University of Georgia researcher Kerry Ann Lloyd looked at cat behavior closely and what she found wasn't pretty. When they are prowling freely around the neighborhood, domestic cats are often doing what comes naturally.
In an article just released by USA Today, George Fenwick, head of the American bird Conservancy, is quoted as saying that cat predation is a significant reason why one in three American bird species are in decline.
There are about 74 million house cats in the US. Of that total, according to Kerry Ann Lloyd's findings, about 30% kill prey - two animals per week on average.
My wife and I have a home in an area that should attract a lot of birds. We have feeders out for them and a pond and a bird bath with water for them. We just don't see them. I'm hardly suggesting that house cats are the principle cause of song birds being absent in a place where one would expect to see alot of them. Loss of habitat is probably the biggest factor. But cats will be cats. And if one in three of 74 million cats are out hunting and killing two critters a week, that translates to about 50 million kills every week. In a year, we're talking about 2.6 billion birds, rodents, and other prey species that are lost to the world, just from house cats.
Again, I want to affirm that I really like cats. I'm not suggesting that people should get rid of their cats. They can be wonderful pets. I am suggesting that responsible cat ownership means taking steps to limit the cat's ability to hunt successfully. One way would be to keep them in the house more often than not. That would make a difference. Another way could be as simple as putting a bell around the cat's neck. That would make it harder for the cat to stalk its prey successfully.
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| Kittycam |
Here is a POV video from University of Georgia researcher Kerry Ann Lloyd that shows some cats wearing tiny 'kitty cams', doing their thing while on the prowl.
http://bcove.me/zks50jd1
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