Domestic cats kill up to 10 times more prey than wild

UK cats could be having up to 10 times more impact in reducing wildlife populations within a small “killing zone” around their homes than wild predators, according to a new study.

In the work, researchers collaborated with scientists and citizen scientists from six countries to collect GPS cat tracking data and prey capture reports from 925 pet cats, with most coming from the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Researchers from North Carolina (NC) State University and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences discovered domestic cats kill more prey in a given area of around 100 metres around their home than similar-sized wild predators.

‘Concentrated’

Roland Kays – zoologist, head of the NC State College of Natural Resources Biodiversity Resources and the paper’s lead author – said: “Since they are fed cat food, pets kill fewer prey per day than wild predators, but their home ranges were so small that this effect on local prey ends up getting really concentrated.

“Add to this the unnaturally high density of pet cats in some areas, and the risk to bird and small mammal population gets even worse.

“We found house cats have a 2 to 10 times larger impact on wildlife than wild predators – a striking effect.”

• Read the full story in the 24 March issue of Veterinary Times.