Research overview: felid predation and disease dynamics in prey

An overview of how predation by cats can influence the spread and prevalence of disease in their prey populations. By selectively removing sick, weak or behaviorally abnormal individuals, predators may cull infected animals and reduce transmission, the so-called healthy-herds hypothesis, though under some conditions predation can also intensify or have negligible effects on disease. This survey synthesizes theory and evidence on selective predation of diseased prey by pumas, lions and other felids, the conditions under which predators dampen epidemics, and the implications for managing wildlife disease such as chronic wasting disease in deer. It connects predator-prey ecology to epidemiology. The topic explores an underappreciated ecosystem service of predators, whereby cats may help regulate pathogen dynamics in the ungulate and other prey they hunt.