Changes

==Domestic Cat Territory==

==Domestic Cat Territory==

The natural organisation of territory in cats poses some problems for domestic pet cats. In a domestic setting, the difference in area between the home range and core territory may be minimal, and for indoor-only cats that have a view of a garden, the boundaries of the indoor space are the absolute limits of territory, leaving no opportunity for conventional territorial organisation or distance maintenance from neighbourhood cats that are easily visible from indoors.

The natural organisation of territory in cats poses some problems for domestic pet cats. In a domestic setting, the difference in area between the home range and core territory may be minimal, and for indoor-only cats that have a view of a garden, the boundaries of the indoor space are the absolute limits of territory, leaving no opportunity for conventional territorial organisation or distance maintenance from neighbourhood cats that are easily visible from indoors.

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 continuous 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 continuous 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.''' 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. 41% 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. Regular experience of this kind of home invasion, and subsequent injuries from fights with non-resident cats, are a '''significant source of stress for domestic pet cats'''. The fact that cats commonly take the risk of entering each other’s core territory in order to get access to food indicates that there are serious problems with the way that pet cats are being fed.

'''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. 41% 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. Regular experience of this kind of home invasion, and subsequent injuries from fights with non-resident cats, are a '''significant source of stress for domestic pet cats'''. The fact that cats commonly take the risk of entering each other’s core territory in order to get access to food indicates that there are serious problems with the way that pet cats are being fed.