Estimates of Domestic Cats in Urban Areas Using Interdisciplinary Science: The Washington DC Cat Count

Accurate information about the number of cats living outdoors and how they respond to different kinds of management are necessary to quell debates about outdoor cat policy. The DC Cat Count will develop the tools and methodologies needed to real-ize this possibility and make them available for broader use. This three-year initiative represents a major collaboration between animal welfare organizations and wildlife scientists. Its unique and innovative approach is to use the best scientific methods to quantify all subpopulations of cats in the District of Columbia (outdoor, owned, and shelter cats), concurrently test and optimize simpler methods that can be used to measure cat populations by diverse users at scale, and identify the types of inter-ventions that are likely to accomplish desired outcomes most efficiently. Ultimately, we believe that this approach is more likely to improve outcomes for both cats and wildlife than a continuation of the status quo.

Automated summary

Accurate information about the number of cats living outdoors and how they respond to different kinds of management is crucial for resolving debates about outdoor cat policy. The DC Cat Count project aims to develop tools and methods to quantify the cat population in the District of Columbia and identify effective interventions using the best scientific practices. This approach has the potential to improve outcomes for both cats and wildlife.