Abstract
Populations of feral domestic cats have increased throughout the United States, affecting wildlife and warranting attention from a variety of management agencies. This contentious issue requires a greater understanding of public attitudes and preferences for population control. We used data from a 2004 mail survey of Illinois homeowners' attitudes toward wildlife and conservation to investigate support for the lethal control of feral cats and to examine factors (demographic, experience, and wildlife value orientations) that may influence preference for euthanasia as a management option. Community size, gender, education level, wildlife value orientations, and negative experiences with feral cats were significant predictors of preference for lethal management.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 262-273 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Human Dimensions of Wildlife |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Euthanasia
- Feral cat management
- Illinois
- Lethal control
- Stakeholder perceptions
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nature and Landscape Conservation
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law