Farmers in Devon, England, are being asked to take part in research by the University of Exeter on the reintroduction of wildcats.

They have been requested to complete a survey, which will help inform the viability of reintroducing wildcats in Devon.

The questionnaire asks about how many cats live on the farm, where they came from and about their group structure, behaviour and condition.

It also asks about their breeding patterns and any care a human might provide for them.

For this study, farm cats are defined as cats that live on a farm but are not commonly treated as pet cats. They do not live in the house and may live with or without human care.

The research, led by Sian Moody from the University of Exeter, is a key part of a larger study taking place which is examining whether wildcats, also known as woodcats, could return to the southwest of England.

The project team said it is important to understand how wildcats and farm, street, stray and feral cats might interact. Very little is known about the presence and activities of farm cats, so the results of the questionnaire will provide new insights.

Wildcats became extinct in England around 200 years ago, but Devon - with its woods and hedgerows - could be an ideal place to reintroduce them and this might help to boost the county’s biodiversity, the researchers said.

Feasibility report

The results will be used as part of the South West Wildcat Project’s wider feasibility report, which will be submitted to Natural England later in the year for review.

Moody said it is extremely important to understand how suitable the southwest of England actually is for wildcats.

“[This] includes looking at social and ecological aspects, but also gauging the risk of hybridisation between wildcats and cats.

“This has been a key threat for wildcats in Scotland, but elsewhere in Europe it hasn’t been as much of an issue.

“We need to understand how cats use rural spaces in the southwest, so the aim of this survey is to get a sense of how many farm cats there are in Devon, their movements and whether they are neutered and vaccinated.

“Because farm cats are not pets or owned, there isn’t really any data on them. We hope those with farms and smallholdings will take part in this research,” she added.