Let me be clear. I wasn’t angry at the cat. Instead I was angry at the people responsible for it being where it was. I still am.
This feral cat (domestic cats are officially an invasive species) was stalking birds in a tree yesterday morning on Goose Egg Island within Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management area. I commonly see feral cats on the refuge despite their shy, secretive habits and the tall vegetation covering most of the refuge that they slink around in while searching for birds and small mammals to kill.
The goal of the cat was feline mayhem directed at this male American Kestrel at upper right. In this case its chances of success were probably nil but the photo visually demonstrates the determination of the cat high in the tree and the huge problem for native wildlife in North America caused by feral cats.
In the past I’ve been reluctant to bring this subject up because so many folks who love cats and supposedly care about their welfare let their cats run free and support and/or practice programs like “Trap, Neuter and Release” (TNR) for feral cats become so upset and defensive by any critical look at those practices. But my experience yesterday finally put me over the edge. Cat owners who let their pets run free are a significant part of the problem but today I’m going to largely focus on TNR.
Feral cats have been a problem for a long time at Farmington Bay WMA and they’ve created a real headache for refuge managers. But it was greatly exacerbated when TNR became commonly practiced in the area. As part of the TNR program cats were captured and neutered and then released in areas adjacent to the refuge – particularly near Glover’s Pond but elsewhere too. Then other folks who would see cats running wild and no longer wanted their own family pet would release their cats to be with the others. At one point TNR advocates even constructed a rudimentary cat shelter and placed it right next to Glover Pond of all places! It goes without saying that many of those cats invaded the nearby refuge and nature center property for reasons that are obvious. They have a field day out there, especially during nesting season.
The purpose of TNR was supposed to be to eliminate or significantly reduce populations of feral cats but research over time has indicated that it seldom works for a variety of reasons (see the link in the notes). Farmington is a perfect example of that failure.
So why are feral cats such a huge problem? The list of reasons is a long one but I’m personally most concerned about their effects on native wildlife populations. A fairly recent study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that feral cats when combined with pet cats that are allowed to roam outdoors kill from 1.4 – 3.7 billion birds annually in the contiguous 48 states alone. They also estimate that feral cats kill from 6.9 – 20.7 billion mammals, mainly mice, shrews, rabbits and voles which are prime raptor food. Cats running loose are often and rightfully called an ecological disaster.
In my opinion all cat owners should keep their cats inside or restrained in some way at all times and that includes farm cats (maybe especially farm cats). And TNR should be mostly abandoned as a strategy to control feral cat populations because it seldom works and just creates more problems. Many veterinarian groups, birding organizations, wilderness societies, wildlife rehabilitation organizations and state parks and wildlife departments also oppose TNR (see the link in my notes below).
I realize this is a hot topic for some and not everyone will agree with me (including several of my good friends). So be it. If you disagree and feel the need to express your views in opposition you’re welcome to do so – all I ask is that you be rational and polite about it. But I’ve done considerable research on the subject and I’m unlikely to change my mind or even respond to your comment unless presented with significant and reliable evidence to the contrary because…
I’ve already had my say.
Ron
Notes:
- An excellent source of information on the subjects of feral cats and TNR is this link from the American Bird Conservancy. I especially recommend the link to the video near the bottom.
- One well-to-do Florida community did have limited success with TNR. They were able to reduce their feral cat population from about 2000 cats to 500 but it took a paid staff, a part-time veterinarian and 15 years to get even that far (see the previously mentioned video). Far from a practical solution.
- Some animal welfare organizations like Best Friends Animal Society claim some success with TNR. The American Bird Conservancy and many other groups disagree and present the evidence to back it up. Best Friends also opposes the classification of domestic cats as invasive species but clearly they’re exactly that. Best Friends is denying the obvious and undermining their own position..
- Please explore some of the links provided by the American Bird Conservancy before you go off on me for taking the stance I have. And any defense of not keeping cats inside along the lines of “my cat’s just doing what comes naturally for them” is no defense at all. I’ll be sorely tempted to delete such comments because of their irrelevance.
- I don’t hate cats nor do I even dislike them. In fact part of my opposition to pet cats running loose and the TNR program is concern for the welfare of the cats themselves. But given a choice between native wildlife and an invasive predator I’ll advocate for the former every time.
Hi Ron, not sure that you will even read this reply but here goes! I have mentioned in the past that I am a breeder of pedigreed cats, Persians & Exotic Shorthairs and I totally agree with your post. I do not sell to persons who believe cats need to run loose outside, I don’t sell locally as most people in this area would rather their cats get eaten by Coyotes or Bald Eagles than keep them safely indoors, I prefer to sell to apartment dwellers where cats are safely indoors. I just turned down a local sale, her last cat was gotten by a Coyote! so right away red flags. She sent me pictures of her home & family, I noticed no storm doors on her home so that was the clincher, no sale. Most pedigreed cat breeders try very hard to enforce the “indoor only” sales. Where I take most of my bird pictures there was a motor home parked there with two cats running loose, I asked the people to put their cats on harnesses & leads…nope… anyway, bye bye kitties, lunch for the Bald Eagles. Sad that pet owners are so irresponsible. I am retiring from cat breeding but my beliefs will always be the same, keep your cats indoors for their safety and prevention of unnecessary bird deaths and a nuisance to your neighbour whose garden is not a cat bathroom. I am glad you posted this Blog Ron, thank you!
Thanks, Shirley. Of course I read it. I read all comments and I read them carefully. Without exception that I know of.
I like cats and had several…just don’t like what their instincts so often lead thdm to do…they can be so terriblely, terriblely destructive…so can dogs, but I still love them to pieces…
Ellie Baby is ALWAYS GOOD FOR A SMILE,,, so glad she exists!!!😉
Thank you – and right back at you.
Thank you, Ron. I rehabilitate native songbirds and birds of prey in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I also foster unwanted and doomed to be euthanized kittens for our local shelter. My cats NEVER, EVER go outdoors. Not even “with” me. Before I fell so head-over-heels in love with birds (about 15 years ago) it never occurred to me that cats a) aren’t a native species and b) wreck havoc on wild birds and mammals. I simply never thought about it, and let my cats run free. But that was then. All it took was becoming educated about not only feral, but domestic cats, along with seeing my first songbird (a fledgling Cardinal if I recall) that had been mutilated by a free roaming cat, to put my foot down in my own house. My two very loved cats simply aren’t allowed outside. It’s that simple. Not only will MY cats never maim or kill a bird/mammal, they’ll actually live longer and better lives. No fleas, never being hit by a car or grabbed by a hungry coyote.
So bravo for you, and for everyone else who understands the problem, and acts on it. Once you know better, it’s your responsibility to DO better.
Thanks very much, Leslie. I agree, it’s mostly about education and then most reasonable people will at least consider adapting their ways if you don’t confront in an angry, accusing manner. The problem is, too many people aren’t reasonable and are selfish and get defensive about it. It sounds like you were obviously not in that category.
Such a beautiful Cat. It makes me sad it doesn’t have a home with love, and someone to keep it safe. We adopted a cat that was abandoned in our neighborhood. It was killing the doves in our yard left and right. So we started feeding the cat, and the bird killing dropped big time. It doesn’t trust us enough yet to come into our house, but that is our goal. To make her one of the family, and to keep her safe inside our home. Then she (Cali) will be safe, and so will the birds.
I hope you’re successful, Jean. Good luck.
I love this blog and I am a supporter of feral cat trap neuter return. Both sides can work together on this issue. Too many people don’t spat or neuter then kind people pick up the problem, fill the shelters with unwanted pets. Please, it is not birders vs trap neuter return. That won’t solve the issue. We can work better together.
I hope bird and trap neuter return.
Reasonable people don’t always agree. You’ve presented your case thoughtfully and respectfully and I appreciate that. Thanks, Alex.
“We can work better together”. I agree. I wish hunters and environmentalists could learn to do the same.
Hi Ron,
I concur with your comments re. cats. Down here in Australia feral cats are regarded as having a major impact on the fauna (remember, we have no native cat or dog species species (the Dingo is a recent arrival)) and huge efforts are being made to control/extirpate them. Those efforts extend as far as fencing large areas off to allow the re-introduction/conservation of remaining populations of a suite of species. Some local authorities have legislated curfew periods for cats, the best known one being the Sherbrooke Forest Area of southern Victoria to protect the Superb Lyrebird, but the problem remains an enormous one.
Keep up the good work,
Gary
Gary, I’ve read in the past about your rabbit fences but until today I didn’t know about cat fences.
Most of my cat loving friends–including my own daughter, son-in-law and grandson–ask me why I dislike cats so much when I express views similar to yours. In fact, I actually quite like 100% house bound cats but continue to wonder why my small dog MUST (by local ordinance) be on a leash when off her home turf while I am compelled (if I don’t want the stink tracked all over the interior of my home) to clean up more feral cat excreta than dog from both my front AND back yards. TNR is a sounds-good-on-paper (non) solution. Sadly, there is only one proven effective way to eliminate just about any invasive species. I only add this: another aspect of the human side of this problem is the all too cavalier attitude too many parents take in giving into their children’s pressure to have that cute puppy or kitten or guinea pig or…other big eyed baby furry thing. I’ve been saddened by it too many times in my own circle of friends. Once the animal reaches maturity the child is no longer interested and the animal is either “adopted” by the parents or neglected to live out its natural life wondering what happened to those good old days. Taking responsibility for another living being is a way bigger deal than many potential pet owners/pet owner enablers are prepared to address.
Well said, James.
Australia’s feral cats threaten much of the continents indigenous species, almost to the point of extinction I am given to understand ( T.V. Wildlife shows) at least in some areas of their habitat. I would absolutely hate to see this situation in the USA and Canada. I am not a “Cat Person” ( unless they are at least Cheetah size) however, altho’ I would wish feral cats no suffering, I think a culling of these creatures is now called for. I am an avid birder and outdoors nature enthusiast, so saving wildlife and especially bird life is a great concern to me.
Thanks for your perspective on this, Tony.
I am a lover of cats and almost always share my life with them. And a responsible lover of cats. Our current cat goes outside for perhaps half an hour in the morning, wanders back inside past the pigeons on the veranda, demands his breakfast and crashes out for the day.
I do (often) despair at people. Not angry at the cats (but very sad). Very angry at rather a lot of people (on this and other issues).
It sounds like your cat has very little interest in birds, EC. Pretty unusual, seems to me.
When younger he was (a bit) interested. He prefers to chase small running things (spiders) and large waddling things (me).
🙂 🙂
Animals are gonna do what animals are gonna do — they’ve evolved to fill a particular niche, whether naturally so or having been introduced to an ecosystem as an invasive species. When we humans have done the misdeed, it is up to us to fix the problem as well as to educate others. I could get on my soapbox, but it has been a horrid week for me, so I’ll leave it to others.
My cats have all been indoor only, unless out on a harness with me (yes, I had one Calico many years ago that was part dog and wanted to go for walks).
Walking a cat on a leash must be a fairly unique experience, Marty. I’ve heard of it but any cat I’ve ever been around sure wouldn’t put up with it.
As you know, I’m a fellow passionate bird shooter (with a camera) and a cat owner and it always gets my blood boiling when I see a cat roaming in our neighborhood, especially near our bird feeder setup. I know that they are an absolute terror to the bird population when outdoors. You’ve inspired me to post on our a local forum to plead with cat owners to keep them indoors. 3 million veterinarians can’t be wrong. They live longer, healthier lives if they’re kept indoors, end of story. Keep up the fine work, and thanks for posting this important subject.
Thanks, Dave. I hope your post to that forum has a positive outcome.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Cats do not belong outside and TNR is not a good program. So many times I have been yelled at and told how much scientists hate cats by some local “cat lovers.” One person (fortunately, no longer living here) often came to my public talks and stood up at the end to tell the audience how much I hated cats. But if these people truly loved cats, they would keep them inside for the sake of the wildlife and for the health of the cat. I have always had a cat as a pet and they have always been indoors. The birds visiting my yard are safe and the cats are not at risk from cars, raccoons, bobcats, feline AIDS, feline leukemia, rabies, etc, etc. We built a “catio”, an enclosed porch where the cat can be in the outside air but not wander beyond and the pet door entrance to that is closed at night.
Exactly, Dan. I’m sick of the defensiveness and misdirected anger of folks like that. They often use it as a strategy to deflect from the real problem they’re contributing to – a strategy modeled by many unscrupulous politicians these days…
This is a very touchy subject. When I mentioned it at work once to cat owner, she just said she disagreed with me, she didn’t feel that outdoor cats were a problem. Period. Another person just got mad at me. It’s as bad as bringing up politics or mentioning Trump. People are crazy and not enough of them care about the wild places and the wild creatures. They have no awareness of our connection to either and the utter disaster it will be if these places and critters are not allowed to survive.
It sure is touchy, Joanne. Folks like that can become defensive in a heartbeat over the issue.
Great post today. I’m always chasing neighbors cat out of my yard and away from the bird feeder.
My cat is 20 years old and it’s because she always been an indoor kitty😍
Have a great day ❗️
“My cat is 20 years old and it’s because she always been an indoor kitty”
I wish more cat owners were aware of that fact, Diana – or cared enough about their pet to change their irresponsible behavior.
Ron, I agree with you. In Sugarhouse I have stray cats in my yard often. I don’t believe they are feral just unattended pets. There is a social media platform here , and I’m sure everywhere, that notices are frequent about lost pet cats who were allowed to run but never came home. Who knows what danger the cats faced as well as the native wildlife. Pets should be kept secure. I would like to see a program where they are required to be licensed the same as dogs. I know the problem with feral cats in Australia and New Zealand has decimated some bird populations there as well.
I’ve read about some of those cat issues in Australia, Betty.
I used to live in Sugarhouse and remember all the roaming cats in the neighborhood. I had a cockatiel that used to scream at them through the window.
We are down to one 18 year old cat, who likes to lounge outside in the sun; she’s never hunted at all, too lazy, too well fed. I adore cats (and dogs) but they are nuisance and the number of birds/reptiles/mammals killed each year is horrifying… we will not let potential future outside… we did however install and owl box, so hopefully rodents will be controlled! Every barn needs and owl, instead of barn cats!
“Every barn needs an owl, instead of barn cats!”
I couldn’t agree more, Nicky. And if they nest there, and they probably would, it should be more than sufficient.
Thank you Ron! I engaged in a discussion on this very subject last Saturday at lunch with friends, two of whom are serious cat lovers (I am forwarding your post to them). Cats belong indoors at all times, for their own health and the health of wild birds. I get that cats are only doing what comes naturally to them, so it is up to humans to manage the damage their cats do.
Thanks, Cathryn. Share away.
That study about the number of birds killed by cats annually has floated around since sometime in the last millenium. It started as a Michigan State University student project having to do with statistics and extrapolation. I urge everyone to think about the number of breeding adult birds exist in the US, and how long it would take to make all of them extinct if they rate of loss is north of 3 million annually.
Martha, that US Fish and Wildlife study was done in 2013 so I’m not sure it qualifies as since “the last millennium”… 🙂
Ron, I first saw this kind of study in the 1990s, and the problem remains the same -there aren’t that many birds. It’s a matter of extrapolation and it is frankly dubious.
Martha, and I’m frankly dubious that “there aren’t that many birds”.
Estimates from the Smithsonian and others are that there were about 3 billion to 5 billion Passenger Pigeons when the Europeans arrived. That’s more than “that many” right there from a single species, realizing that we don’t have any of them any longer.
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/passenger-pigeon
There are almost half a billion Mourning Doves alone and we have over 900 species of birds in North America. So how can we not have 1.4 to 3.7 billion birds?
I first heard about studies on this in the early 1990s too. Here, from a 2003 paper, Predation of wildlife by domestic cats Felis catus in Great Britain:
“Based on the proportion of cats bringing home at least one prey item and the back- transformed means, a British population of approximately 9 million cats was estimated to have brought home in the order of 92 (85–100) million prey items in the period of this survey, including 57 (52–63) million mammals, 27 (25–29) million birds and 5 (4–6) million reptiles and amphibians.”
https://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/wfb175/Cat%20Predation%20Woods%20et%20al.pdf
Regarding the attitude towards feral cats in Australia, I remember visiting the gift shop at the Warrawong Sanctuary near Adelaide, where they sold cat pelt hats and rugs!
Full disclosure: we have a cat who was born feral,which we picked up at the shelter when it was about a year old and NEVER goes outside. He had no problem adapting to indoor living. He is a great hunter of flies and sow bugs.
As a life-long cat lover, I have issues with people who abandon their pets or ‘drop them off in the country’ thinking they will make their was to a farm and be OK. More times than not they end up dead. I have taken in more strays over the course of my 30+ years here in the country having had them all spayed or neutered; they become residents never to step foot outdoors again. There are TNR programs in the area and I have mixed feelings about the whole idea. The better idea is a shelter until adopted but some feral are nearly impossible to tame. I have seven now (crazy cat lady syndrome) and these were not feral…just unfortunate to be pets of stupid irresponsible people. Can you imagine a person leaving a neutered, declawed to boot, cat in the country? Or throwing a six week kitten out on a biking trail miles from anywhere. The last one…well she was put in a basket and left on my patio. In my mind it’s the pet owner who needs to be trapped! Touchy subject with me I guess…
“In my mind it’s the pet owner who needs to be trapped!”
Given the cases you mention I completely agree with you, Kathy. Perhaps we should throw neutered into the mix to in case that behavior has a genetic component.
I am a cat lover, but have never appreciated feral cats. I’ve had enough experience with them that at this point, I think that euthanizing them is the best way to go. I will admit that I have almost always let my cats spend time outside (they have always been neutered at the earliest appropriate time, and have always been well fed), but I’m not sure I would still do that if we ever got another one. I especially have issues with people who abandon pets rather than give them to a shelter. Abandoning a pet is cruel to the pet as well as to the people where the pet is abandoned and the wildlife.
Susan, when we had cats on the farm many years ago we allowed them to run free occasionally too. I wouldn’t do that today.
Cats are but one tip on one claw of the destructive human paw, which reaches across the planet. Ultimately all Felis domesticus depend on humans for support. Even the feral populations would fade away without human resources. It’s not a cat problem, it’s a people problem.
Porcupine
Exactly, Porcupine. But the only way we have any hope of improving things is by aggressively working on as many of those ‘claw tips’ as we can. Baby steps are better than no steps at all.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve been a volunteer for Wild Bird Rehabilitation for 20 years, and the number of birds we’ve treated or had to euthanize due to cat attacks is heartbreaking. Sallie’s comments are spot on! Part of our mission is to educate cat owners about the deadly bacteria in a cat’s mouth, and how lethal it is in a bird’s bloodstream. Thanks again for helping to get the word out.
I hope you get the word out about the dangers to birds of their saliva, Diane. It’s a huge problem.
Very interesting Ron. I have only come across feral cats two or three times when I am out. We have so many bobcats and coyotes that cats of all kinds run at their own risk. I am allergic to cats and don’t like cats period, so I would support anything to cut down on the cat population. Very informative write up. Thanks for sharing.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott Arizona
Good for your bobcats and coyotes, Everett. I wish we had more of them but local ranching and “hunting” influences prevent that.
Feral cats are definitely a problem in many areas – ultimately a human problem since their irresponsibility caused it along with many other “problems” with critters/plants etc. That being said “barn cats” are a fact of life here and necessary if one doesn’t want to use poison which also causes problems. Every grain of grain is not going to be contained. TNR can work IF no new cats come in. It does take a long time – nearly 10 years for our last cat in that program (instituted by us when the population of barn cats started getting out of hand) to die. In this area many cats are “disposed of” by various means which I have mixed feelings about, BUT! The situation at the refuge is NOT good….. 🙁
Judy, having grown up on a farm I’m aware of the fact that “barn cats” are almost an accepted part of farm life for many. But IMO the price is too big to pay. Farm cats have even more access to native wildlife than city or suburban cats and farm cats also infiltrate into the feral population which just makes the problem worse. As in many problems there are no easy answers.
I suspect that very few farm folk neuter their barn cats like you’ve responsibly done and I applaud you for it. But that’s not typical TNR like it is when folks collect cats from widespread areas for neutering and then release them. New cats virtually always infiltrate those populations so it doesn’t work.
In my experience, for what it’s worth, I’ve never seen farm cats make a significant dent in mouse populations in old buildings and barns. But just because I haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t occasionally happen, especially if you have a lot of cats in the barn.
More folks are gradually becoming more responsible with their barn cats particularly since they now have some cheap/free spay/neuter clinics once a year in this area. We did find our barn cats to be effective tho the mousing “skill” was passed down from mother to kitten and we found that it was something they had to “learn”. I agree, there are no easy answers…………… 🙁
Hello Ron, your comment on the “barn Cats” and their neglected farm “maintenance” is spot on! Our neighbor is an organic dairy and has as many Cats as Holsteins; yet, the rodent population continues out of control—especially White Footed Deer Mice that are extremely destructive. I continue amazed at the amount of them I trap capture (Tin Can Cat) and dispose of in my barns, especially now in the Fall.
I had a surprised view yesterday of a “rock” falling from the sky into our, to wet to harvest second cut hay field behind our parked vehicles. About a minute later a (I’m 99% certain Coopers Hawk) flew up and landed on top of our power pole; made a capture adjustment with its feet, then flew off with a chubby rodent, obviously a Vole with short tail dangling below. A swift dispatch by a Raptor, the same we’ve observed with Coyotes Mouse and Vole Hunting in our back hay fields. Don
There is another problem with cats’ catching birds and other small wild animals, one you probably know. If a cat injures a bird or small animal, even if the prey escapes, it is very likely to die. Cats’ claws and mouths have a deadly combination of bacteria, much much worse than dogs and wild predators. I worked for years with a wildlife rescue group, and we put all “patients” identified as cat-caught on Amoxycillin and/or Baytril. The ones treated survived if not badly injured. A very high percentage of the ones not treated or treated too late (treatment needs to start quickly or it is not effective) died. Let me anticipate a question: why would we not treat with antibiotics? If the rehabber was not aware that the injuries were cat wounds. One hesitates to subject an injured animal to harsh treatments if it is not necessary. We generally treated for open wounds. If an animal came in without an open wound and the rescuer did not believe the animal was cat-caught, we didn’t give the antibiotics, but treated the animal for stress, head trauma, or broken bones, if that were the case.
Exactly, Sallie. If you watch the video in the link you’ll see a small bird that died for exactly that reason (the lethality of cat saliva to birds especially).
Yep; 100% agreement. Our six cats are all indoors. Another big problem here is unleashed dogs chasing birds on beaches.
I agree about off-leash dogs, Brad. I see evidence of that problem far too often when I visit Willow Pond near my home.
It’s hard for me. My cats are all altered and always indoors. I think TNR is good but this really gives me pause. I DON’T think about the long term effect. Sigh. It’s an eye-opener for sure. My tender heart balks at the alternative but you have a point. One that isn’t one I can easily think about. Which, of course, means I need to think about it.
As always, you teach me, professor. Thank you even for the hard things.
Thanks for thinking about it, Arwen. And for being open to evidence that might go against your instincts…
G-Morning Ron, I applaud your stand on the feral Cat issue that is certainly a fire storm of arguments for Cat protection at all costs. If you and your blog followers are not aware of it; the Hawaii National Parks recently completed the “5 mile Cat Proof Fence” as it is proven that Cats are a major contributor to the population decline of the Hawaiian Petrel, as they are classified as an Endangered Species. These are Sea birds that nest within ground cavities and thru further researching “Hawaiian Petrel” will show the issue the Park Service has encountered to mitigate the Cat predator issue; even with photo documentation of their bird destruction hunting as; that’s what Cats do, hunt and thrill kill for sport and or food! No animal should have to be tormented to its death as Cats often do; play to kill then abandon! Don
Thanks, Don. I wasn’t aware of that cat-proof fence but I was aware of the negative effects cats have had on many Hawaiian native species. If I remember correctly (and I think I do) feral cats are largely responsible for at least 33 bird extinctions, especially on islands like the Hawaiian Islands.
I was not aware of the TNR program. That does not make a lot of sense to me. We know the domestic (feral) cats are not native to the natural habitat, so why introduce them there, sterile or not?
Excellent point, Ed.
My personal preference is TER (Trap-> Euthanize -> Release).
An alternative is TNR (Trap-> Neuter -> Release). Not the cat, but the person who is responsible for it being uncontrolled. 🙂
Mark, when all else fails I’d prefer your “TER” over what we have now too. Many recommend TNR where the R stands for Relocate instead of Release (to a secure facility or adoption).