Wildlife Rehab Centers: Oudoor Pet Cats – Their Devastating Effect on Natural Ecosystems

by René Clausen Nielsen

A new shift in awareness for owners of domestic pet cats needs to take place now. Pet cats are domesticated animals that are not native species and have an incredible impact on natural wildlife and ecosystems. Hundreds of millions of native birds are needlessly killed every year in North America by household cats. In addition, millions of cats are also needlessly killed every year from predators in the wild. Simple solutions can easily correct this situation. Awareness and education of the extent of this problem is the key.

What is the link between sustainability and outdoor pet cats? Cats are exceptional hunters and are extremely efficient at tracking, stalking, and capturing prey. Even though this hunting behavior is instinctual and natural for cats, they are a species that has been introduced into the ecosystem by humans. Besides the hundreds of millions of native birds mauled, injured, and killed every year, pet cats are also very efficient hunters of many other creatures including: bats, snakes, frogs, mice, moles, shrews, and squirrels. Cats pose direct competition for these food sources with actual native predatory species such as coyotes, owls, eagles, hawks, wolves, etc. As a result, cats have a significant negative impact on wild food chains and throw sustainable native ecosystems out of balance.

But isn’t it cruel to keep a pet cat indoors? Unfortunately, we cannot value the outdoor freedom of a pet cat above natural wildlife. The wild animals are in their natural habitat and the pet cat is not. One excellent option is to build an outdoor enclosure attached to your indoor residence that is accessible via a cat door. There are many online examples and instructions on how to build one of these units.

Does adding a bell to a cat collar limit its hunting abilities? No, this is a common misconception. Cats are such effective hunters that they actually learn how to stalk their prey in a silent way. In addition, wildlife does not intuitively associate the sound of a cat bell with danger.

Does a well fed cat hunt less? No, well fed cats still hunt and few creatures survive once caught by a cat. The claws and teeth of the cat cause infections in wounds and blood poisoning. The stress of capture alone will usually kill the wild creature.

What are the benefits to keeping a cat indoors? An indoor cat has a life expectancy up to 3 times as long as an outdoor roaming cat. It is not subjected to dangers like: being hit by a car, caught in animal traps, theft, eaten or killed by predators (cougars, wolves, coyotes, etc), dangerous parasites, fights with other animals (cats, skunks, dogs, etc), and malicious poisonings.

How would keeping pets cats indoors effect wildlife rehab centers? In a recent interview conducted by the enhanced green directory Sustainable Sunshine Coast, the Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (Sunshine Coast, BC) stated that every year at least 60% of the wild creatures admitted to the centre have been caught by cats. This incredible amount of injured and orphaned wildlife could be remedied quickly and easily by keeping pet cats indoors.

In summary, more education is needed to help inform pet cat owners of the magnitude of this problem! Over time, as this information becomes common knowledge, the impact of outdoor pet cats on wild ecosystems can be minimized greatly, helping to foster a sustainable future.

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