By Kelsey Feighner
It’s that time of year again where Wildside starts getting crowded with all kinds of animals! Sometimes we get asked what brings animals to our doors, needing our care. While there are many circumstances that cause trouble for wildlife, many people are surprised to learn that the number one reason we receive wildlife is due to domestic animal attacks, especially cat attacks. Feral and outdoor cats are a major issue for wildlife, particularly for babies. How does your furry friend just enjoying an afternoon exploring and maybe killing a mouse or two add up to major problems for wildlife? Well, it’s quite a bit more extensive than most people imagine.
Danger to Wildlife
Let’s go over some statistics first. There’s around 74 million cats owned in the United States. About 50% of those cats are probably indoor/outdoor cats. There’s also estimated to be around 50 million feral cats in the US, though exact numbers would be difficult to get. According to a study done with small cameras attached to the collars of the cats, about 44% of the cats hunted when let outside. If you apply that percentage to the totals of indoor/outdoor cats and feral cats, along with the average of two animals killed per week found by the Kitty Cams study that means owned cats may be killing around 2.1 billion animals every year, and feral cats add another 6.7 billion animals!
Reptiles & Amphibians
Previous studies done on cat hunting were based on the carcasses the cats brought home, which were mostly mammals. The Kitty Cams study found that the demographic killed most by the cats were reptiles and amphibians, which were eaten or left at the site of capture. This is a major issue because reptiles and especially amphibians are already dealing with numerous other threats, mostly human-caused. Climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution are all taking an enormous toll on these overlooked animals. As it is, we may lose many of our amphibians and small reptiles due to the irreversible changes that have already happened. Having cats hunt these little critters only worsens the problem.
Mammals
The second groups most killed by the cats in this study were indeed mammals such as shrews, mice, voles, and bunnies. While it’s true that these animals are often plentiful due to their high breeding rate, they’re not infinite. If enough cats are hunting in the area (such as with colonies of feral cats), it’s entirely likely that populations of small mammals in that area could be extirpated completely. Small mammals are typically the main prey item of many other wildlife such as opossums, foxes, birds of prey, coyotes, weasels, and more. If cats wipe out the populations of prey in the area, many of the larger wildlife that depend on them for food will either have to move to find different territory or face starvation. They don’t have the option of finding a friendly doorstep that has a bowl of kibble left out like cats do. Without their usual prey item, these animals could become “pests” themselves, venturing closer to human houses in order to prey on domestic pets (like those outdoor cats!) or livestock such as chickens and ducks.
Songbirds
While songbirds were the least-preyed-upon group, that they’re being killed at all is still a major issue. Songbirds caught by cats are usually fledglings, the stage where baby birds are feathered and becoming more independent, but still unable to fly. They’re usually found on the ground, which is where they should be, but unfortunately it makes them much more vulnerable to predation. Though the parents are often watching over them and keeping them fed, there’s little they can do against a hunting cat. Songbirds do lay numerous eggs in a clutch, but they produce far less young in a year than small mammals do. In addition, songbirds face numerous other threats such as tall buildings (especially during migrations), other native predators, cars, starvation, disease, etc. As with amphibians, one problem may not be a huge issue, but multiple problems all at once takes its toll and leads to extinctions.
Common Myths
Myth: Cats won’t hunt if they’re well fed.
Cats still follow their instincts to chase and capture small, quickly-moving things, whether or not they’re hungry. In the Kitty Cams study, the cats only ate 28% of their kills. Nearly 50% of the kills were simply left at the capture site. Other wild cats may also play-hunt and kill when not hungry. However, since these cats don’t receive free food from humans, they do usually end up eating their prey, and the play hunting serves to keep their reactions and techniques in practice. Domestic cats have no need to hunt prey for food or for practice. They’re often fed by humans and their instincts can be much better practiced on a variety of toys.
Myth: My cat doesn’t bring home any carcasses, so it probably doesn’t hunt.
While this one could definitely be true, since around half of cats that are let outdoors likely don’t hunt, you can’t necessarily prove that your cat is one of these just because it never brings anything home. Keep in mind that plenty of kills get left at the site of capture, or the cats eat them. Unless you have your cat in sight at all times when they’re outside, it’s possible that they may be hunting wildlife.
Myth: My cat doesn’t kill what it catches, just plays with it, and then lets it go. It should be fine, right?
Even if an animal is not outright killed by a cat, it’s still extremely likely to die. Stress from being captured can easily kill a wild animal, especially juveniles or infants. To add to that, cat bites are extremely dangerous (even for humans!) due to bacteria in the mouth and the sharpness of their canine teeth. Puncture wounds from cat teeth are small, but deep, making it very easy for bacteria to get caught and infect the animal. Scratches are also very likely to cause infection. If you take an animal away from your cat and let it go, it’s almost certain to die anyway. The best course of action is to bring the animal to a wildlife rehab center as soon as possible, where we immediately start cat-caught animals on antibiotics to prevent infection.
Myth: Cats aren’t as domesticated as dogs, so they need free access to the outdoors.
Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, though not as long as dogs. They are considered completely domesticated, though, and they no longer have a native habitat. Their native habitat is with humans, in a human home, and only taken outside under supervision, just like dogs.
Myth: It’s cruel to keep cats inside.
Cats can be perfectly happy inside if given the proper toys, furniture, and time. Cats should have at least two 15- minute play times each day, best done right before they eat, to simulate hunting, then eating a kill. They should also have high places to climb and lounge on, such as cat towers and shelves and cabinets. Make sure any levels provided for cats are safely secured and can take the cat’s weight. Cats should have access to at least one shelf or other resting place next to a window so they can look outside from a safe location. This will also help keep them away from sliding glass doors, where they may escape once the door is opened. You can provide further mental stimulation by hanging a bird feeder or two within sight of the window where their perch is located.
If given the proper stimulation and environment, even previously feral or outdoor cats can be very happy inside once they get used to the new routine. If your cat is still having behavior or temperament issues due to being kept inside, or if you want to provide them with a safe way to enjoy the outdoors, you can train your cat to accept a harness and leash for outdoor time, or you can build an enclosure for them to enjoy being outside in. There are many different designs and plans for enclosures of all different materials and costs online. Just make sure the enclosure is completely enclosed, the fencing or wiring is safe and sturdy enough to contain your cat, and never leave your cat in the enclosure overnight unless it’s also completely predator-proofed (which includes making sure it’s also secured underneath).
Danger to Cats
Many people believe their cats are safer outside on their own than dogs because they’re more cautious and less likely to go looking for trouble. This is not true at all. If anything, there are potentially more threats to cats due to their smaller size. Some of the outdoor threats to cats include:
– Hit by cars
– Harassment or attack from unfriendly humans
– Fights with other cats
– Attacks by dogs or wildlife
– Diseases and parasites from other animals
– Poisoning via trash, captured prey, antifreeze, etc.
– Becoming lost and unable to get back home
This is a relatively short list of the many possible fates that could befall an outdoor cat. Many of them would result in the death of the cat, often painful and/or slow. Even if you vaccinate your cat and give them worming medication every month, there’s still a chance they could contract something, and there are not vaccinations for everything. Keep in mind that some of these diseases and parasites can easily be passed on to you, your family, and other pets as well. While not all outdoor cats may end up in any of these situations, it’s very common, and in general, outdoor cats have half the expected lifespan of indoor cats. If you love your cat and wish to be a responsible, caring owner, you’ll keep them safe and keep them inside. Letting your cat outside unattended is not responsible in the least, and is a hazard for both the cat and wildlife. Please make the best decision for everyone and everything involved in this situation and keep your furry friends inside! The wildlife in your area and everyone here at Wildside would thank you, and best of all, your cat would thank you too!
Sources:
– Outdoor threats to cats: http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/indoor-cats-vs-outdoor-cats.html
– Cat ownership statistics: https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Statistics/Pages/Market-research-statistics-US-pet-ownership.aspx
– Kitty Cams study: http://www.kittycams.uga.edu/research.html
– How to help manage & care for feral cats: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/feral_cats/tips/what_you_can_do_for_ferals.html
– More about outdoor cats & the issues involved: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/2011/01-02/peaceable_backyard_kingdom_protect_cats_wildlife_01032011.html