Changes

Pet cat groups are made up of unrelated and neutered males and females with widely differing rearing backgrounds. Some may come from a genetic and rearing background that does not favour [[Feline Social Behaviour|sociable living in a group]]. Owners expect that the cat’s core territory will match the internal living space of the home, so that facial and flank marking are seen indoors and spraying or claw marking is only performed outdoors. However, instead of being one large contiguous area, each domestic cat’s territory may consist of several small patches that are distant from each other. Each cat is forced to travel across several other cat’s territories in order to get to a latrine or hunting site. This increases the amount of feline traffic through gardens and increases the likelihood that each cat’s core territory will be overlooked by cats outside. Underfed, despotic or intact male cats may enter the homes of resident cats, which further undermines the perception of the home as ‘core’ territory.  These issues may lead to [[Indoor Marking - Cat|indoor marking]] behaviour that becomes problematic for the owners.

Pet cat groups are made up of unrelated and neutered males and females with widely differing rearing backgrounds. Some may come from a genetic and rearing background that does not favour [[Feline Social Behaviour|sociable living in a group]]. Owners expect that the cat’s core territory will match the internal living space of the home, so that facial and flank marking are seen indoors and spraying or claw marking is only performed outdoors. However, instead of being one large contiguous area, each domestic cat’s territory may consist of several small patches that are distant from each other. Each cat is forced to travel across several other cat’s territories in order to get to a latrine or hunting site. This increases the amount of feline traffic through gardens and increases the likelihood that each cat’s core territory will be overlooked by cats outside. Underfed, despotic or intact male cats may enter the homes of resident cats, which further undermines the perception of the home as ‘core’ territory.  These issues may lead to [[Indoor Marking - Cat|indoor marking]] behaviour that becomes problematic for the owners.

In urban areas the density of cat populations may be high, exceeding 50 cats per square kilometre. <font color="red">In a survey conducted by Bowen (2013)</font color>, 81% of 734 UK cat owners whose cats were allowed outdoor access indicated that their neighbours also had at least one cat that was allowed outside, and 66% reported seeing a neighbour’s cat in their garden at least once a week. Owner reports of the number of different cats regularly seen in the garden and the frequency of cats visiting the garden were both correlated significantly with the frequency of injuries due to conflict with non-resident cats.  

In urban areas the density of cat populations may be high, exceeding 50 cats per square kilometre. In a survey conducted by the author (Jon Bowen, 2013), 81% of 734 UK cat owners whose cats were allowed outdoor access indicated that their neighbours also had at least one cat that was allowed outside, and 66% reported seeing a neighbour’s cat in their garden at least once a week. Owner reports of the number of different cats regularly seen in the garden and the frequency of cats visiting the garden were both correlated significantly with the frequency of injuries due to conflict with non-resident cats.  

Forty-one percent of those households reported some level of home entry by neighbourhood cats, with 18.7% reporting that cats came in to fight with their cat and 25.6% reporting that cats came in to steal food. For households that had a plain cat door without security features (as opposed to a selective entry cat door that only allows resident cats in and out) the figures were significantly higher; 24.8% of cat owning households reported that neighbourhood cats came into their home to fight with their cats, and 39.4% reported that cats came in to steal food.

Forty-one percent of those households reported some level of home entry by neighbourhood cats, with 18.7% reporting that cats came in to fight with their cat and 25.6% reporting that cats came in to steal food. For households that had a plain cat door without security features (as opposed to a selective entry cat door that only allows resident cats in and out) the figures were significantly higher; 24.8% of cat owning households reported that neighbourhood cats came into their home to fight with their cats, and 39.4% reported that cats came in to steal food.