Kitty Vs. Tweety Millions Of Well-Fed Domestic Cats Are Wreaking Havoc On Native Birds

Few subjects raise as many hackles among cat owners as the accusation that domestic cats are responsible for the decimation of world bird populations.

Cat owners exhibit serious denial about the hunting prowess of their beloved Fluffy, even when they are dedicated birders or conservationists. Recent studies in the United States and Great Britain confirm dramatically that domestic cats, including those fed daily at home, are devastating to birds.

Felis catus was domesticated about 6,000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians, and though bred for pest eradication, cats were treated like gods in that culture and worshipped for their fertility. Though Europeans brought cats to the New World in colonial times, domestic cats were introduced to this country en masse in the 1800’s to help control mice and rat populations around grain storage facilities. Since the 15th century, cats have been responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species, worldwide. Only habitat destruction has caused more bird extinctions than domestic cats.

Stan Temple, professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at the University of Wisconsin, focused a four-year study of the impact of free-ranging domestic cats on rural wildlife. The study found that cats may kill 38 million songbirds and 160,000 game birds in Wisconsin in a single year.

That makes house cats the No. 1 killer of game birds in Wisconsin - ahead of hunters.

Tom Juelson, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife diversity expert, suspects the same is true in Washington.

Temple found that 78 percent of the residents in rural Wisconsin have more than four free-ranging cats per household, totaling a density of 114 cats per square mile for some counties.

Madison, Wis., has a density of 1,295 cats per square mile.

Temple’s study confirms findings of a 1987 British study that horrified cat lovers, and bird lovers.

Peter Church and John Lawton followed and recorded the predatory habits of 78 house cats living in Bedfordshire, England. Church asked his neighbors to gather their cats “trophies” and preserve them in plastic bags.

Allowing that cats typically bring home about 50 percent of their kills, the researchers estimated Britain’s 5 million house cats kill 20 million birds annually.

The 60 million pet cats living in U.S. households probably kill more than 1.5 billion birds each year. The magnitude of that number becomes more sobering when you factor in scientists’s estimates that the country holds another 60 million feral cats. Feral cats are those unfortunate pets that get dumped or abandoned by irresponsible owners.

Cat populations introduced to island ecosystems have been particularly devastating to bird populations that have never developed defenses against ground predators.

Scientists in Australia have been working to develop a deadly virus to introduce into colonies of feral cats. Shooting, trapping and poison baits have also been tried.

The San Clemente Island loggerhead shrike is one of the most endangered sub-species in North America, with only 18 birds left. Feral cats have infiltrated the shrike’s tiny island off the coast of San Diego, and scientists are worried. In April, scientists found a shrike leg still wearing an identification band in cat feces on the island.

On the mainland, cats have an enormous effect on ground-feeding and ground-nesting birds. A study by Cornell University found the No. 1 bird species killed by cats at bird feeders was the dark-eyed junco. The American goldfinch and rufous-sided towhee are also frequent prey. Mountain bluebirds, Idaho’s state bird, are also heavily impacted by cat predation.

Wildlife rehabilitators in Washington report that 17 percent of all animals rehabilitated were injured by cats.

Researchers at Cornell also studied the top predators at bird feeders. The sharp-shinned hawk led the pack, followed by domestic cats.

Howard Ferguson, state urban wildlife biologist in Spokane, said that “puts cats in direct competition with accipters like the sharp-shinned hawk and the Cooper’s hawk.”

Solving the problem of cats preying on songbirds could be simple. However, the topic often becomes emotional for cat owners.

Juelson said on the Internet Listserv discussion group “Tweeters,” the subject comes up every few months or so and usually “erupts into a flaming war.”

Lines are often drawn between cat lovers and cat haters. Cat owners have trouble taking the first step of owning up to the problem.

Cat owners are particularly sensitive when someone suggests they restrict the freedom of their pets. It’s hard enough to convince them of the need to neuter their pets. A single female cat and her progeny may produce hundreds of thousands of cats over a lifetime.

More than 8 million cats are destroyed by animal shelters every year. Even more cats are abandoned.

Cat owners need to keep their pets inside. A kitten raised indoors will never know the difference. Older cats raised as indoor/outdoor cats will have more difficulty adjusting to a life indoors, but even restricting your cat’s time outdoors will help protect wildlife.

If you have an older cat that is not adjusting well to being inside, keep it inside in the morning and evening, when bird species are on the move, and let it out in the middle of the day. A minimal compromise is to keep your cat confined indoors during nesting season, between late April and early August.

Many myths need to be addressed and dispelled regarding house cats. Here are a few.

Myth: Cats are part of the natural world.

Fact: Domestic cats were introduced to North America and are not part of the natural cycle. This introduced predator upsets the natural balance. Eric Larsen, state wildlife biologist in Olympia, called the domestic cat “no more natural than a milk cow or laying hen.”

Myth: Putting a bell on your cat’s collar will save birds.

Fact: Cats hunt by stealth and may learn to hunt without ringing the bell, recent studies have found. The bell is only effective when your cat is walking, and cats hunt from a crouched position and strike so quickly the bell may not ring in time to alert the bird. Although some veterinarians say bells are effective, there’s little proof.

Myth: Birds are safe from cats that have been de-clawed.

Fact: Even de-clawed cats are adept at batting birds out of the air. A bird is rarely killed by being clawed, but by being bitten.

Myth: Well-fed cats don’t kill birds.

Fact: Most domesticated cats don’t kill from hunger, but to satisfy an ancient hunting instinct. Desmond Morris, curator of mammals at the London Zoo and author of “Cat-Watching,” said it is a common misconception that if you keep your cat hungry he will be a better mouser.

“The urge to hunt is independent of the urge to eat,” he explains.

Tom Juelson agreed: “Better fed cats are the most prolific hunters because they aren’t desperate, they can afford to be patient.”

Safety is probably the most compelling reason to keep your pet indoors. Coeur d’Alene veterinarian Steve Lindsay said cats kept indoors have a better chance at a good long life.

“The average outdoor cat lives two to three years,” Lindsay said, “while an indoor cat might live to be 11 or 12 years or more.”

An outdoor cat will need to see the veterinarian more often than an indoor cat, which means higher vet bills.

Beyond your front door, a cat faces numerous dangers. Being struck by cars is the leading cause of death for outdoor cats.

Other dangers include attacks by dogs and other cats, mean people and parasites, which can be passed on to humans.

Two diseases that kill large numbers of cats every year are feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. Both diseases are transmitted from cat to cat. Rabies and toxoplasmosis are diseases which may be picked up by outside cats and transmitted to humans.

Poisons on chemically treated lawns, bait left out for mice and rats, and auto anti-freeze are just a few of the toxins to which the outdoor cat is exposed.

Recognizing that cats kill birds in alarming numbers is an important step for those who love cats.

If their populations were controlled, cats might enjoy more universal admiration and respect, even from those who are blinded to their attributes by the statistics proving their harmful effects on wildlife.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TIPS FOR KEEPING CATS INDOORS * Cats are more content when they have a companion. Two cats are no more trouble than one. * Make sure your cat has plenty of toys. Cut paw-size holes in a shoe box, put a few ping pong balls in it and tape on the lid. Simple toys such as this keep cats occupied. * Set aside time each day to play with your cat. Use this time to play with items too dangerous to leave laying around, like string. Tie a catnip mouse to the string and exercise your cat by making him jump for the lure. * Groom your pet once a week to minimize shedding and to keep it free of hair balls. * Provide a scratching post so your cat may shed old claws. Also provide carpeted cat furniture for them to climb for exercise. * Provide fresh greens daily for your cat. Grass is essential to a cat’s digestive system. Seed is available at most pet stores, and is easy to grow. Keep a pot of freshly grown grass by your cat’s food bowl so can he graze at his convenience. Don’t place the grass with your other potted plants, as they may be toxic. * If you don’t have deep window sills, place a shelf under a window or two so your cat may look out. A window that looks out on a bird feeder will provide hours of entertainment for your cat - but the birds are safe. * Harnesses are available to allow pet owners to take cats for walks. It takes a little getting used to, but cats will eventually become accustomed to a leash. Tethering cats outside unattended subjects a cat to dangers from dogs or owls. * New clumping cat litters control odors and make clean-up easy. Accidents in the house are rare with a clean cat box.