Gosling Lara, Stavisky Jenny, Dean Rachel
University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, College Road, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
J Feline Med Surg. 2013 Sep;15(9):759-64. doi: 10.1177/1098612X13481034.
The definition of a true feral cat is an area of much contention, with many variations used worldwide. In this study, opinions were gathered from feral cat rescue workers and veterinary surgeons working in the United Kingdom to identify a practical definition of a feral cat, suitable for use in the field, education and research.
A mixed methods approach, using questionnaires and focus groups, was used to collect data from feral cat workers and veterinary surgeons.
Conflicts in opinion on the implications of taming feral cats exist. The rescue workers typically felt that most cats could be tamed, whereas the veterinary surgeons felt this was generally inappropriate, except in the case of young kittens. A consistent definition of feral cats would enable better communication regarding the welfare and management of these animals, and would be useful for further research and education of the public. PROPOSED DEFINITION: A feral cat is proposed by this study to be a cat that is unapproachable in its free-roaming environment and is capable of surviving with or without direct human intervention, and may additionally show fearful or defensive behaviour on human contact.
真正的野猫的定义存在诸多争议，全球使用的定义各不相同。在本研究中，收集了英国野猫救助工作者和兽医的意见，以确定适用于实地、教育和研究的野猫实用定义。
采用混合方法，通过问卷调查和焦点小组，从野猫工作者和兽医处收集数据。
在野猫驯化的影响方面存在意见冲突。救助工作者通常认为大多数猫可以被驯化，而兽医则认为除了小猫外，一般不适合这样做。对野猫的统一定义将有助于就这些动物的福利和管理进行更好的沟通，并且对公众的进一步研究和教育有用。
本研究提出，野猫是指在其自由活动环境中难以接近、能够在有或没有直接人类干预的情况下生存，并且在与人类接触时可能表现出恐惧或防御行为的猫。
