The Interdependence of Humans and Free-Ranging Cats in Brooklyn, New York

Abstract

Based on the responses of 177 participants in a survey conducted in Brooklyn, New York, it was ascertained that 22.0% of the respondents fed free-ranging cats (2.8% daily and 19.2% occasionally). The food provided by feeders alone was estimated to support 1.71 to 2.10 cats per acre (4.2 to 5.2 cats per hectare), a density that is 1.35 times greater than the actual cat population. Other resources provided (e.g., shelter, medical help, adoption) were also estimated. Daily feeders were devoted to their cats. They continued to feed them despite the disapproval of their neighbors, financial constraints, or social obligations. Free-ranging cats appear to be in a mutually life-enhancing relationship with their feeders.