Caring for Our Cats and Wild Birds

At Wild Birds Unlimited, we are cat lovers. And many of us today will be celebrating National Love Your Pet Day as proud owners of our own domestic cats. As bird lovers and backyard bird watchers, we also have a great love for wildlife and thrive on the well-being of the biodiversity found in our own backyards. 

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) at a backyard feeder

We wish to celebrate the positive additions that both cats and wild birds make to our lives. Keeping cats indoors is safer for our domestic companions and safer for wild animals, including birds. Unfortunately, cats that roam free outdoors can become exposed to a number of threats including disease, vehicle collisions and run-ins with other cats and predatorial wildlife. Humane Canada is one of many organizations that urges that our cats should be kept indoors for their own well-being when they cannot be supervised. As a result of outdoor dangers, free-roaming cats have considerably lower lifespans than indoor cats. We believe that cats deserve the same level of care we give to our other pets, and should not be introduced to an ecosystem to which they are not adapt. 

Free-roaming domestic cats face many threats, but they also create a huge threat to other wildlife. It is not their fault that they prey on other animals such as songbirds. However, cats are not a natural part of our ecosystems and in being introduced become both predator and prey. Although it is a difficult statistic to calculate, it is estimated that domestic cats kill 97-325 million birds annually in North America. Unlike native predators, such as raccoons or skunks, domestic cats are likely to kill birds whether they intend on consuming them or not. Domestic cats differ from natural predators in drastic ways which amplify their effects on wildlife populations. Predators in nature tend to be rarer in comparison to prey populations and naturally decline with prey populations, which does not ring true with domestic cat populations that are maintained at high levels through pet ownership. 

For the sake of our beloved cats, birds and all other wildlife, we need to change how we care for our treasured companions. We can improve the well-being of our domestic cats and wildlife simultaneously! The "keep animals safe" initiative is supported by domestic pet and wildlife organizations alike such as the Ontario Wildlife Federation, Toronto Cat Rescue, and Ontario SPCA. 
Healthy Alternatives 

A furry friend "bird watching" from a cat-io 

Cats can be kept safely indoors, or enjoy the outdoors in a monitored way such as on-leash with their owners or in an outdoor catio, an outdoor fenced patio for your feline friend. Habitat Haven is a great Ontario-based company that provides enclosures for our pets to enjoy a "happy and worry-free outdoor enjoyment" and serve as an amazing alternative, or compromise, to allowing cats to free-roam. You can also get creative and make one of your own design! If a cat has never been outdoors, it is easy to entertain them by providing ample stimulation. A window perch, cat furniture, scratching posts and toys are all great ways to have safe, happy cats. 

                                             

As bird lovers and cat lovers, we want to create backyard environments that allow us to enjoy the love of our feline friends while allowing our backyard birds to thrive. We picture backyards with beautiful catios and bird-feeding setups, where all animals are safe. On this year's National Love Your Pet Day we want to pledge to continue to create safe spaces for our pets and for our wildlife!  

Warmly,

Heather