Here kitty-kitty: lure choice for predator attraction in a temperate environment

Context Camera traps have become a crucial tool for monitoring predators and are frequently deployed with lures to boost detection. Feral cats, a problematic invasive species in Australia, are commonly monitored using camera traps with lures. Despite the additional effort required for lure deployment, it remains unclear which lures are effective for monitoring feral cats. Aims Our study aimed to address this knowledge gap and assess the impact of various lure treatments on feral cat detection and activity. We also examined the response of other predators, such as Tasmanian devils and spotted-tailed quolls, to the lures and explored how their activity influenced feral cat visitation. Methods We deployed food, olfactory and visual lures, along with a null treatment across four grids of 16 camera traps over a period of 4 months in south-eastern Tasmania. Key results We observed increased feral cat detection with food (odds ratio = 3.69, 97.5% CI = 1.04, 13.2) and visual lures (odds ratio = 5.95, CI = 1.75, 20.2), but not olfactory lures (odds ratio = 1.88, CI = 0.55, 6.51). Examining only sites where cats were detected, food (odds ratio = 3.35, CI = 1.27, 8.9), visual (odds ratio = 3.39, CI = 1.41, 8.1) and olfactory (odds ratio = 2.7, CI = 1.02, 7.1) lures all increased feral cat visitation to the camera traps. Tasmanian devil and spotted-tailed quoll activity increased 4.85-fold (CI = 2.89, 8.1) and 4.94-fold (CI = 2.92, 8.4) when using the food lure, and 4.24-fold (CI = 2.5, 7.2) and 3.49-fold (CI = 2.03, 6.0) when using the olfactory lure. Whereas a positive relationship existed between devil and cat activity overall (β = 0.49, s.e. = 0.15, P ≤ 0.001), negative associations were found between devil and cat activity in the presence of food (β = −0.36, s.e. = 0.19, P = 0.057) and olfactory (β = −0.42, s.e. = 0.20, P = 0.026) lures. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated the effectiveness of lures in temperate environments for feral cat monitoring but highlighted potential interspecific interactions that reduce feral cat visitation. Implications We recommend a thoughtful consideration of the environment and resident species to ensure effective lure use and to minimise unintended negative influences on the capture of target species.