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Camouflage or Coincidence? Investigating the Effects of Spatial and Temporal Environmental Features on Feral Cat Morphology in Tasmania
  • Alexandra Paton,
  • Barry Brook,
  • Jessie Buettel
Alexandra Paton
University of Tasmania

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Barry Brook
University of Tasmania
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Jessie Buettel
University of Tasmania
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Abstract

Variations in coat morphology are well-documented among felids and are theorised to aid in camouflage during stalk and ambush hunting. A diverse array of coat types has arisen in Felis silvestris catus (feral cats) through domestication and subsequent selective breeding. This species has successfully spread across Australia over the past 200 years, raising the question of whether any specific coat types offer an adaptive advantage. We used 24 657 camera-trap images of feral cats in Tasmania, Australia, and assigned each cat observation a coat colour and pattern. We analysed these data to examine how different spatial features affect the presence or absence of coat types. We also tested if cats with differing coat types were active on different days in response to temporal features, including moon luminosity (full or new). Elevation was positively associated with the presence of orange (odds ratio= 1.74, 97.5% confidence interval= 1.25, 2.4) and tortoiseshell (odds ratio= 1.93, CI= 1.32, 2.83) cats, while blotched brown cats were negatively associated with elevation (odds ratio= 0.74, CI= 0.59, 0.93), relative to black cats. All coat types were 1.2 to 2 times more likely to be active on nights with a new moon, except for orange cats who were equally active regardless of moon luminosity (odds ratio= 0.94, CI= 0.62, 1.42). Our results indicate that coat types are equally successful across Tasmania, perhaps owing to naïve prey or limited predator competition. The high activity of orange cats irrespective of moon phase may be reflective of the male cat’s tendency to patrol territory, as opposed to favouring dark nights for hunting. Future studies should consider comparing the coat types found in feral cats to adjacent domestic populations, and against a wider array of habitat types to further investigate the potential for selective pressure on feral cat coat types in Australia.
Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
Submission Checks Completed
Assigned to Editor
Reviewer(s) Assigned
25 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Aug 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
25 Sep 20241st Revision Received
30 Sep 2024Submission Checks Completed
30 Sep 2024Assigned to Editor
30 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Oct 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
23 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Accept