Birds, Cats & Coyotes: trap-neuter & related efforts fail to protect birds

Hi All,
Bird owners are usually concerned with the welfare of wild species, so today I’d like to focus on an under-appreciated conservation concern, feral cat predation upon birds. Recent studies have shown that “trap-neuter-release” programs, collars with bells, and other popular control methods are failing to protect wildlife.
Although estimates of cat numbers vary widely, it is certain that feral and free-roaming house cats in the USA kill millions of native birds, reptiles and amphibians and billions of mammals yearly. Read article here: Birds, Feral Cats and Coyotes - Updating a Serious Conservation Issue | That Bird Blog
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Thanks, Frank

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Re: Birds, Cats & Coyotes: trap-neuter & related efforts fail to protect birds

I don't think we have feral cats here. Coyotes jump backyard fences to get cats and small dogs. My friend's security video caught his two cats having a standoff with a coyote in his fenced backyard in mid-afternoon. He scared it off, and it even came back later that day. He had a minute of fame on local tv from it.

Some people just don't appreciate coyotes, which have to be one of the smartest canines. A friend used to hunt them until he got to know one. They are protected here in the burbs.

Re: Birds, Cats & Coyotes: trap-neuter & related efforts fail to protect birds

There is lots of feral cats down in oxnard,ca. The only cats outside here are pets and for some reason the coyotes don't get them.

Re: Birds, Cats & Coyotes: trap-neuter & related efforts fail to protect birds

I have read Flapping Feathers and your article. Nice to have you here on our forum. Feral cat predation is a true problem for the birds. No easy fix on this one. Many of us are cat lovers also. I must admit I took care of one feral cat for 2 years. I saw to it that he was Neutered. No way could this cat been a pet. Eventually he got sick and I had him euthanized. I loved this little guy alot and he bonded to me and only me as I was feeding him. It was quite amazing to watch this cat accept me, let me touch him and he would lay in my lap. Perhaps if we feed them they will not hunt the birds??

Re: Birds, Cats & Coyotes: trap-neuter & related efforts fail to protect birds

The feral cats in Oxnard get fed cat food by the locals. They live in the rock crevices and thats where everyone feeds them. I dont think they hunt because there is always a supply of cat food for them.

Re: Birds, Cats & Coyotes: trap-neuter & related efforts fail to protect birds

Hi,

Thanks so much for your interesting responses and kind words; re coyotes, their spread is truly an amazing story. Problematical in some regions, of course, but fascinating to me as a biologist. I was involved in a few captures of those that had mead it into Manhattan and the Bx Zoo, during my years at the BX Zoo.

They may ignore cats if there is an abundance of other food; also, cats learn how to avoid them, and coyotes may eventually cease investing much effort into catching them, focusing instead on young or naive ones when available.

As for feral cats, study after study has shown that hunger has little effect on hunting behavior; they will hunt when the opportunity presents itself (I believe 1 such study is perhaps referenced in my article?). No easy solution, they will always be with us, but throwing time and money into programs that do not work is not useful, and clouds the issue, unfortunately (people believe they are helping both cats and native wildlife). The battle between those who wish to feed feral cats and those who propose culling them will not be over any time soon....

Thx again, best, Frank