Diffusion and Discrete Temporal Models of the Growth of Free-Ranging Cats in Urban Areas

Abstract

The survival of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in various ecosystems has become increasingly relevant due to its impact on wildlife, public health, and society. In countries like Mexico, social factors such as abandonment have led to the feralization of the species and an unexpected increase in its population in urban areas. To design and implement effective population control methods, a thorough analysis of the species' population dynamics, along with the social factors influencing it, is necessary. We propose a reaction-diffusion model to simulate the natural dispersal of the population within a bounded domain. After exploring the species' spreading ability, we construct a complex dynamical system based on the biological characteristics of cats and their intraspecific and interspecific interactions, which we explain and study in detail. Both deterministic and stochastic parameters are considered to enhance the realism of the simulations. Our results indicate that the population reaches equilibrium, highlighting the need for control methods combined with social regulations to achieve sustainability in the system.