2
small towns each kill an average
of 14 wild animals annually.
Rural cats kill many more.
Not only do cats prey on
many small mammals and birds,
but they can outnumber and
compete with native predators
such as hawks and weasels.
Free-ranging domestic cats
may also transmit new
diseases to wild animals. For
example, cats have spread the
feline leukemia virus to
mountain lions, and may have
recently infected the
endangered Florida panther
with feline distemper and an
immune deficiency disease. Plus,
they can transmit rabies and
toxoplasmosis to humans.
Domestic cats originated
from the ancestral wild species,
Felis silvestris
, the European
and African wild cat. They are
now considered a separate
species, named
Felis catus.
Cats were first domesticated
in Egypt around 2000 BC and
were worshipped as a goddess.
The Romans introduced the
domestic cat to Britain by 300
AD. Colonists from Europe then
introduced them throughout
the world.
The cat population is
skyrocketing. The estimated
number of pet cats in urban and
rural regions of the U.S. has
grown from 30 million in 1970
to 60 million in 1990. These
estimates are based on U.S.
Census data and include only
those cats that people claim to
“own" as pets, not cats that
are semi-wild or free-ranging.
Nationwide, about 30% of
households have cats. In rural
areas where free-ranging cats
are usually not regarded as
pets, about 60% of households
have cats. The combined total
of pets and free-ranging cats
in the U.S. is probably more
than 100 million!
Cats differ from wild
predators in three important
ways:
(1) People protect cats from
disease, predation, and
competition – factors that
can control numbers of wild
predators, such as
bobcats, foxes, or coyotes.
(2) They have a dependable
supply of supplemental
food provided by humans
and are not influenced by
changes in populations of
prey. Whereas populations
of native predators will
decline when prey becomes
scarce, cats receiving food
subsidies from people
remain abundant.
(3) Unlike many native
predators, cat densities
are either poorly limited or
not limited by territoriality.
With abundant food,
densities can reach over 9 per
acre. Unlike some predators, a
cat’s desire to hunt is not
suppressed by adequate
supplemental food. Even when
fed regularly by people, a cat’s
motivation to hunt remains
strong, so it continues
hunting.
Some people put bells on
their cat’s collar. But, bells are
mostly ineffective in preventing
predation because, even if the
bell rings, it’s usually too late
for the prey being stalked.
What can you do. Here are some tips:
s Keep only as many pet cats as you can feed and care for.
s If at all possible, for the sake of your cat and local wildlife, keep
your cat indoors.
s Neuter your cats or prevent them from breeding, and encourage
others to do so.
s Make sure your feeders are 8 ft. to 10 ft. away from nearby
trees, bushes, or other hiding places where cats and raptors will
wait in ambush.
s If you have a feeder or birdbath that is close to a bush or tree,
circle the feeder or bath with 2 x 4-inch mesh wire fencing, at
least three feet tall, to disrupt the approach of both cats and
raptors. This will allow the birds to fly through the mesh or fly
upward to escape.
s Don’t dispose of unwanted cats by releasing them in rural areas.
Contact your local animal welfare organization for help.
s Eliminate sources of food, such as garbage or outdoor pet food
dishes, that attract stray cats.
s Don’t feed stray cats.
