Photo: stock.xchng
By Lisa Mackem
Last month, the Potomac Flier article “Three Billion Birds” summarized the alarming decline of birds in the US and Canada since 1970.
Habitat loss is the biggest driver of that decline.
The second biggest driver is free-roaming domestic and feral cats.
Cats are not a native American species – the colonists brought the first cats to the US as pets. Free-roaming cats threaten birds and other wildlife, disrupt ecosystems, and spread diseases. The American Bird Conservancy estimates that 100 million cats live in the U.S. and that free-roaming cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds in the U.S. annually, making cat predation the largest human-caused mortality threat to birds. Researchers estimate that a single free-roaming pet cat kills up to 34 birds annually, and a single feral cat kills 23-46 birds annually.
ASNV, American Bird Conservancy, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) oppose free-roaming cats and TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) programs for feral cats. PETA opposes TNR programs when the released cats are left to fend for themselves, because in addition to allowing cats to harm native wildlife, living outdoors harms cats. Indoor cats have a substantially longer life expectancy and better quality of life. ASNV has urged all local jurisdictions to initiate public information campaigns to encourage cat owners to keep their cats indoors. ASNV members have met with Fairfax County animal welfare representatives, members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Arlington County’s Joint Natural Resources Committee, and others to discuss this critical issue for birds and small mammals.
ASNV’s membership materials include messaging about the importance of keeping cats indoors, and the American Bird Conservancy has published ideas for exposing cats to the outdoors without allowing them unlimited roaming. A “catio,” an outdoor enclosure that allows a cat to move outside within a sheltered and secure space, is one such option. Another option is modifying an existing fence to be cat-safe, allowing a cat to roam within a private yard, possibly with visual or audio alerts and mechanical obstructions to protect birds. Some cats can be trained to walk on leashes or with harnesses or can be restrained in a backpack or stroller. Indoor-only cats need entertainment, and there are numerous options for feline indoor play.
For more detailed information about keeping pet cats and wild birds safe, including suggested products and tips to transition an outdoor cat to indoor life, see the American Bird Conservancy’s Solutions for Pet Cats.