Free-roaming domestic cats can negatively affect wildlife, and understanding how they use space is fundamental to predict their potential impacts. In this study we describe the use of space of 48 owned free-roaming cats and assess the level of care provided by owners in rural areas near priority conservation areas in southern Chile. Additionally, we use camera trap data from two protected areas to assess spatial overlap with wild vertebrates, particularly the guigna (Leopardus guigna), a vulnerable forest-dwelling felid. Cat home ranges were variable (1–47.2 hectares) and their activity was mostly concentrated within 100 meters of the household, with maximum foray distances up to 2.5 km. Cats used wooded areas (12% of fixes on average), mostly native forest, where spatial overlap with endemic and/or threatened species was documented. Nonetheless cats were infrequently detected in nearby protected areas (1.7% of GPS locations and 1% of the cameras). The use of wooded areas was strongly associated with the distance from the household to the forest edge and home range areas were negatively associated with house density. Our findings suggest that in areas isolated from households (>200 m), the problem of cats is marginal and restricted to the edges. Management was in general deficient, observing birth control in only 13% of cats and lack of preventive health care in 86% of cats. Cat impacts could be exacerbated under increasing land subdivision in southern Chile where, without population control strategies, cats may become an emergent threat for native wildlife.

自由漫游的家猫会对野生动物产生负面影响，了解它们如何利用空间是预测其潜在影响的基础。在这项研究中，我们描述了 48 只自有的自由漫游猫的空间使用情况，并评估了智利南部优先保护区附近农村地区的主人提供的护理水平。此外，我们使用来自两个保护区的相机陷阱数据来评估与野生脊椎动物的空间重叠，特别是 guigna ( Leopardus guigna )，一种脆弱的森林栖息猫科动物。猫的家庭范围是可变的（1-47.2 公顷），它们的活动主要集中在家庭 100 米内，最大攻击距离可达 2.5 公里。猫使用树木繁茂的地区（平均 12% 的修复），主要是原生森林，其中记录了与地方性和/或受威胁物种的空间重叠。尽管如此，在附近的保护区（1.7% 的 GPS 位置和 1% 的摄像机）很少发现猫。林地的使用与家庭到森林边缘的距离密切相关，而家庭范围与房屋密度呈负相关。我们的研究结果表明，在与家庭隔离的地区 (>200 m），猫的问题是边缘的，仅限于边缘。管理方面普遍存在缺陷，只有 13% 的猫遵守节育措施，86% 的猫缺乏预防性保健。随着智利南部土地细分的增加，猫的影响可能会加剧，如果没有人口控制策略，猫可能会成为对本地野生动物的紧急威胁。