Killer cats are hard on wildlife

The National Audubon Society recently accumulated data regarding the impact of feral and free-roaming cats on wildlife:

• Feral and free-roaming cats destroy millions of birds and small animals annually;
• Birds make up 20-30 percent of the prey of feral and free-roaming cats;
• The American Ornithologists' Union, American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and more have concluded that feral, homeless, lost, abandoned, or free-ranging domestic cats are proven to have serious negative impacts on bird populations.
• Worldwide, cats may have been involved in the extinction of more bird species than any other cause, except habitat destruction;
• Feral cat colony management programs (trap, neuter and release) are not effective solutions to the problem.

  Feeding stray and feral cats does not prevent them from hunting; it only maintains high densities of cats that dramatically increase predation on and competition with native wildlife populations;

• Free-roaming cats are likely to come in contact with rabid wild animals and thus spread the disease to people.