Many cat owners give their cats unsupervised outdoor time for a variety of reasons. However, many owners do not know about the danger cats pose to birds and the danger that being outdoors poses to cats.
Photo by Jaques Gaimard via Pixabay
We know that cats love to hunt, either for a snack or to bring back as a gift for their favourite human. However, domestic cats are estimated to be responsible for at least 100 million songbird deaths a year, and many groups believe that this number is actually closer to 200 million birds a year. In Edmonton, the bird population has declined by more than 90% between 2001-2017. There are multiple factors that contribute to this decline, including loss of habitat and window collisions, but predation by cats remains the leading cause of bird population decrease. Even if your cat has a lot of food and toys at home, they are still a threat to songbird populations. Hunting is instinctive to cats and is not connected to hunger – cats will hunt regardless of when they had their last meal.
Why should we care about birds?
Birds are valuable for both the environment and the economy. Birds play a major role in insect control, by eating insects such as mosquitoes, and pests on crops and timber, such as grasshoppers and caterpillars. Bird watching is also a multimillion dollar industry, helping to stimulate the economy.
What about the safety of your pet cat?
We know that cats being outside poses a danger to songbirds, but being outside also poses a danger to cats.
There are five main dangers for outdoor cats:
The first danger is cars. Each year, thousands of cats are killed from being hit by cars. Even experienced outdoor cats can be injured or killed from a vehicle collision.
The next danger is getting lost. While many cats have a decent sense of direction, it is still possible for them to get lost and not know how to get home. This is especially dangerous in the winter.
The third danger to outdoor cats is other outdoor cats. No matter how mild mannered your cat is, other cats may attack or start a fight with them. Wounds sustained from fighting or struggling prey (like birds) can give cats diseases as well as causing general harm.
While we already mentioned cats like to hunt, they can get parasites from uncooked meat, just like we can. Toxoplasmosis is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can be easily transferred to humans. Cats typically contract this parasite from their prey, contaminated soil or feces. Toxoplasmosis leads to flu like symptoms, cysts, and neurological disorders. Cats are the primary carrier of rabies among domestic animals as well. Rabies leads to death in both humans and animals if not treated before symptoms show.
The last main danger to outdoor cats is wild animals. While humans know that your cat is a valued part of your family, coyotes do not understand this and may view your pet as food. Coyotes and Great Horned Owls are both potential predators of cats, and both of these predators can live comfortably within the city limits. There have been many reports of both of these animals hurting or killing cats in the Edmonton area. The city is as much our home as the coyotes or owls home so we need to take precautions to prevent wildlife-cat interactions.
Photo by Neal Herbert, NPS
Photo by rihaij via Pixabay
Some people think that keeping your cat inside is mean. This is not true. Like any pet, they need to be provided with enrichment to be happy and healthy, but this can come in many forms. Enrichment is both entertainment and mental stimulation for your animal. One of the main ways to keep your cat happy and entertained indoors is to switch out toys and play with your cat regularly.