Feline population dynamics: a study of the Manhattan, Kansas, feline population

Abstract

Analysis of the age-specific birth and survival rates and the age distribution in the pet population of cats in Manhattan, Kansas, revealed that the rate of population change (lambda) was about 1.18. This means that under present birth and death rates, the cat population can increase by about 18% per year. In reality, the increase may not be as high since pet ownership may not increase by as much. The frequency of spayed females of reproductive age in the Manhattan population was about 59%. This may not be sufficient to curb population growth. With the present age-specific survival rates, about 88% of the females should be spayed if the population is to remain stable. The ratio of people to cats in Manhattan was estimated to be 5.2:1. The average number of cats per household was 0.508. The percentage of households with cats was 28 with an average of 1.74 cats per household. In comparison, the average number of dogs per household was 0.43 and the percentage of households with dogs was 43 with an average of 1.36 dogs per household. The methods used in this study are useful for collecting and analyzing data to be used by governmental bodies and veterinarians concerned with proposals to regulate pet population growth and reproduction.