Research overview: artificial light at night and nocturnal felid ecology

Artificial light at night is a pervasive feature of cities that can disrupt the nocturnal felids most reliant on darkness for hunting and movement. This overview synthesises research on how light pollution alters predator and prey behaviour, visibility and habitat use, and the likely consequences for cats that shift to nocturnality precisely to avoid daytime human activity yet then encounter a brightly lit night. It examines avoidance of lit areas, effects on hunting success, and interactions with prey that are themselves light-sensitive. The synthesis frames artificial light as an emerging and understudied stressor that may constrain the very temporal refuge urban felids depend upon.