[Johnny Wadd]

Cats are one of the top threats to US wildlife, killing billions of animals each year, a study suggests.

The authors estimate they are responsible for the deaths of between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds and 6.9-20.7 billion mammals annually.

Writing in Nature Communications, the scientists said stray and feral cats were the worst offenders.

However, they added that pet cats also played a role and that owners should do more to reduce their impact.

The authors concluded that more animals are dying at the claws of cats in the United States than in road accidents, collisions with buildings or poisonings.

The domestic cat's killer instinct of has been well documented on many islands around the world.

Felines accompanying their human companions have gone on to decimate local wildlife, and they have been blamed for the global extinction of 33 species.

But their impact on the mainland has been harder to chart.

To find out more, researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service carried out a review of studies that had previously looked at the predatory prowess of cats.

Their analysis revealed that the cat killings were much higher than previous studies had suggested: they found that they had killed more than four times as many birds as has been previously estimated.

Birds native to the US, such as the American Robin, were most at risk, and mice, shrews, voles, squirrels and rabbits were the mammals most likely to be killed.

Dr Pete Marra from the SCBI said: "Our study suggests that they are the top threat to US wildlife."

The team said that "un-owned" cats, which they classified as strays, feral cats and farm cats, were killing about three times as many animals as pet cats, but that their owners could do more to limit the impact.

Dr Marra said: "We hope that the large amount of wildlife mortality indicated by our research convinces some cat owners to keep their cats indoors and that it alerts policymakers, wildlife managers and scientists to the large magnitude of wildlife mortality caused by cat predation."

A spokeswoman for the UK's animal welfare charity the RSPCA said that a properly fitted collar and bell could reduce a cat's success when hunting by at least a third.

[Megamel29]

I think it's awful to let any pet roam around outside, unattended. Some people get tired of having their cat and just put it outside for it to fend for itself. If it isn't fixed it ends up breeding with another stray and the stray cat population soars as generations breed with other generations. It's awful. My cats stay indoors and they are also both fixed.

[Johnny Wadd]

I know a shit load of people who don't like dogs but at least a dog NORMALY shits in its own garden.

Cats shit all over every OTHER cunts gardens but NEVER in their own,and it fucking stinks like only cat shit can.

I still like pussies though

[Megamel29]

Originally Posted by Johnny Wadd ↗

I know a shit load of people who don't like dogs but at least a dog NORMALY shits in its own garden.

Cats shit all over every OTHER cunts gardens but NEVER in their own,and it fucking stinks like only cat shit can.

I still like pussies though

Fortunately, my cats use the litter box. I try to keep it clean, but they sure don't waste any time stinking it up.

[Kanda444]

i know a few farmers on the Washington coast that hire people to come in and hunt the feral cats on their land. they kill the chickens and local birds there.....when i found that out, i thought it was just a sick way to shoot some cats or something but i didnt realize it was this big of an issue!!

[Sharon]

I'd make it law for owners to put a collar with a bell on them if it will significantly reduce fatalities.

[Sharon]

Contribution to the thread by Sharon.:

bellcollar.jpg

[Megamel29]

Originally Posted by Sharon. ↗

I'd make it law for owners to put a collar with a bell on them if it will significantly reduce fatalities.

It should be illegal to let them outside unattended. I mean, most places have leash laws for dogs. Why should people be allowed to let their cats roam free?

[K9Grip]

Originally Posted by Megamel29 ↗

It should be illegal to let them outside unattended. I mean, most places have leash laws for dogs. Why should people be allowed to let their cats roam free?

Mine are indoor cats as well. I don't and have never let my dogs roam free and it's bullshit when people do. Cats do a lot of damage to vehicles as well, my neighbors are currently in a heated dispute over 4 very large scratches on her new Camry. Apparently, the cats owner thinks that the whole neighborhood is their cats territory, thus, it's not their problem financially. Makes zero sense. Where I live, you are legally allowed to shoot any animal that roams on your property. They are lucky the cat is still alive.

[ices]

Originally Posted by Sharon. ↗

I'd make it law for owners to put a collar with a bell on them if it will significantly reduce fatalities.

Nope, doesn't work.


Cats are smarter than that. I have a bird killer for a cat and let me tell you, he knew how to get around a bell, even the more advanced bells.

The only solution is to make it harder for a cat to prey on birds.

Having food on the floor is cat territory.

Having stuff where a cat can hide is only making it easier.

If you make it difficult for a cat to hunt they will not kill as often.

The monkeys in India pester Tigers when they are roaming and other animals hear this call and run away.