Cats, Cameras, & Community Composition: Assessing Mammal Species in Relation to Outdoor Domestic Cats in an Intermountain West City
Graduation Year
2024
Graduation Month
December
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
School or Department
Wildlife Biology
Major
Wildlife Biology – Terrestrial
Faculty Mentor Department
Wildlife Biology
Faculty Mentor
Victoria Dreitz
Faculty Reader(s)
Victoria Dreitz, Christopher P. Hansen, Joshua Millspaugh, Daniel P. Walsh
Keywords
biodiversity, invasive species, non-invasive field methodology, urbanization, wildland urban interface (WUI), wildlife
Subject Categories
Biodiversity | Natural Resources and Conservation | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Abstract
Domestic cats (Felis catus) have been identified as drivers of biodiversity decline in various locations globally, yet cat-wildlife dynamics of the Intermountain West (IW) have not been sufficiently studied. Between 2019 and 2023, cats were detected at 41 of 83 camera trap sites within the suburban wildland-urban interface (WUI) of Missoula, Montana. No significant statistical differences in species richness nor diversity metrics were detected between sites based on cat presence. However, two non-native species—eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) and northern raccoons (Procyon lotor)— exhibited significant positive associations with cats, warranting further investigation into the interplay of these synanthropic species. The documented predation activity of domestic cats, combined with their interactions with other urban-adapted species, highlights their role in shaping community dynamics within growing human-wildlife interfaces. As humans continue to urbanize some of the last remaining intact biodiverse regions of the US, such as the IW, this study emphasizes the importance of managing for interspecific interactions between wildlife and domestic pets.
Honors College Research Project
1
GLI Capstone Project
no
Recommended Citation
Schutze, Julie (Jay), "Cats, Cameras, & Community Composition: Assessing Mammal Species in Relation to Outdoor Domestic Cats in an Intermountain West City" (2024). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 538.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/538
© Copyright 2024 Julie (Jay) Schutze