Meaty meals and play stop cats killing wildlife, study finds

[AtW]

"Millions of pet cats are estimated to kill billions of animals a year but grain-free food can change cat behaviour

Feeding pet cats meaty food and playing with them to simulate hunting stops them killing wildlife, according to a study.

Eating grain-free food led to the cats depositing a third fewer mouse and bird corpses on doorsteps, while just five to 10 minutes of play with a toy mouse cut the killing by a quarter.

There are 7.5 million cats in the UK and they are estimated to kill about 100 million animals a year. The toll is billions in the US and 230 million in Australia. Mammals such as mice, rats and rabbits make up two-thirds of the UK kills, a quarter are birds such as sparrows and blackbirds, and the rest are frogs and lizards."

Meaty meals and play stop cats killing wildlife, study finds | Animal behaviour | The Guardian

Save Mice and Rats who live around your house!

[SueEllen]

People get cats to kill wildlife specifically mice and rats but it can include squirrels...

[OwlHoot]

My cat's bowl is rarely empty, but she still insists on bringing in birds, field mice, small rabbits, even large beetles and once a bat, every other day.

Luckily she doesn't really know what to do with them once they are in, and I can usually rescue and release them before they are injured.

[AtW]

She is bartering those for her food

HTH

[xoggoth]

My cat's bowl is rarely empty, but she still insists on bringing in birds, field mice, small rabbits, even large beetles and once a bat, every other day.

Luckily she doesn't really know what to do with them once they are in, and I can usually rescue and release them before they are injured.

Reminds me when I was renting a room in a flat in Birmingham. The cat brought a rat into the house and it ran into the room of a lady renter who screamed her head off. Neither of us blokes liked her because of her constant moaning and we found it hilarious.

[d000hg]

People get cats to kill wildlife specifically mice and rats but it can include squirrels...

Not most people though of course they are excellent at it. Ours turns out to be a terrific spider hunter... We live in a 150yo house in the countryside and barely see any. He's learned to recognise the word 'spider' and comes belting to investigate if you shout it.

Also catches bluebottles, very handy living rurally.

mi fone did this on tappy tawk

[BrilloPad]

"Millions of pet cats are estimated to kill billions of animals a year but grain-free food can change cat behaviour

Feeding pet cats meaty food and playing with them to simulate hunting stops them killing wildlife, according to a study.

Eating grain-free food led to the cats depositing a third fewer mouse and bird corpses on doorsteps, while just five to 10 minutes of play with a toy mouse cut the killing by a quarter.

There are 7.5 million cats in the UK and they are estimated to kill about 100 million animals a year. The toll is billions in the US and 230 million in Australia. Mammals such as mice, rats and rabbits make up two-thirds of the UK kills, a quarter are birds such as sparrows and blackbirds, and the rest are frogs and lizards."

Meaty meals and play stop cats killing wildlife, study finds | Animal behaviour | The Guardian

Save Mice and Rats who live around your house!

Get a cat then feed it from the kebab shop downstairs.

[NotAllThere]

So 13 animals a year then in the UK. The Australia figure is probably because they've got something like 6 million feral cats. Who never get cereal based cat food. The US figure is similarly high.

My cat brings in leaves. And occasionally brings up shrews. But then, she also runs into walls.

[SueEllen]

Get a cat then feed it from the kebab shop downstairs.

If the owner likes the cat they will feed it.

Cats have no loyalty.

[Eirikur]

Vegan pussies what's next?