Cats and Wildlife

I love cats.

Anyone who knows me can tell you how much I love cats.  I have had pet cats all my life, and have rarely been without at least one living in my home, and occupying my heart.  I dedicate time and donations each year to cat rescue and support feline welfare in many ways.  My own Siamese, Sasha, currently our only living kitty, will be happy to tell you how loved, pampered and spoiled he is, and to what great lengths I, and my family, went to bring him home to us after his previous owner passed away.

I just love cats.

I am also a wildlife rehabilitator.  I’ve only been caring for wildlife for a short time, and most of my cases have been orphaned or injured baby birds.  It was no surprise to me that, on the state wildlife tally sheet that all rehabbers have to submit at the end of each year, there are several spots specific to cat predation.  The first is a box to tally animals who were orphaned because the parents were killed by a “domestic predator”.  A few boxes down, there is a special spot to tally animals injured by a domestic cat and then, toward the bottom of that section, a separate space for animals injured by “natural predators”.

This tells us several things:  first, the number of animals injured and orphaned by domestic cats is significant enough to have several dedicated spots on the tally sheet for wildlife rehabbers, and second, the Department of Environmental Conservation does not include cats among our natural predators.

Even though I took in a limited number of cases, due to space and, later, personal injury, last year, of the animals I did care for, about half of them had some kind of “cat involvement”.  Just about every wildlife rehabilitator I’ve spoken to has agreed that animals injured, killed and orphaned due to domestic cats make up a large proportion of their case loads.  If you search the web, and visit various wildlife rehab centers online, those that give case histories of animals will frequently list “domestic cat” as the cause of distress.

There have been numerous studies, the most famous (and some say “infamous”) being “The Wisconsin Study“, that have gathered statistics on the impact of feral and outdoor cats on wildlife.  There are groups, notably cat rescue organizations (particularly those which operate trap, neuter and release programs) which argue strongly against the validity of this study, but the truth is, this is not the only study out there.  A large number of wildlife centers keep their own statistics, and many of those statistics point to cats as having a definite and powerful negative impact on wildlife:   an argument which cannot be ignored.

The fact that I, in my very limited experience, can point to pet and feral cats as having been a significant cause of death and injury, may not say much statistically, but emotionally it speaks volumes.

Baby Cottontail, cat victim

In addition to the numbers involved in cat/wildlife problem encounters, predation by domestic felines poses another issue of concern.  The mortality rate of animals who “appear” to have survived an attack by a cat is unusually high.  Any veterinarian can describe how cats, with their long, narrow canine teeth, can puncture deeply, leaving wounds that close up quickly and trap bacteria inside.  The bacteria spread systemically, as well as abscess, very fast, and often what seem to be minor wounds become deadly.

The little bunny in the photo was a member of a nest raided by a pet cat.  He was the only survivor, but not for long.  At first he appeared to be in good health, with only a minor dot of a wound on one rear leg, but that wound quickly went bad, and he died within a manner of days, despite all efforts to save him.  This is a very common story with cat-bite victims.

I love cats.

I’m not telling readers that they should keep their cats indoors, nor am I speaking out against trap and release rescue programs.  I am not stating equivocally that the Wisconsin, and other, studies are one hundred percent accurate proof of the enormity of the problem.

I am saying, however, that my own observations, as well as those of many other wildlife rehabilitators who deal with this on a daily basis, do support the numbers.

I’m simply asking that my fellow cat-lovers out there be aware.  Look at the statistics, consider their validity, and think about the potential of harm that free-roaming felines might, just might, perpetuate.  Think of ways you might be able to reduce the impact.

Certainly, cats are not the only danger our native wildlife faces.  They are, however, a significant one.  Would it be possible to monitor our cats, or restrict their access to wildlife, without causing them great distress?  Can we allow our cats outside only during the hours where parent birds, for instance, are not actively feeding (such as after dusk), to reduce the number of babies who are left orphaned?  Can we erect enclosures during breeding seasons to give our cats access to fresh air and the outdoors while protecting the neighborhood wildlife?

Can we, at least, think about these things without anger or indignation?

Yes, this can be a heated topic, and I welcome hearing opinions, for and against (although I do request that commentators remain respectful of each other).  I know how I feel about it, and am happy that my cats have always been most content to live indoors.  But each has to come to terms with the issue in his or her own way.

Some links to consider:

Windstar Wildlife Institute article on cat predation of wildlife
http://www.windstar.org/knowledge_center_article.cfm?articleID=529

NY Wildlife Rescue’s recent post “Birds Everywhere”
http://nywildliferescue.blogspot.com/2009/05/birds-everywhere.html

Connecticut Audubon Society argues for keeping pet cats indoors:
http://www.ctaudubon.org/conserv/nature/cats.htm

(and to be fair; present the opposing viewpoint)
Stray Pet Advocacy’s well-penned article disputing “The Wisconsin Study”
http://www.straypetadvocacy.org/html/wisconsin_study.html