Another research study on the billions of birds and mammals that are purportedly killed by cats was published last week by the journal, Nature Communications. The article was co-authored by Peter Marra, who is an animal ecologist with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
According to Marra, 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals are killed by cats each year. Staggering and incomprehensible figures to me.
This article has cat enthusiasts and proponents of TNR (trap, neuter, return) outraged particularly since a similar report caused as much controversy last year in which the University of Nebraska at Lincoln’s study found neutering or spaying is ineffective at eliminating feral-cat colonies. Their solution to ridding the U.S. of these cats is to trap and kill. Becky Robinson, President of Alley Cat Allies, (the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats and advocate for an end to the killing of cats), expressed to me over the phone, reducing the number of cats by employing the method of trap and kill has proven to be ineffective for the last 100 years.
According to Robinson, “tens of millions of healthy cats have already been killed in animal pounds and shelters, at great taxpayer expense, without achieving anything.” “A policy of just more killing can never be the right answer”, according to a press release by Alley Cat Allies.
One only has to enter most shelters in the states to see the excessive numbers of cats which can be seen at any given time. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see trap and kill isn’t reducing the number of cats in the U.S.
It is safe to say most feral cats are typically euthanized in shelters in the nation. Grassroots groups are the ones who engage in saving the lives of feral cats and work with those, mostly young cats and kittens, to make them adoptable and find homes for them.
According to co-author, Marra and his colleagues, the latest bird mortality rates are “shockingly high.” The report is suggesting, according to the New York Times, that “domestic cats are one of the single greatest human-linked threats to wildlife in the nation.”
Marra and his team are searching for human-related causes for bird and wildlife deaths in the country but first looked at the feline equation involved in these deaths.
This study was conducted after receiving a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to estimate the number of animals being killed as the result of humans, which included measuring deaths attributable to their activites, buildings and pets. What they found, according to Marra, is approximately 47 million pet cats and 30 to 80 million feral (outside) cats were killing more animals than any other source, including cars and wind turbines.
When studying the reasons for bird deaths, I’m curious if hunting, oil spills, high tension wires, communication wires, pesticides, windows, and cell phone towers were taken into account when examining the causes of these deaths by Marra and his co-authors.
Marra concluded by saying “at the rate cats are killings things, their hunting could be causing some wildlife populations to decline in some areas.”
The U.S. definitively has a feral cat problem. According to the Feral Cat Coalition, the U.S. has roughly 60 million pet cats and 60 million feral cats. Alley Cat Allies began in 1990 to help eradicate this serious problem by using human methods to control by sterilization of ferals and stabilization of colonies rather than destroying healthy cats. Since its inception, other groups have popped up all over the nation employing TNR.
Here in Berks County, Pennsyvlania, the feral cat problem is very much a problem. Currently, there are two organizations who engage in TNR, Fairchild Foundation and No Nonsense Neutering. These groups not only offer low-cost spaying and neutering for feral and pet cats/dogs but also offer education to the public about this ever-important issue.
What makes this study different from last year’s report? It is aiming at convincing the public and the media feral cats need to be trapped and killed to solve this dilemma of millions of bird and mammal deaths. Since this singular study has hit major news outlets including NBC Nightly News and CNN not to mention the high number of newspapers and the internet, I wanted to know the similarities of last year’s study and this one. This is one of the questions I asked Becky Robinson of Alley Cat Allies.
She articulated a simple and straightforward reply: this year’s summary is a regurgitation of Nebraska’s study and according to Becky, both are bogus!
Robinson explained how Alley Cat Allies and other organization utilizing TNR for the last three decades has seen a reduction in the number of feral cat colonies. Robinson explains “TNR does work to end the reproduction and to stabilize the population of feral cats, and that is why every year a growing number of communities turn to TNR as an innovative, compassionate and common-sense approach.”
Robinson remains steadfast and states “the threats to birds and wildlife with real impact-pollution and habitat fragmentation and destruction-are the ones without ‘easy’ answers.” “Americans should not be fooled by sensational headlines and bad science.” “Killing cats will not save species of birds or mammals.”
The impression I took away from this study is two-fold. There is the push to trap and kill feral cats without giving irrefutable proof that cats are the culprits behind the deaths of billions of birds and mammals each year.
Lastly, how did the authors positively prove the sheer number of birds and mammals being killed are being destroyed by cats ? How were these numbers calculated? How can this be possible? We’re talking about billions of birds and mammals.
How can they feasibly account for these astronomical figures? Where and how did the authors monitor areas to find the dead animals? Do they have the proof to back up their claims? If so, I and many others would like to see their evidence.
This report has been viewed by the public after being on the evening news and elsewhere. How many uninformed people believe everything they hear and are in agreement to have all feral cats trapped and killed after listening to one side of this story?
The news should provide a balanced approach to this story by airing both sides. Sadly, the news is no longer about journalistic integrity.
What effect do you think this study will have on feral cats? Do you think more people will take feral cats to shelters to be destroyed since this study has been made public and on a huge platform?
Do you believe billions of birds and mammals are being killed by cats each year?
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I’m getting tired of cats being blamed for so much. It doesn’t seem possible that billions of animals could be killeed by cats.
Blaming cats and not looking at other answers solves nothing except to kill more cats.
I believe as Becky, the president of Alley Cat Allies, does. This is bogus. Two studies, not even a year apart, stating we need to kill all feral cats with no real hard evidence. Plus, Alley Cat Allies as the the top agency dealing with the grim reality of feral cats being euthanized every day, knows more about this subject, in my opinion, since it is their life’s work.
I think anyone with common sense knows lies when they hear them but the media, as you said perfectly, has lost its integrity, will run with a story without checking out the facts and seeking out a balanced approach to the story. They should’ve reached out to Alley Cat Allies. I fear people who don’t understand the animal field as much as advocates do will believe what they heard on NBC nightly news and think this ridiculous claim of cats killing BILLIONS of birds and mammals. I bet you more people will be calling their local shelter asking what to do if they see a feral cat or perhaps take it upon themselves and kill the cats themselves through poisoning or other methods. People already do that but now they’ll even more of an excuse to do it.
I know people who hate cats and have no trouble hurting or killing cats. Hate cats all you want , just don’t kill them.
It isn’t their fault they’ve been left homeless. BLAME the irresponsible people who dumped them outside or left them homeless after moving away. People can be so cruel and not give a damn what happens to a former pet. It’s the people who deserve the punishment. Stop blaming the cats.
Thanks for finally writing about > CATastrophic bird and mammal deaths.
I hate their destruction! Cats are notorious for killing mice and rabbits and it’s horrible.
Cats kill animals. When they’re forced to live outdoors because they’re no longer wanted indoors, they have to do what comes natural and that is to eat animals such as birds, mice, voles and more. If they don’t belong to a feral cat colony, how are they supposed to survive? I can’t say they kill billions of animals but they do kill a siignificant amount of animals in order to live.
This study villifies feral cats when the owners or previous owners should be villified. The cat didn’t ask to be kept outside. I don’t buy into what they said that most cat owners leave their cats outside. Responsiible owners don’t do that. If there over 60 million feral cats outside, they would be everywhere.
While I agree that feral cats kill alot of animals, they are too many areas filled with holes with little or no explanation for their findings.
Once again, as I said, while I agree cats kill alot of animals, the study is sorely lacking in any proof. You can say anything you want but let’s see the proof behind it.
I don’t know if more people will be taking feral cats to shelters because it’s already difficult enough to get a feral cat in a trap. They’re already dying in droves. It’s unbelievably so sad they have no chance in most shelters.
I leave feral cats alone. I know they will die if they’re taken to my local pound.
The report does state some facts but facts alone doesn’t prove their theory. They seem to have an agenda. To kill all feral cats!
This study is one of many i have heard of over the years. Cats are natural born killers plain and simple. tThey were brought over from Africa and socialized. They breed like the rabbits they kill. My personal experience is if you want a cat for a pet. Learn to keep it in your house where it belongs. If you leave it out everynight you are part of the problem and should be held accountable for the damage your cat does. T.N.R. is a joke! You fix a cat, tip his ear, and then put him right back in the area he came from to live out his reign of terror on backyard wildlife. T.N.R. people live in this fantasy world where cats are part of some happy pie in the sky eco-system. If they are not sleeping they are hunting the next thing to kill. They are not the only factor in declining bird and small mammal populations but are a major part! In my back yard alone this past year they have killed 3 clutches of baby rabbits. I have the pictures of the cats to prove it. The new motion wild life cameras with flash work great. Not only animals but my backyard furniture is ruined from spraying. Why do people want a cat for a pet if you do not want to keep it in your house. Trap and transfer to the nearest shelter to let them deal with the problem how they see fit. If you do not like it, KEEP YOUR ****** CAT IN YOU HOUSE! Problem solved!
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Very nice article, exactly what I wanted to find.
It’s enormous that you are getting thoughts from this article as well as from our argument made at this time.
Birds are killed by cats and destroying the numbers of cats we have. People who allow their cats to run free will deplete the numbers more and more. Keep your cats inside where they belong!
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