Project for Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Veterinary Students

2011 Summer Program, May 31 - July 22, 2011

National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS)
at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Title: Modeling the Feral Cat Population in Knox County, TN
Mentors: Dr. Suzanne Lenhart (Mathematics) and Dr. John New (Veterinary Medicine)
Collaborators: Dr. Teresa Jennings & Heidi Weimer

This group will investigate a population model at the community level for feral cats. Feral cats are domestically-bred cats living in colonies; they are wild and not used to human contact. As free-roaming cats, ferals are responsible for declining wildlife populations, nuisance complaints, and disease concerns. We will estimate the number of feral cats in our county and predict future population growth with a model. We will consider effects of spay/neuter strategies, appropriate intervention timing, and its potential impact on intake and euthanasia rates at our local animal shelter. We expect to use data from the literature and from local sources.

Products

Abstract of project report (PDF)

Return to REU/REV 2011.

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Knoxville, TN 37996-3410
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From 2008 until early 2021, NIMBioS was supported by the National Science Foundation through NSF Award #DBI-1300426, with additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.