Cats are one of the most popular pet animals around the world. Everyday great amount of people watch videos or look at photos about these incredible creatures on the Internet. It seems that everybody knows everything about their life but is it really the truth? Do we take enough care about them? Some people still let their pets go out alone and become free-ranging domestic cats but they usually aren’t aware what exactly can happen with their little friends or what they do to our environment. Here I want to share with you some threats and fallouts of free-ranging cats’ life.
Hunters
Every year billions of mammals and birds become a prey of cats’ hunting. Unfortunately, our little friends still have an predator’s instincts and they need to use their skills. Usually we can bare with it by playing with proper toys but free-ranging cats prefer other way. This lethal creatures hunt just for the sport of it and they often don’t eat their prize, it’s not necessary. In the USA over approximately 2 billions birds and 12 billions mammals are killed by cats yearly. This phenomena caused extinction of some birds species, for example Socorro Dove (the west coast of Mexico).
Blackbird is one of the most popular cat's prey in Poland
(Nature Photographers Ltd/WTML)
Victims
Cats are not only predators, they can become a victim also. Every year a lot of cats die in car accidents. Moreover, some of them can be shot or poisoned by human and get killed by other animals. Free-ranging pets also suffer a much higher incidence of injury, parasites, and disease. Usually cat’s disease are not dangerous for people, but not all of them. For example, Toxoplasmosis may lead to deafness, seizures, mental retardation, blindness, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s Disease, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, memory loss, multi-organ failure, and even death.
Life Cycle of Toxoplasma
How can you help?
It would be more than enough if all cat’s owners kept their pets at home. Nowadays, there is a plenty of screens for doors and windows to not let animal goes out and insects come in. In addition, special harness can be used. It is safe and comfortable for our little friends. A lot of people around the world travel with their cats, they even climb together.
(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/92/8f/6c/928f6ca3f5eaa94eec9ebf0663a34afa.jpg)
If you have any animal remember to take proper care about it and keep it healthy and safe. Thank you for attention.
Questions
1. Do you own a cat? Do you let it go outside alone?
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
Comments
2. No, to be honest I have never heard about such a big impact of cats on the environment , like for example the extinctions of a bird’s species. It sounds strange, because cats don’t seem to be as numerous to be able to make such difference.
3. If we are talking about cats, I think that absolutely all homeless cats and dogs and those which go outside alone should be castrated. That way the number of homeless pets will decrease which will reduce the suffering of them and their potential victims.
2. No, I've never heard about the impact cats have on the environment, quite interesting observations. I feel like it's just a natural selection.
3. I'm not an animal specialist so it's hard for me to come up with any idea. Let the animal right activists do their job in the case :)
I don't have any animals. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to animal hair. I once had a hamster.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
That's how I know and understand this threat. In the past, cats were kept to hunt mice and rats. But there's a big difference. Cats used to hunt another species of rat, namely The Black rat. But the Black Rat, was almost completely replaced by the Peregrine Rat, which is almost twice as big. Nowadays, it is mainly smaller mammals and birds that fall victim to the cat. According to experts from Poland alone, 48.1 million small mammals and 8.9 million birds per year fall victim to cats. Therefore, it can be safely stated that at least 20 percent of cat victims are protected species.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
The birds should have a place where they could take refuge. A lot of buildings used to have thatched roofs. Houses had more holes and birds had places to live. Nowadays all such places where birds could live are being liquidated.
2. I knew that something like this must exist. However, I didn't know it was such a serious problem. It seems to me that stopping cats from attacking other animals is a bit unnatural thing - against the forces of nature.
3. First, each animal should be identified in some way. So that you can easily find the owner. Secondly, all stray dogs and cats should be caught. It is also important to punish owners who abandon their pets. In addition, you should not feed wild animals including birds - they will do very well (of course, I mean all seasons of the year, except in winter). Feeding animals that live in the wild makes them less cautious.
Yes, I have a cat. We live in a flat on the sixth floor and we have never let it go outside at all. However, from spring to autumn my family spends weekends in the summer cottage, where we can allow our cat to walk near the house, but it has never happened without somebody.
2. Have you ever heard about the cat’s impact on the environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, I was aware of the impact you mentioned in the presentation. In my native city, there are a lot of homeless cats. And it is common to see a dove killed by a cat. Also, some cats can be killed by homeless dogs :(
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I think, first of all, homeless cats and dogs must be taken to animal shelters. And there should be some rules on the government level to avoid the situation when the owners scoff at the pets or drive them out into the street.
2. No, I have never heard about this. It is really interesting, I guess I have never thought that cats can turn out to be so harmful when it comes to birds and mammals’ extinction. It should be widely spread among cat lovers’ societies, vets and stuff!
3. I think that by spreading awareness, that cats can cause problems to maintaining well-balanced ecosystem. Maybe it would resonate with some people and prompt those of them who care about the enviroment to change their – spend more stimulating and valuable time with their pets instead of letting them wander around the city.
I had a cat and I used to let him go outside. I regard it as a little torture to keep cat only at home, far from its natural habitat.
2. Have you ever heard about the cat’s impact on the environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, I have heard about it. But it's nothing new, that's how nature works. Cats are somewhere in the animal's Piramide so they eat and they are being eaten.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I don't think that we have to do anything with that. If these birds and mammals can't be clever enough not to be eaten, then they don't know how to survive. And it isn't because of cats as if not these small predators, then another animal would eat such a careless bird/mammal.
Yes, I have raised cats for 20 years, and now I have about 10 cats in my house. The oldest cat I had ever raised was 16 years old, but he died a few years ago. I never let my cats leave the house alone, unless they accidentally escape, but I will catch them back soon.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, because it happened in my house few times before, I took a stray cat home, he liked to kill birds, he didn't kill them for eating, but for fun. What is more, once he killed a bird, held it in his mouth, and walked to my bed to give me the bird as a gift. I also like birds a lot, so I set up a bunch of protective measures in my home and on the roof, trying not to let the birds fly in.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
Don't catch them, free them. Especially parrots, they need friends, if they live alone in cage, they are likely to suffer from depression.
I don`t have a cat, but if i had a one I would not let it go outside alone as I think that is careless behavious and we are responsible for our little friends. Sometimes I see my neighbours` cats walking around and I am not sure if this cat is homeless or somebody`s and want to feed it. What if people try to feed with something not fresh or poisoned.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
I haven`t heard, wasn`t just too much into this topic, however these observations are quite interesting and good to know. I heard about diseases mentioned in the article.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I think which just need to take good care about our pets and support bird conservation.
I don't have a cat. I wish I had a dog! Bernese Mountain Dog <3
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
I haven't heard about it before, so I am grateful I could get to know something about this topic. This is very interesting what was mentioned in this article.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
Let them go wherever they want to go. We can also teach people that there should be something allowed as hunting animals...
2) I didn't hear about this exact phenomenon, but I think the problem is when cats are not feeding themselves with their prey, but hunting just for fun. My friend has a cat and it only lives outside and hunts by itself. He does not need to feed it. But if a cat was living at home and was let outside that is true, that hunting will be fun for a cat, but food given at home will be probably better.
3) I think we shall control the areas that are devoted to nature. We should care about forests and see if their size is not shrinking. Here, in Poland, I think it is not a problem. I only know about borers in Puszcza Białowieska which is very dangerous and ecologists had forbidden to cut the sick trees, which resulted in yet worse consequences. We also have a problem with people who, with premeditation or not, arson the fields and can't control the fire. It can easily burn much more than an arsonist expected.
I own 2 cats, but both of them are rescue cats - before I adopted them they were already “adult” and both used to spending most of their time outdoors, thus I just couldn’t make them stay at home the whole time.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, I was aware of this. My cats would always leave their victims on the doormat - birds, mice, moles or fish from our fishpond. As you mentioned in the article - they do it for sport, I’ve never seen them eat any of their victims. I know it’s cruel and seems pointless, but it’s their nature and there’s nothing I can do to prevent this - maybe except from locking them at home, but as I mentioned above, it’s not possible.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
People should spay their pets.
Yes, I do. My cat is called Leunia. She is black nad very inteligent. My family allow her to go outside. We have home with garden. Leunia always return home when she want eat or be stroked. She love eating dry food.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
To be honest, I have never heard about cat’s impact on environment. I learnt something new. Very interesting article.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
From school I have learnt about food chain. Cats have its own chain. To protect animals that existence is under threat we need to separate them form cats. We need create environment where they can live in peace.
No, I do not like animals at all actually.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, in fact in Australia, for example, cats (that were never native to the continent) entirely exterminated some rare species of parrots, rodents and other rare animals. They are natural born predators.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
Exterminate humans, that would be the most effective protection. Not for the mammals but for the entire ecosystem.
1. I do not have a cat, because I do not have the right conditions to keep in the apartment, I just have a small apartment. But in the future I would love to have a British Golden Chinchilla cat.
2. No, I have never heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text. To be honest, I am a little confused. I just would never expect that cats can contribute to the extinction of birds and mammals.
3. It seems to me that the main reason for the extinction of some animals are people and we should take care of it. But in what way? Tightening regulations and intensifying controls.
No I don't, but i had a cat. Our cat named Kicia came to our house by itself. We took her in, but she prefered to stay outside so we built her house and she lived at our terrace.
She was free all the time and she gave birth to several small cats twice a year.
That was not a problem that she lived outside, even dogs were scared of her.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
No I haven't, but I observed this on my cat's case. She brought a dead bird to show off.
That was awful, but that's how nature works.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
Maybe stopping the deforestation would be helpful.
2. To be honest no, I haven't. I've heard that cats can bring some "gifts" to it's owner but I have never had a cat so I couldn't observe it by myself.
3. Care about ecosystem, forest, nature in general. Also I'd reccomend getting a cat from animal shelter to at least help less fortunate cats
2. I would only say that I have bought a cat, because of this impact. I live on a countryside so mouse are everywhere. Beside taking care of them, cats are also really warm spirits.
3. In my opinion there is no need for protection them from themself. We can think about reducing humans negative influence on their environment.
I don’t own a cat but if I had I probably would let it go outside alone somehow I just can't imagine myself walking a cat on a leash.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
No never but looking at how many species of animals are dying out, I'm not surprised at this and this whole cycle of life of parasites they are only part of this cycle so if not them then they will be replaced by something else.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I don’t know, they are part of nature they die when they die and life when they life
No I don't, but i had a cat. Our cat named Kicia came to our house by itself. We took her in, but she prefered to stay outside so we built her house and she lived at our terrace.
She was free all the time and she gave birth to several small cats twice a year.
That was not a problem that she lived outside, even dogs were scared of her.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
To be honest no, I haven't. I've heard that cats can bring some "gifts" to it's owner but I have never had a cat so I couldn't observe it by myself.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
It seems to me that the main reason for the extinction of some animals are people and we should take care of it. But in what way? Tightening regulations and intensifying controls.
No, I don’t have a cat, but I have a dog. He is great, I have always wanted to have a dog rather than cat. I don’t have many experience with cats, I remember once I was trying to play with one and our "play" finishes with my arm all in blood.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
No, I have never heard about it, but I think it is natural that for example cat can help people who have problem with mice.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
The best way to avoid this situation is to take care of cat and don’t allow him to go outside by himself and take responsibility of that what is he doing. Last time I saw a cat on the leash, it looks really weird but maybe it is the way to protect birds.
2. No, I haven't heard of it, but I think you shouldn't worry about it. This is the nature and the end. I think it was called the "food chain" (I don't know if it's the correct English translation).
3. To be honest, I wouldn't do anything about it. This is the nature of animals. However, when it comes to pets, as the name suggests, they should be kept at home and not released into the yard.
I don't own a cat and never will. I am a dog person and apart from the fact that I am extremely allergic to cats, I am also deeply convinced that dogs are far more friendlier and intelligent than cats, sorry!
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, it is quite known that cats are hunting not only birds but also lizards etc.
Also, stray cats are carrying different diseases; I remember my friend telling me a story of how she went to Kotor city in Montenegro which was full of kittens and they gave her a weird fungus that she had to treat with prescribed medicine.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
First of all, adopt only dogs! Secondly, birds can be protected by creating wild animal reservations like the one that is currently being built in the north of Poland - an artificial island with no access for people so the birds can procreate undisturbed
No, I don't have a cat, but I have a dog! And I let him go outside alone only on my backyard. I walk my dog every day tho. I like having a dog now so I like going outside with him and watching him running in the bushes when pleases. If he notices he'll growl at me like his momma did and I have a ball in my hand which he picks up with his little nose before jumping up on me.
2. Have you ever heard about the cat’s impact on the environment mentioned in the text?
I didn't intentionally think about the matter, but I was aware of the given topic. In my opinion that is just natural that they hunt for themselves and humans just benefit from it.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
In my backyard, I've recently placed some nesting boxes in order to give a new home for the birds. In my opinion that is very helpful. Also I place some food and water for them to get them clean and healthy. And I've got a small forest so there are quite a lot of birds, so my method is quite effective.
No, unfortunately now I do not have a cat. But a few years ago I had a nice cat. He was always at home, almost did not go out. Therefore, it seemed to us that our pet is safe, and not subject to the influence of various external factors. We were calm for him.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, in fact, I know about the environmental impact of cats. But in most cases, this applies to wild cats or cats that spend most of their time outside the home. Then they have a huge impact on the food chain, since under such conditions they are able to hunt small rodents, birds and so on. Still, the instinct of the hunter is often expressed outside their home.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
In general, people should be careful about nature and the environment. That is, I think they should not interfere and spoil the atmosphere in the natural habitat of certain animals. Without human influence, harmony is settled in the animal kingdom.
1. Do you own a cat? Do you let it go outside alone?
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
1. I have two cats.
I found them on the road as they were very small - they were maybe about 2 weeks old.
Someone left them for certain death in the middle of the road. They were lucky that I noticed them while driving a car.
The cats were very sick - they had airways infections, all cat’s owners probably know how dangerous infections are. I thought they would not survive, but thanks to medication, my care and feeding from the syringe they managed to recover.
I was supposed to give them back, but taking care of healthy cats did not prove too demanding.
All you have to do is give them food and clean the litter box.
Today they are healthy, and maybe a little to fat .
I can't imagine letting them out alone. Even when I go outside with them, they remain close to me and are not interested in escaping.
2. Yes, homeless cats, especially those living on the outskirts of cities, have a tragic impact on animals such as birds and small mammals living there.
I have also heard that cats can also spread parasites and diseases to humans, so it's worth examining, deworming and vaccinating your cats and not letting them out.
3.In our climate zone you can feed the birds that stay for the winter and build / buy them houses and hang them on the trees.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
1. .No, I don't have a cat now, but I used to have a cat and I actually remember letting my cat out.
2. I have heard something before but only the very fact that cats as pets destroyed the ecosystem in Australia. I guessed that it was because of their natural instinct to hunt birds. Practically every interference of humans into the nature is not a general good idea, let alone "displacement" of species from one place to another without any thought.
3. I am not a specialist, but from what I think nature does best without the presence of man - in general. Unfortunately, but once we have permanently changed something in the ecosystem, our actions may even be required by another example such as the one with cats, which can be a massive python invasion in Florida, with which people are already stopping to cope at all.
Yes I have one and because he is wild cat that I adopted from the street he likes to spend time outside.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Some of yes, some of I was really supprised
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
To be honest it is subject for specialist not for free-thinkers like me
Yes, I have a cat. I don't let it go outside alone. Recently we placed him in my mother in law's house out of a city. It have there an opportunity to go outside, but I think it will not hunt, as he is 13 years old now, and is used to his previous lifestyle.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
I am not sure. I think I've heard but don't remember where.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I think caring about natural environment, forests and plants is very big part of protecting those animals.
My sister also recently bought a kitten. An expensive one. But God, he looks so freaking adorable. Totally worth the money.
2. I heard about this cat that was brought to a small island with its owner, biologist. During 1 year of his stay on the island his cat singlehandedly hunted all of the bird of particular species on that island. And so the bird went completely extinct.
3. I don't know. Not much can be done.
2.I didn't really ever think about it and it's really interesting. Cats are predators afterall.
3.I don't really know of any good methods of protecting birds and other mammals. I do think all the processes described in the text are natural and can't be avoided for the most part. It's nature and we shouldn't interfere with it too much. Cats are also very difficult to control :D
2. I've known that cats like to hunt birds and other animals, but i didn't realise it could have such a heavy impact on the environment. Now I'm glad that my cat stays at home all the time.
3. Sorry, i can't think of any good solution to the problem.
Yes, they don't seem to be but they are. Moreover, they are not native species in a lot of countries and they don't have natural enemies in these places, so they easily can kill great amount of small animals.
2. I once read somewhere that cats have quite a negative impact on our health or well-being. I know for sure that people with allergies or atopic dermatitis should not have cats in their homes. These pets are also dangerous for pregnant women. When it comes to environmental impact, I have never delved into this topic.
3. I am not good at this topic. I think that environment lovers will definitely come up with something.
I have two cats and I don’t let them go outside. I am planning to set up a net on my balcony so that they can stroll freely, but right now they are forbidden.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, I’ve heard. My vet told me about it a few times during my appointments.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
When it comes to cats and dogs – I’d say castration. Other animals – bypassing their habitats so that we don’t interfere with their lives and scare them, even accidentally.
No, I don't have a cat. But If I would have a cat I would let him go only on the balcony. I think letting your cat go outside is not safe. On the other hand, I have friends, whose cat freely goes outside and always returns.
2. Have you ever heard about the cat’s impact on the environment mentioned in the text?
About most of the topics I was aware of. I think it is natural, that they have some impact on the environment like killing birds, they are predators after all. But I think cat owners, should think one more time about letting their cats go outside.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
To be honest, I don't know. I am not so familiar with this topic and cannot negotiate very well on all of its aspects. I think cats are predators and it's their nature to hunt birds. So, maybe it's just natural, that they will hunt for birds. I think the bigger problem is the death of cats because of car accidents. This topic should be discussed more regularly
Unfortunately no, it's not. It could be a natural selection if domestic cat was native species in every country and lived only as a wild animal without human impact. The truth is most of cats originate from Egipt and was exported on ships with sailors as well as rats. They became popular around the globe because of protecting stores from rodents. Their presence in our environment is as natural as rabbit's expansion in Australia.
No, I do not own a cast, especially, because of the fact that they go outside and can disappear for a whole day. If I had one thought, I would certainly not keep it locked in the house for the whole time.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
No, I have not heard about it before. It sounds difficult to make all cats stay at home though, sounds like a lot of suffering for them. Maybe we can feed them so much they will lose their appetite for birds and other creatures.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
The harness that you mentioned seems like a very good idea to combine protecting the environment and letting your cat go outside. I can't really think of other ways.
As I said in previous comments, domestic or feral cats attacking wild animals are as natural as rabbits in Australia, they aren't. In Europe we have native wild predator which is equivalent of common cat. It is the Wildcat (in polish called "żbik", it is not the same as wild or feral cat), they are much bigger than ordinary domestic cats and live in forests. They eat small mammals, birds, fish and even young deers or lambs. Unlike African wildcats, our european Wildcat can't be tamed even as a kitten, because they become too shy and agressive as an adults, so it is believe they have had no impact or really small impact to domestic cat breeds.
In the cat lovers' societies, where I am or used to be, there are a lot of campaign about this topic and letting cats going out in general. I hope one day it will be well-known to everyone.
I agree that spreading awareness would be a great idea but I'm afraid ordinary people could not believe in it and some of them would still think that cats "need" to hunt for wild animals like the fuss about vaccines in Poland.
2. I think I did hear about birds being endangered by cat hunting. My parents live in the countryside so they do have a cat that is mostly outside and I remember that he really liked the hunting. It is almost impossible to teach the cat not to hunt. As you said, you can only keep cats inside the house so that they do not have an opportunity to hunt.
3. I can't really think of anything else that just paying attention to your pets and being careful on the streets as cats, especially those living in the countryside, tend to suddenly jump out onto the street right under the wheels. So even if you are travelling on empty streets, keep your speed low and focus on the road.
Yes. But not me, my parents have. I see my cat about 2 times per year. Parents said they dont let it go outside alone, but sometimes they get her to the beach.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Have heard about that in national geographic channel, maybe. Not sure. I think so.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I am not smart about how to protect somebody or something, (maybe dont even know how to protect myself in legal case) so i cant give any advices. I never was interested in this industry, maybe people should donate money to special place wich protects mammals.
I don't own a cat, but if I did I would never let it go outside alone knowing all of that.
2. Have you ever heard about cat’s impact on environment mentioned in the text?
Yes, I have heard about it, It's sad that people still let their cats outside to kill native animals when they have plenty of food at home.
3. What else can be done to protect birds and mammals?
I'm not really a supporter of any regulations, but I think that people should be educated about cats' impact on the environment, and if it doesn't help we should think about fines for letting cats outside if they can live inside.