environmental science

The issue: Each year, hundreds of millions of birds and other wildlife are killed by cats around the world. Cats, many of them homeless, hunt other wildlife for survival and for feeding their young (some may say they also kill for the simple pleasure of it). Cats have been blamed by many ornithologists (bird scientists) for killing scores of endangered birds. Each cat that lives in rural areas can kill up to 100 animals per year, while city cats (along with raccoons) can decimate urban rookeries (nesting places). In addition to the numerous house sparrows, pigeons, grackles, and starlings that cats kill (these are all non-native species in the United States and are themselves considered “undesirable” species by many people), cats also kill endangered birds, mammals, and reptiles. Besides posing a considerable threat to wildlife, free-roaming cats themselves are in danger of being killed by disease, cars, dogs, parasites, and people who shoot, trap, and poison them. Free-roaming cats often live short, violent lives, and die violent, often prolonged, deaths.