A study reveals that cats are responsible for billions of bird deaths.
Do you ever wonder how many birds and other animals your pet cat is killing while it’s outside?
According to a new study, domesticated cats are killing more animals than previously thought.
Estimates say that domesticated cats, including house pets and feral or stray cats are responsible for the death of billions of birds and small mammals.
All told, cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds a year, and between 6.9 and 20.7 billion small wild mammals like chipmunks, rats, and mice.
The research shows that cats kill more small animals than things like traffic, pesticides, skyscrapers, windmills, and other human interference.
The new estimates are much higher than previously thought, as researchers reviewed and quantified data from previous studies. Those included using cameras attached to cats and recording their behavior, such as consuming substances like antifreeze and sewer water, fighting with bigger animals, and dodging traffic.
Some bird conservationists are urging cat owners to keep their pets inside.
Stanley Temple, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor emeritus in conservation said: “We have long accepted the fact that you can't let your dog run free, and yet cat owners seem to take offense at the idea that they would be asked to keep their cats indoors.”
