''females is governed by the availability of food'''. Range size has been found to vary between 0.1 hectare in a Japanese fishing village to 170 hectares in the Australian bush<ref name="Bradshaw">Bradshaw, J.W.S (1992) The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat. ''CABI'', Oxford, UK.</ref>, indicating that cats do not have a specific need to maintain a large territory, only to hold sufficient territory to satisfy specific survival needs. A larger territory will also be needed if suitable resting sites are distant from hunting locations.

The size of the territorial range of cats (home range) varies between feral and pet cats, male and female cats and neutered and entire cats. Although evidence regarding the absolute size of home ranges is inconsistent between studies performed in different countries and habitats, intact male home ranges are, on average, three times larger than intact female home ranges <ref>Liberg, O., Sandell, M., Pontier, D., Natoli, E. (2000) Density, spatial organization and reproductive tactics in the domestic cat and other felids. Pp. 119-148 In: D. C. Turner and P. Bateson (eds.). ''The Domestic Cat: the biology of its behavior''. 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.</ref>. The same author found that pet females in Sweden had home ranges of around 30-40 hectares and rarely roamed further than 600m from their homes<ref>Liberg, O. (1980) Spacing patterns in a population of rural free roaming domestic cats. ''Oikos''. 38, 336-349.</ref>, and feral females had home ranges that were about four times larger than those of pet females<ref>Liberg, O. (1984) Home range and territoriality in free ranging house cats. Acta Zoologica Fennica. 171, 283-285.</ref>. It appears that '''male home range size is determined by the availability of reproductive opportunities''', whilst that of '''females is governed by the availability of food'''. Range size has been found to vary between 0.1 hectare in a Japanese fishing village to 170 hectares in the Australian bush<ref name="Bradshaw">Bradshaw, J.W.S (1992) The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat. ''CABI'', Oxford, UK.</ref>, indicating that cats do not have a specific need to maintain a large territory, only to hold sufficient territory to satisfy specific survival needs.

The home ranges of neutered male and female domestic pet cats are likely to be smaller than their feral counterparts, and in one UK study were found to be 0.45 and 0.27 hectares respectively<ref name="Bradshaw" />. This reflects the high-density food resources, the close proximity of hunting, resting and latrine locations, and competition for space between the numerous cats in a typical suburban area. Home range size is inversely proportional to population density<ref name="Bradshaw" />.

The home ranges of neutered male and female domestic pet cats are likely to be smaller than their feral counterparts, and in one UK study were found to be 0.45 and 0.27 hectares respectively<ref name="Bradshaw" />. This reflects the high-density food resources, the close proximity of hunting, resting and latrine locations, and competition for space between the numerous cats in a typical suburban area. Home range size is inversely proportional to population density<ref name="Bradshaw" />.