Wanted: 
The House Cat

There is currently a serious threat to wild birds and small mammals native to the United States. This menace may purr and play with balls of string, but it is still a formidable and dangerous hunter. It is Felis domesticus, the common house cat. Some statistics and facts:

• Many cat-owners put bells on cats' collars in an attempt to "warn" birds and wildlife that the cat is nearby. This is a misconception because a ringing bell is not an instinctive danger signal for birds and wildlife. Baby birds/mammals can't escape anyway, bells or not.

• In 1995, approximately 16% of the injured animals brought to the CNC Wildlife Rehab Clinic suffered injuries from cats.

• By hunting, cats take away prey from native mammalian/avian predators. Cats are not natural predators of the environment and often they will not even eat what they have hunted, wasting food resources.

• One female and her offspring are capable of producing 420,000 cats in only 7 years.

• Cats kill millions of songbirds each day. Even larger birds such as waterfowl and raptors become prey. 

You can help prevent this needless slaughter of wildlife with a very simple solution -- keeping the household cat indoors.

"The Great Indoors"
Keeping your cat indoors is not just beneficial for the conservation of wildlife. A cat kept indoors is much healthier than a free-roamer. Free-roaming cats have an average life-span of 3 to 5 years while indoor cats have a life expectancy of nearly 17 years! Felines kept in the house are also protected from cars, the worst enemy of cats. A bout 1.5 million cats a year are killed by cars. Free-roaming cats also run a higher risk of exposure to parasites and diseases like rabies. Without doubt, being outside is far more dangerous for a cat than being kept indoors.

 

SIMPLE WAYS OF KEEPING YOUR CAT HEALTHY Keep your household cat indoors. In the long run, this will be beneficial to local wildlife and your cat's overall health. Make sure your cat is spayed or neutered. Keep your cat occupied inside. Playtime, attention, and lots of love will keep your cat happy. Encourage other cat-owners to keep their pets indoors. Let them know the dangers associated with cats and the outdoors. Explain the damaging effects cats have on wildlife.

Please take a strong position on this important issue. With your cooperation, we can greatly reduce the number of animals needlessly killed by cats each year.

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to increasing community understanding of our natural environment.