Speaking about cats and their impact on native ecosystems and hen populations at all times ruffles some feathers. Folks see their pet cats as cute creatures incapable of doing any hurt. This could be true inside the home, however as soon as the cats go outdoors, it’s an entire completely different story. Their instincts come out they usually can grow to be killing machines.
However telling pet house owners that letting their cats out of the home can have unfavourable outcomes usually results in defensiveness and arguments based mostly on opinions quite than on onerous information.
The analysis supported by Nature Canada proved, as soon as once more, that cats destroy hen populations. We needed to indicate this proof and encourage folks to maintain their pets indoors whereas additionally being empathetic in the direction of individuals who have been instructed their entire lives that cats are semi-wild creatures that “should” spend time outdoors. Many people know and love individuals who suppose this fashion.
We additionally love cats, and it was vital to us to not come throughout as having any type of private vendetta in opposition to them.
As a part of the episode, we did our personal citizen analysis by placing a digicam on the documentary’s director’s household cat. We additionally confirmed among the different initiatives in Toronto that purpose to cut back the variety of stray cats within the streets. One among them had us comply with a crew of volunteers as they appeared to entice stray and feral cats to get them off the streets, into loving properties, and away from native wildlife.
The outcomes had been crystal clear. Our cameras caught a beloved “innocent cat” raiding a hen’s nest in the course of the night time. The crew following the stray cats noticed them catch three feral cats in only a matter of hours.
The episode additionally featured the analysis of Dr. Elizabeth Gow, a analysis scientist with Setting and Local weather Change Canada and a collaborator with Nature Canada. Dr. Gow’s work reveals that there’s a huge variety of cats roaming the streets at night time and consuming every part of their path.
This causes hurt not solely to hen populations, which have already been declining for many years, but additionally to cats. Out of doors cats usually get into fights with different cats, which might result in devastating accidents. Additionally they compete with scavengers reminiscent of skunks, possums, and raccoons. There’s at all times the danger of predators like birds of prey and coyotes, and naturally, automobiles. Many cats may additionally eat poisoned prey and even devour the poison instantly.
In brief, though cats may appear to be glad outdoors, their lives are shorter, extra painful and far more harmful.
We hope you take pleasure in watching the episode, and in case you’re on the fence on this difficulty, we hope that it convinces you to maintain your cats and the native wildlife secure by holding your pets indoors.
Thanks for watching and serving to us proceed bringing you wildlife documentaries each week!
