I thought this was about cats. Let's not get off target or we can bring up how in the future this earth will be destroyed and a new earth will be made. Biblical scripture talks about that it will happen, not if it will. So war will happen, everything will be destroyed and so on. Cats, where are you now?

42 posts to go...

41 post to go until I get to Start "Felis catus The evil Felis"LOL!!! just kidding. I think that it is good and fun for us to discuss this. No one should take offense to this stuff. Here people of mostly like minds can come share one another's opinions and ideals, and possibly even change someone's perspective or shed a little light on something. I personally have learned stuff here and had my opinions altered. I sympathize with the enorumous amount of loose domestic cats, because they are just doing what they need to do to survive, but I honestly believe that they should be kept indoors due to all the other obstacles in the way of the true native wildlife's survival. It really is just a part of nature though, the way people came to NOrth America and robbed and raped the Natives of the land of the homeland and spiritual existance with God and the Land. People are not excluded from nature. I don't think the non-natives should have to go back yonder ways wilst they came, because I think Germany and NOrthern Europe is a little too cold for my taste. I am just trying to make a point that plant and animal species naturally invade other territories where they did not originally roam. That is why I see it as a personal preference with the plants and animals I prefer to live in my yard. YOu could say it is moral, but then when you realize the ultimate reality the large majority of people here in North America do not belong here if you look at it that way.

Confusion between race and species?

Or just deep confusion : )

I think the question here is really what niche within this ecosystem does the domestic cat inhabit? The answer is none. It did not originate here and, therefore, can do irreparable harm to the ecosystem. If non-native plants or animals are introduced to an ecosystem, there is always the danger that they will tip the balance. I agree, native wildlife has enough problems with habitat destruction without being eaten by non-native predators. Everyone has heard of snakehead fish and English house sparrows, kudzu etc. The other down side to this is the disease and other harm that outdoor cats inevitably become victims of. Please keep cats inside and use the alternatives like traps.

37 posts to go . . .
The roof rats I have are not native nor are the red squirrel that are taking over the natural habitat of the gray squirrel here in NoCalif. I have so many roof rats, my dogs can't catch them, although they try.

I think discussing cats is like talking about politics, no one will ever agree, it's a tough debate and a personal one. What ever you decide is up to you but I think poison should never be an option. I think poison is a horrible and cruel death undeserved by any of Gods creatures.

Ed;-)

LoL! creed, breed, or species? There may not be as much difference between the relation to different races of man as opposed to the different species/breeds of Felis. So, rosehip and ellie, my confusion is not as deep as your denial.

There are very distinct genetical differences between the types of "race" of man. Some of those genetical differences are more distinct than the genetical difference between several small species of Felis. Aside from the fact there are greater genetical variation in the different types of man than in some of the different types of small Felis, the point about man invading land that was already inhabited by others and taking it from them and not feeling any type of ethical or moral wieght for it is relevant in the discussion about invasive species. I fully understand, though, how some of you will not be able comprehend this. I was just pointing out the nature of our little planet dust.

I did not brought that point up, >you>>Some of those genetical differences are more distinct than the genetical difference between several small species of Felis.of what (...relevant) small Felis species are you refering to, for instance?

Why only cats, what about wolf - dog. Is wolf native in America? Then it should be OK to let stray dogs run in the woods.

In my humble opinion, it isn't any more right to let domestic dogs run loose and prey on wildlife than it is to let cats do it. The difference between pets/domestic animals and other non-natives is that we as humans can make a difference and keep them inside. They do not need to prey on wildlife to live. Study up on ecosystems and niches within ecosystems and you will see why this is a problem for the environment. Balance is the issue.

I am not sure, but I do believe that wolves are native to North American. Maybe someone more well-versed than I will post some info on that.

Supposedly all wolves originated in NOrth America, or the ancestor of all our world's wolves lived in North America and then they spread out across the globe.

Well, regardless of the why's and how's all domestic cats and dogs, that cross my property get an air pellet in the rear. Those whom have three repeat offenses get the deer rifle and the BBQ pit.

I suspect that the people who are unable to make the corelation of different race of men invading to that of invading species of other mammals are the same one's who scouf and become sick at the thought of utilizing the coat and meat of a dog or cat, and these same weak minded, imbecilian, people are the ones who complained about stray animals, which were going to be uthinized, coats going overseas, thus putting all the pressure square on the hides our native wild fur bearing animals. The animals carcass's are just being wasted now, and due to your ignorance there is twice as much death and carnage.

To AleksandraS: According to A. W. F. Banfield of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, Canada, Canis lupus is holarctically distributed and originates from Eurasia. Its holarctic distribution is obviously very ancient.
Why should'nt we let its domestic descendants roam and breed freely with it in the woods? 1st good reason, for Man, is that cross-bred wolf-dogs are highly dangerous animals.
2nd good reason, for the rest of the environment, is this would, from all likeliness, weaken the wolf's genetic stock. Degenerate wolves??

Does cat meat taste good?

here's the problem:
FACT 1
there are according to most studies, 66 million "owned" cats in america (two-thirds of which are allowed to roam free) and another 60-70 million ferals -- roughly 100 million introduced predators on the loose. ya think there are 100 million foxes? coyotes? owls? the magnitude of the problem escapes some people. one kill per cat per year (laughable underestimate) means 100 million birds and small mammals are needlesly killed annually and the food chain on which native predators rely is seriously depleted. 80 percent of attacks not initially fatal kill the prey due to bacterial infection (cats harbor 60 diferent kinds of bacteria in their mouths.)

FACT 2
an unneutered female cat and her kittens can produce an astounding 420,000 young in seven years. there are no native predators that match this rate. 60 percent of unneutered cats become feral in three years -- wander off, in other words. predators are relatively scarce in any balanced ecosystem; it's nature's way. this overload of cats is alarming.

FACT 3
cat-lovers are quick to claim that habitat destruction is harder on wildlife than cats. in fact, development, habitat disruption and cat proliferation go hand-in-hand, since people bring cats into areas newly transformed from woodlands and farms to housing subdivisions.

FACT 4
in cats, the urge to kill is independent of hunger -- gratuitous, in other words. in one experiment, a rat was released in front of cats eating their favorite food. without exception, the cats stopped eating, killed the rat and resumed dining at their bowls. we condemn senseless killing of wildlife, right -- by every critter except cats? since this is carnage we can control by keeping cats indoors, don't cat-lovers have a moral obligation to do so?

Elke: Great info. I have heard these things before, but maybe you can give people a source so that they can go and read more about this? I would love to be able to print off some of this from a website to convince the mother of one of my students to keep her cats indoors. She came to school this morning in tears (the mother) because one of her cats brought a baby cottontail into the garage. I told her that since the cat had found the nest, it is likely to return to kill the rest. (Not to scare her or anything!) When I had outdoor cats, many years before I knew better, I had this experience with baby bunnies. Horrific!

Oh, yea, cat meat is delicious! Much better than dog. If you frequent Chinese buffets in the HOuston area you are guaranteed to get some Felis! Okay, I am joking about the bbq pit, never cooked one myself, but I surely don't see anything wrong with it. I am not joking about the cat on the Buffets though; it has been on the news numerous times, restuarants getting caught with cat in the freezer. I have eaten stuff on the chinese buffet that was not chicken, pork, fish, or beef, but it was very tasty!

Wolves are native to America, the numbers have dwindled severely. The only packs I know of are being protected and studied in Idaho and Minnesota. Pretty rare in other states, a coyote is often mistaken for a wolve by people who don't know the difference. A coyote will kill a cat.

Didnt you ever notice there is always a pet store next to the chinese resturants?

One wonders where these 'FACTS' come from. If information is to be posted as 'FACT', reference to the basis of the claim would be interesting to see...if it exists.

Only 23 more posts...and it's dead.

You know, I post the references about 10 times a year, whenever this subject arises. But I have never found that the people that allow their cats outside to kill birds and other critters read the references I offer.

Google "cats effect on wildlife." There are many reputable organizations (the working word here is "reputable," as opposed to "Suzie's Cat Site")that will offer the references you seek.

Most facts tend to be opinions, so references would be linked to a column written by someone's opinion.

"Most facts tend to be opinions..."

Exactly...

I never like to read these cat threads because I don't have any but two houses down they got one he keeps showing up in my yard I am a little afraid of the childrens mother otherwise I would ask her to please keep the cat inside he/she keeps prowling my house I mentioneded it to my daughter and she said that it's the law they have to wear a bell the bell does nothing what so ever. Is there a nice way to aproach them? Sarah

>>"Most facts tend to be opinions..."
Exactly...There you go Copernicus, Newton, Pasteur!!...

...Spares a lot of readin'!

for vonyon, roseunhip, treebeard, lkz51a, et al:
start with these:
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/predation.pdf
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/hazards.pdf
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/colonies.pdf
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/refadcom.pdf
http://www.lcshelter.com/cat%20predation%20on%20birds.htm
http://www.wildlife.org/policy/index.cfm?tname=policystatements&statement=ps28
http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/catindoors.cfm
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/cats.htm
http://www.lcshelter.com/cat%20predation%20on%20birds.htm
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenfa.nsf/FID/-856008E04EF6025ECA256D780013EFEF?OpenDocument
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Mar/20/il/il44p.html
http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/caringforPet/catx.html

Oh dear. They teach the difference between facts and opinions in school. People who think "facts tend to be opinions" evidently have lots of one and not much of the other.

This is so sad. Now a great deal makes sense, though.

Gravity. Fact or opinion?

The earth revolves around the sun. Fact or opinion?

Trickle-down economics? Hmmmmmmmm.

"Spares alot of readin." True!! : )

Elly: You are right, it is sad. Some people will never read the sources. FACTS stated as such are more likely to be taken seriously and delineated from "opinions" when reliable sources are cited, I'm sure you would agree. Just so you don't feel like it has been a total waste of your time over the years, I have read sources that you have cited, so there are still some of us out there who will read and whose opinions will change as a result of reading the facts! I know it takes time to post a well-thought out argument and certainly appreciate everyone that does so.

Elke: Thanks for taking the time to post those!

After you get out of neverland you'll understand that many organizations state facts that the people who support them want to hear. Some reports are issued out too soon too be considered fact by hardcore listeners. I'm apt to hear opinions, but not facts which have little history behind them.

I don't understand? Do you really think there si' more difference between some types of small Felice than there is "race" of man?

Ugh. Now it's getting scary.

Thanks, Vonyon. I have the feeling you are already somone who tends to enlighten yourself beyond the "facts" offered by Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh.

I'm going back to my B O O K now: The Song of the Dodo, by David Quammen.

Books. Try them sometime, lkz5ia, when you feel burdened by your "facts."

Is that want you want to do, hide behind books? Its as if your crying wolf. 'SEE, SEE, I know facts, I read books' So what? Most people on this forum know how and do read, otherwise they wouldn't be reading and writing here. Rather they would be in their swimming pool enjoying the smoke coming off the BBQ pit.

lkz5ia: C'mon, I have to believe that you and most of the people here are intelligent enough to know better than to base their judgement on someone's opinion or on one report of fact. Sorry, but if I were serious about an issue, I would certainly do some research.

While I would agree with you that many facts reported in the general media and by particular organizations are slanted to serve a purpose, I disagree with you that opinions that are part of the banter in the neighborhood, general store or a message board for example are somehow superior. In order to develop an intelligent opinion, issues such as this one bear digging a little deeper. If someone comes on here simply to state things as fact in a heated discussion and cannot cite the source of those same facts, then those facts hold less credence in my eyes. Elke quickly came forward with sources to back up the Facts that she/he stated. This is not to say that simply because someone can cite a source that the facts are accurate. That determination is up to the individual who chooses to look further into it and think critically about the issue rather than base his/her decision on opinions.

Oh, by the way, it really is okay to disagree on something. I don't think it is necessary to take offense or get nasty. The disagreement or challenge is not a judgement of a person, simply a challenge to preconcieved assumptions. When we are willing to challenge our assumptions, I think we begin to learn. Just my opinion of course, not fact, just opinion.

just nine more...

Opinions are like butts, everyone's got one but most should be kept to yourself.

i have just two questions for those who claim cats do no harm at large among wildlife: what positive GOOD is accomplished by unleashing roughly 100 million feline predators into the wild? please tell us.

and, the frequent response from cat-lovers is that habitat destruction caused by humans is far worse than cat predation. did you ever stop to think that releasing cats outdoors IS degrading the habitat for wildlife? and that by doing so, you are part of the problem?

(sorry that's three questions...)

Elke, I'm with you.........how does the statement that "Humans do more damage to the environment than cats" bolster the argument that cats should be allowed to roam outside? It doesn't and as far as I know, two wrongs have yet to make a right.

The bottom line is that cats are not native to this environment. The idea of minimizing or eliminating non-natives in an ecosystem is to keep things in balance. Native predators and other natives fill various niches in the native environment. When non-natives come along they need to make their own niche often reducing species diversity having disastrous effects by throwing things out of balance. Snakehead fish, kudzu, multiflora rose are all good examples of non-natives that have had disastrous effects on ecosystems to which they don't belong. Cats (at the rate feral cat colonies are growing) have the same potential. Being predators, they have the potential to impact local wildlife therby limiting diversity.

By the way, something to think about: diversity is healthy in all facets of life..........including diverse opinions which I find add interest and provide balance to debate. Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to add thoughtful responses and opinions to this thread. They are the things that make us think and learn.

I didn't read this whole long thing. My answer to your initial question is, "It depends on the individual cat".
At one time I adopted 4 very young abandoned kittens. Upon maturing, I found that only one liked to chase birds. One went exclusively for snakes and lizzards. The other two were strickly mousers. They'd all play with each other's kill if they got something, but they always hunted their own flavor. I found that very interesting. Incidentally, the bird lover was confined to the house during dawn and dusk. To my knowlegde, she never got a baby. In ten years, she only brought one adult chickadee home.

A spayed or neutered cat would make good bait for a coyote trap. Just kidding. Cats are a big problem in town when allowed to kill wildlife on someone elses property. I love cats when they are kept at home and enjoyed by their owners, despise them when they are killing birds or lizards in my yard. BG

Cats bad

Bill12386, your joke is reality in CT and RI these days. People have started keeping their cats inside during peak wildlife hours due to a lot of cats becoming coyote lunches. As luck would have it, that's about the same time that birds, bunnies and other critters are out and vulnerable. I find that poetic irony.

interesting. Coyotes eating cats?

I don't know about eating, but they do kill them. Small dogs too. I hear they taste like chicken.

1) Your free-roaming cats leave feces and kill wildlife in other people's yards.

2) I am extremely allergic to cats--all their by-products.

3) I end up burying dead songbirds, sweeping up feathers and skin, and shoveling cat manure. I then have allergic reactions which threaten my livelihood (I am a singer, and my allergic reaction begins with closing my breathing passages right up tight, just like a drum)

4) Your cats allowed to roam outside are also prey to many dangers, diseases, and harms your indoor cats are not exposed to.

5) check with a vet as to how much better an indoor cat is than an outdoor cat is. (I worked for a vet for two years as a young woman. I know the stats.)

Elly_NJ, your reading The Song of the Dodo too? Facinating, isnt it!

Individual cats tend to specialize on specific types of prey. not all ferel cats will prey hevily on singbirds, but still its one more pressure that birds dont need.

HEY!

Waaait a second.

Int the upper limit of posts 100? this is reply # 103...

Weird.

Yea, 103??? I had hoped this would have been buried. Personally I enjoy discussion, but a few of the people on here expressed there extreme closed mindedness on this thread. To be honest your reasoning is totally flawed and fraud, and whenever I pointed out your error you said I was confused. The truth is that you are in denial, and your up on some moral/ethical high horse that is a complete joke, contradiction, lie, and fully flawed and fraud. Open closed eyes, break free from your rigid box.

I thought people on this forum would be more sensitive to environmental issues, and even to animal issues (since we are discussing living things, afterall) but apparently I was wrong - nobody seems to be the least bit bothered by comments about shooting cats, keeping dogs chained up (a horrible thing to do to any dog - visit www.dogsdeservebetter.org for more info, although I'm sure that's "opinion" according to some people here), poisoning or drowning rodents (aren't they wildlife, too, and an important part of the food chain at that? what harm are they doing as long as they stay out of your house and/or barn?), starving cats to make them hunt, etc. These are living creatures - whether most people will admit it or not.

htown, you are one of the main people expressing "there extreme closed mindedness on this thread" but of course you don't allow yourself to see that because of your own tunnel vision. It seems that's usually the way it goes with people who call others close-minded. What "facts" exactly do you believe on the subject of outdoor cats, and what are YOUR sources for those facts? You claim that the sources other people have given are opinions, or at best, slanted to show a particular outcome. So tell me, where do you find your concrete facts on this subject?

Secondly, all the people giving anecdotes about hawks swooping up cats and dogs (including a Boston terrier!) - I don't mean to be rude, but I think you were mistaken about the hawks' intent when you saw them circling over your yards. Pretty much the largest hawk most people in North America are going to find in their area is a red-tail. Red-tails typically weigh around 2.5-3.5 pounds. How do you expect a red tail, evan a large one, to pick up an adult cat, which usually weighs between 8-15 pounds, or an adult dog, which usually weighs from between 5 pounds for even the smallest breeds like chihuahuas, on up the scale? (And by the way, a typical adult Boston terrier weighs around 15-20 pounds.) Granted, hawks will pick up rabbits that weigh just as much as the hawk does (2-4 pounds), but it's a pretty incredible feat for a hawk to pick up something that weighs twice the amount or more that it weighs. Anecdotes like this are part of the reason so many people illegally shoot hawks (notice most people said they just observed the hawk circling around? How do they know that the hawk was thinking, "Hm, I'm going to go catch that dog or cat," instead of "There's a squirrel in that tree that looks tasty,"?).

Thirdly, yes, cats and small dogs are frequently killed by coyotes. Coyotes are very opportunistic - they usually go for the easiest thing to scavenge or kill, which is why they are moving more and more into the suburbs, a virtual buffet for them. It's becoming a real problem in some parts of the country, even in places as populated as Cincinnati, OH. As some people have been saying all along, outside cats face dozens of dangers, and coyotes are one of those dangers. jeff_al, you said, "cats can fend for themselves when outdoors unless you thoughtlessly remove their claws" - how do you expect cats, claws or not, to defend themselves against coyotes? And for that matter, how will claws help them defend themselves against being hit by moving vehicles (some people actively try to hit cats, others are just careless and don't care)? And how will claws help a cat survive an encounter with black bears, mountain lions, or large stray dogs (no matter how viciously a cat will fight back, it is NOT going to win in a fight against a cougar, a bear, or a 60+ pounds dog that is determined to kill the cat, and it's also not going to win in any fight where it encounters two or more dogs whose prey drive have kicked in). And how do you expect a cat, claws or no claws, to defend itself against intestinal or external parasites that are everywhere outside, or to defend itself against being poisoned by a small animal that has itself been poisoned or to defend itself from being poisoned by people who set poison out specifically for cats? And how do you expect a cat to defend itself against people like lkz5ia who shoot them? I can understand the frustration with stray cats killing wildlife, but I deal with that by getting animal control out here - that's what animal control is for. The cat does NOT know it isn't supposed to be in somebody else's yard! You can't blame the cat for roaming - it's the idiot owners, but the cats are the ones being punished. Punish the owners by having the cat picked up by animal control - make the owners pay fines until they get the message that cats should stay inside.

Fourthly, the people debating about free roaming dogs, dog/wolf hybrids, etc: dogs have been fully domesticated; cats have not been domesticated in the same sense as dogs. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Cats are able to eke out an existence, short and brutal though it may be, on their own. Dogs cannot. That's why you never really hear about packs of feral dogs roaming the countryside. You MAY hear about a "feral" dog or dog pack every once in a while, but in reality, these dogs are often stray former hunting dogs or pets that people dumped, and they're usually nearly starved to death after just a few weeks on their own. Any viscious or erratic behavior they display is usually the result of desperately seeking any kind of food and/or a result of severe diseases (such as rabies, distemper). Dogs do not fare well on their own. Most of them, even the hunting type dogs, have lost the ability to catch enough food to survive in the wild. That's not to say there aren't any dogs that can't survive in the wild - some breeds are better suited to it, especially primitive breeds like the Carolina Dog. But most dogs that even have hunting instincts left at all are bred to track or retrieve prey, but not to actually kill it or capture it themselves in most cases. (Think hounds - they track and then hold prey at bay, but don't kill it; retrievers only fetch what's already been killed; pointers find it and then freeze in place, the result of a neural malfunction in response to the prey drive kicking in which has been bred into pointers over centuries; spaniels which flush prey out for the hunters shoot; and so forth. None of those actually catch it themselves.) Cats are distinctly different in that respect. They have never been bred to manipulate their instincts into some sort of skill that humans wanted - they already had the natural instinct to kill any and all small animals they came across, and that was the only purpose (other than food) that they were kept for for thousands of years. Dogs are an entirely different story; they've been kept for protection, for ASSISTING in hunting, for entertainment (bear/bull/dog-baiting), for companions, for food, for herding, and for all kinds of other things, most of which involved manipulating the prey or pack instincts over generations to obtain the desired behavior. As to the wolves, there are indeed native wolves in North America - actually, ALL of North America, from Mexico to Canada. Most of them have been extirpated from almost all of their range, and most of the distinct subspecies are extinct. Some reintroduction attempts are being made in certain protected areas, but most of these attempts have not been going on long enough to know whether or not they'll be successful. Coyotes have taken over much of what used to be wolves' territory, and are to some degree filling some of the ecological void that was created when wolves were hunted to near extinction or extinction in most places; of course, coyotes are not as big or as strong as wolves, so they can't take down the larger prey that wolves used to (hence the severe deer overpopulation - that overpopulation is partially due to the recent [evolutionarily speaking] lack of wolves and cougars in most areas). I have not had any personal experience with wolves (I have with coyotes, though) but it seems from all the accountants I've read of both species that wolves would actually be preferable to coyotes if you had to choose one species or the other to be around suburban/rural areas (unless you're raising sheep in which case the coyotes are supposedly less of a threat). My understanding is that wolves tend to be shier, try to avoid people, and they hunt for their own food more often than coyotes, whereas coyotes tend to go right into people's yards and will frequently scavenge trash cans, kill people's small pets, and basically make nuisances of themselves.

Lastly, getting back to the original purpose behind this topic. The cats will undoubtedly effect the wildlife in your area. How much or how little is variable, and can't be predicted - that's up to the individual cat(s). But as has been pointed out, you can't train the cat to only hunt rodents. It is highly likely, probable even, that the cat will kill the occasional or the regular bird, reptile, insect (grasshoppers, beetles, mantids, butterflies, dragonflies, etc), amphibian, small mammal, and/or fish if there's any water nearby. Several people have already cited specific studies indicating the damage just one cat can do, and several people have also pointed out that individual cats vary in their interest in hunting so I see no point in repeating all they said. All I'll say about that is that I agree with them, it is definitely best for the cat's safety and health and it is probably best for the lives of all the small wildlife in the area to keep all your cats indoors. If you have a mouse problem in your house or barn, then keep the cat confined to your house or barn, and don't let it roam outside. If there's a cat that's decent at hunting in your house or barn, it will soon clear the building of mice and keep them out as long as the cat lives in that building. Putting a cat outside will probably be LESS effective, because the cat will be able to wander over a relatively large area, and will therefore have much more prey to choose from instead of just being able to catch the mice you are targetting. And for God's sake, don't starve the poor cat. That's a horrible, inhumane thing to do, not to mention illegal according to most animal protection laws (nearly any law or ordinance in any county or state is going to require that all pets be given food, water, and shelter as a bare minimum). If the cat doesn't have the instinct to hunt, then don't force it to do so because it's desperate for food. Give the cat food and water every day, and give it attention or at least another cat for company. Cats are actually very social creatures, contrary to popular belief, and most cats like having some human contact and/or another cat(s) around. Remember, this is a living creature that deserves consideration for its mental and physical needs - a cat is not a mouse trap with fur, again contrary to many people's beliefs. You will be responsible for the cat's well being in every single way that entails, if you choose to buy or adopt a cat, and likewise, if you set loose a cat on your property and it kills any wildlife at all, you will be responsible for that, as well. The cat won't be able to kill wildlife if you don't first set it loose and allow it to do so.

Allowing your cat to roam unsupervised is neglectful,it is in the best interest of everyone involved you keep your non-native cat in the house, owls and hawks will take care of your rodent problems, study shows owls in one night kill 3 times more then a cat does,Since domesticated cats are not natural predators to North Americas wildlife they kill for sport,therefore taking food out of our native owls and hawks mouths.