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The influence of female presence and seasonality on the home range size and activity patterns of male domestic cats in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

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Abstract

The factors that affect the home range size of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) in a semi-domesticated condition (i.e., cats that receive shelter and food from humans but are free to move in the wider natural environment) is not completely understood. Here, using radio telemetry, we present the first assessment of the home range size and activity patterns of male domestic cats living in the insular environment of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, and examine the extent to which these were influenced by the presence (‘resident males with females’: RMF group) or absence (‘single males’: SM group) of females in the residences of their owners. Daily and seasonal activity patterns have also been characterized. Home ranges of the RMF were markedly smaller than that of the SM and exhibited less overlap with the home ranges of other males than did those of the SM. Male cats were most active at twilight and evening (44.68 ± 1.07) and least active in the afternoon (28.76 ± 2.79). RMF presented nocturnal activity greater than SM, especially in the dry season. Our data indicate that presence of females is an important factor in shaping these parameters of domestic male cats.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Intituto de Pesquisas Cananéia - IPeC and Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora for their logistic and scientific support. They also thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior– Capes for granting a Master’s scholarship to G. A. Ferreira, and Idea Wild and Fórmula Foods Alimentos LTDA for the contribution of materials and equipment used in this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia-IPeC, Rua Tristão Lobo 199 Centro, Cananéia, SP, 11990-000, Brazil

    Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira, Eduardo Nakano-Oliveira & Gelson Genaro

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Univ. Federal de Juiz de Fora-UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil

    Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira, Artur Andriolo & Gelson Genaro

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Univ. Federal de Juiz de Fora-UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil

    Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira & Artur Andriolo

  4. Conselho Nacional de Defesa Ambiental-CNDA, Rua Dr. Renato Paes de Barros, 512-cj. 131 Itaim Bibi, São Paulo, SP, 04530-000, Brazil

    Eduardo Nakano-Oliveira

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  1. Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira
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  2. Eduardo Nakano-Oliveira
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Correspondence to Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira.

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Ferreira, G.A., Nakano-Oliveira, E., Andriolo, A. et al. The influence of female presence and seasonality on the home range size and activity patterns of male domestic cats in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. J Ethol 34, 207–217 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-016-0466-8

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