Thread by @Jenna_Merle

For the return of the #UNMBioblog after our year hiatus, I chose to write about the negative consequences for cats, humans, and #wildlife when we allow #cats to roam freely. I couldn't help myself with the punny title.
unm-bioblog.blogspot.com/2021/09/catast…

I was inspired to write this blog after I witnessed my neighbor's outdoor pet #cat killed a #bird under my feeder. A heated argument ensued. I know nothing has changed because I still scare him out of my backyard. I've counted 9 different cats in my backyard, here is one

I am a paradoxical #catlover, which stems from my #science & #ornithology career. I know how cute it is for my own #cat to frolic in flowers but I understand how dangerous it is for #cats, human #health, & #wildlife when cats roam #CatsOfTwitter #Caturday #catsofinstagram

It is an insidious romantic idea that our #cats have cute “secret lives” when we let them roam. Recently, a @guardian & @MorningEdition story (@thedalstonyears) continued to popularize (& downplayed the effects) of outdoor cats. Reality is more brutal
npr.org/2021/07/25/102…

So, is there overwhelming, PEER-REVIEWED scientific evidence that free-roaming cats are a threat to global #biodiversity?

YES

🎤✋⬇️ 😤

#CatsOfTwitter #BiodiversityCrisis #InvasiveSpecies

#Cats are domesticated #animals and they are a global exotic and invasive species. #Cats are new to the world’s ecosystems and prey species (#birds, #lizards, #mammals, & #frogs) are naïve to predation by these #invasive cats.
#herpetology #mammalogy #ornithology

"But my barn #cats control my #Mouse problem"
1: cats are vectors of #livestock #disease, contributing to economic losses
2. predator #birds controlled rodents for millions of years before fluffy. They are effective biological controls w/o negative impact of cats

"But I've never noticed my pet #cat kill any #birds"

Of cats that kill #wildlife, only 21% are presented to owners. 30% eaten. 49% are LEFT TO ROT (bit.ly/3nwpTKj).

Well-fed pet #Cats kill for pleasure, often tormenting their victims

Outdoor pet #cats can lead to
#straycats can lead to
#feralcats can lead to
#feral cat colonies can lead to
MILLIONS of feral cats in the United States alone
Why is this ok when we don't allow domesticated dogs or pigs form feral colonies?

See this plea by @doecayman

Free-roaming cats, both feral and outdoor pet cats, have contributed to the decline of countless birds, mammals, and reptiles; they have been explicitly tied to the extinction of at least 63 vertebrate species.

bit.ly/3tU4yM9

This includes the Stephen's Island Wren, for which I was able to see one of the handful of specimens in the world just last month

https://twitter.com/Jenna_Merle/status/1425195634299129857

This list of #cat induced #extinction includes a woodrat that was endemic to an island off of Baja CA, documented by @UNM Biology Prof @UNMPaleoecology #mammalogy
researchgate.net/publication/26…

Even well-fed free-roaming pet cats contribute to wildlife mortality. #cat predation is estimated to be 1.4-4.0 BILLION #birds a YEAR in the USA🇺🇸🐦☠️

Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs are not viable options for the problem of declining wildlife populations or health hazards that stem from feral cat colonies
@ACUFeralCats @alleycatallies @ColonyCats @HumaneSociety

No scientific evidence supports the idea that #cats are filling a natural predator niche. #Feral cats live at 10-100X the densities of other similar sized predators.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19245489/

Dense populations of feral #cats contribute to the spread of disease in #wildlife and human populations. Caretakers of colonies can contract rabies or toxoplasmosis (which is linked to Schizophrenia & Alzheimer's disease)
#publichealth
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

And outdoor cats live harsh lives compared to those in loving homes. Feral cats live on average shorter lives due to high rates of disease.

Outdoor #cats are under constant threat of predation by coyotes and birds of prey. They are threatened daily by being slaughtered by dogs

armaghi.com/news/craigavon…

And all outdoor cats, including stray, feral, and free-roaming pet #cats are routinely hit by cars

If you love your pet cat, #KeepYourCatInside

And unfortunately, the USA has a HUGE feral #cat population. There's estimated to be tens of millions of feral cats in this country.

nature.com/articles/ncomm…

Feral #cats are seen as unadaptable to owned life, & therefore their removal from the environment comes down to euthanization. This is contentious: some people have a hard time supporting policies that kill cats

But what about the BILLONS of other animals cats kill every year? Where is the empathy for #wildlife?

The forced removal of #cats is commonplace in other areas of the world, including Australia and New Zealand.
washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/…

Instead of doing the hard work of removing feral #cats from our environments, the practice of Trap Neuter Release has rapidly spread across the US and Europe. Yet, there is no long-term peer-reviewed research supporting its efficacy

Trap-Neuter-Release does not solve the problem of #cat predation or risks to #publichealth. It's often funded by #taxes, including here in Albuquerque
@MayorKeller @ABQJournal @thenewmexican
krqe.com/news/albuquerq…

Though TNR may decrease the reproductive output of feral #cat colonies, the constant stream of unneutered pet or stray cats streaming into our urban environments exacerbates the problem. Long-term, peer-reviewed studies do not support the efficacy of TNR

I argue that it is less humane, even cruel, to let cats suffer and die alone in our streets. And if you disagree with euthanizing suffering cats to put them out of their misery, are you willing to fund indefinite cat sanctuaries?

So, what can you do to help with this problem?
If you own a pet cat, #KeepYourCatInside
Transition your outdoor cat to an indoor cat
thesprucepets.com/preventing-cat…

Build/buy a Cat Patio (a Catio) to keep your #cat safe and #wildlife safe from your cat
#CatsOfTwitter #CatsOnTwitter #catsofinstagram

You can leash train your #cat or purchase a cat backpack. You can keep your cat in a small enclosure outside with supervision.

And there are many people, especially on twitter that routinely take their #cats on leashes in the woods.
@craniatology

https://twitter.com/craniatology/status/1404123418040094720

And yes, it is possible to train your outdoor pet #cat to adapt to indoor life

@BillyArmagh

https://twitter.com/BillyArmagh/status/1434387391922556928

If you live on a farm and use #cats for rodent control, I have a secret for you 🤫

Birds of prey (& 🦉) have been nature's biological control for millions of years

Increase owls with boxes for roosting/nesting habitat; add T posts to attract kestrels
eorganic.org/node/34052

If you don’t own a cat, share this article or talk to your friends and family about the impacts outside cats have on humans and wildlife. Above all, support local policies that aim to eliminate, rather than control, feral cat populations.

And share stories of how #cats contribute to worldwide #wildlife declines.

@BRWildlifeCtr

https://twitter.com/BRWildlifeCtr/status/1412057434965917706

Even TVs will provide some entertainment for indoor #cats

https://twitter.com/Jenna_Merle/status/1266017470097223680

As I routinely tell anyone who listens, it is dangerous for #cats, hazardous for #publichealth, and downright catastrophic for #wildlife when we allow cats to roam freely.
#Biodiversity #ornithology #Mammalogy #herpetology #invasivespecies