THE EFFECT OF CATS ON WILDLIFE

At Cascades Raptor Center's educational displays, I am frequently approached by people who tell me, somewhat abashedly, that their cats are constantly bringing in birds. I'm not sure why they feel compelled to share this with me, because when I offer suggestions, they brush them aside - they seem to be seeking absolution instead of a viable solution. When I suggest that there is something that a single individual can do to positively mitigate human impact on wildlife, their eyes glaze over. While many cat owners may believe their pet cannot possibly have a significant impact just because it hunts, the cumulative devastation of cat attacks on wildlife is substantial. With many species in danger due to habitat loss, predation by house cats is yet one more hardship we humans impose on wild animals already struggling to survive in our human-dominated world. Yes, tropical forests are being cleared, wetlands are being destroyed, migratory birds are losing habitat along their entire migration route, they are losing insect prey and even their own lives to pesticides... but much of that feels beyond our individual, immediate ability to affect significantly. Limiting the toll that cats take on wildlife, however, is an action that is immediate and effective on an individual basis. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects native birds from being killed or kept by people. Any person who willfully allows his or her cat to injure or kill migratory birds is, in effect, in violation of this federal law. While this may seem like an extreme interpretation, the "sport" hunting of wild animals by our well-fed pet cats is a waste of life and a crime against our wildlife, at least ethically, because it is preventable. For more information on how you can help; call Kitty Tolson Carroll at Accipiter Enterprises: (386) 776.1960. E-mail: hawkmom74@aol.com.