Devon farmers are being asked to share their thoughts via survey on the viability of reintroducing wildcats into the county.
The research is part of a larger study by the University of Exeter which is examining whether wildcats, also known as woodcats, could return to the southwest.
It is important to understand how wildcats and farm, street, stray, and feral cats might interact.
Very little is known about the presence and activities of farm cats, so the results of the questionnaire will provide crucial new insights, the University of Exeter said.
Anyone who completed the Devon’s Farm Cat questionnaire will be kept anonymous but can be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Amazon gift voucher.
The questionnaire takes around 10 minutes to complete and closes on August 31, 2024.
Wildcats became extinct in England around 200 years ago but Devon has been considered to be a possible ideal place to reintroduce them, which could in turn boost the county’s biodiversity.
For this study ‘farm cats’ are defined as cats that live on a farm but are not commonly treated as pet cats. They do not live in the house and may live with or without human care.
The research is led by anthrozoologist Sian Moody, from the University of Exeter, who is working with the South West Wildcat Project (SWWP).
The results will be used as part of the SWWP’s wider feasibility report, which will be submitted to Natural England later in the year for their review.
Wildcats
Moody said: “It is extremely important to understand how suitable the South West actually is for wildcats, which includes looking at social and ecological aspects, but also gaging the risk of hybridisation between wildcats and cats.
“This has been a key threat for wildcats in Scotland, but elsewhere in Europe it hasn’t been as much of an issue.
“We need to understand how cats use rural spaces in the southwest, so the aim of this survey is to get a sense of how many farm cats there are in Devon, their movements and whether they are neutered and vaccinated.”
Because farm cats are not pets or owned, there is not much data on them, Moody said.
“We hope those with farms and smallholdings will take part in this research.”
The questionnaire asks about how many cats live on the farm, where they came from and about their group structure, behaviour and condition.
It also asks about their breeding patterns and any care a human might provide for them.
