Abstract
To obtain basic data on the population size and diurnal travel distance of free-roaming stray cats (Felis silvestris catus) in urban residential areas, a field investigation using a route censusing was conducted in Yokohama, Japan. A daytime walking censusing in each area (eight districts including four residential and four other areas) was carried out three times a day in March, July and November in 2010 through 2013. When the observers found a cat on the route, they marked the spot on a map. The mean density of cat population estimated in four residential areas (8.7±3.9 cats/10,000m^2) was significantly (P<0.05) larger than that in other four category areas (3.6±2.2 cats/10,000m^2). Whereas the diurnal travel distance of intact males tended (P=0.06) to be longer (62.9±44.2m) than that of castrated males (34.0±24.7m), it did not differ between intact females (30.0±20.0m) and sterilized females (33.1±17.4m).
