Research overview: functional response models in felid predation

A survey of how Holling's functional-response framework is applied to cats to describe how their per-capita kill rate changes with prey density. Most felids are thought to show a saturating Type II response, killing more as prey increases until handling time limits the rate, while prey switching among multiple species can produce a sigmoid Type III response with stabilizing potential. This overview synthesizes empirical functional-response estimates, notably from lynx-hare studies, the challenges of measuring kill rates in the field, and how functional and numerical responses combine to determine total predation pressure and whether predators can regulate prey. It connects mechanistic predation theory to felid kill-rate data. The topic is fundamental to modeling cat-prey dynamics and assessing the stability of predator-prey systems.