SPATIAL-ORGANIZATION OF URBAN FERAL CATS (FELIS-CATUS) IN JERUSALEM

Feral cats (Felis catus L.) were studied for 10 months in a residentia l neighborhood in Jerusalem and their spatial distribution compared du ring two 1-month periods. The first observation period occurred prior to the mating season (autumn), and the second during the mating season (winter). Cat locations were recorded by direct observations, and hom e-range sizes were calculated with the minimum convex polygon method. No significant change in home-range size of adult males or females was found between the two periods. Young males expanded their home ranges considerably during their first mating season. Home ranges of males w ere significantly larger than those of females in both periods (0.56 h a and 0.30 ha, respectively, in autumn; 0.75 ha and 0.27 ha in winter) . The home ranges of both sexes overlapped considerably with individua ls of the same sex. Overlap among home ranges of females indicated a g roup pattern. High overlap (80%) was found among females that fed from the same set of garbage bins with similar frequency. Lower overlap (2 0%) was found between individual females that shared only a subset of their food resources and used it with different frequency. It is sugge sted that the distribution of food patches (garbage bins), the amount of food available and the rate of food renewal determined the cats' sp atial organisation.