Speaking about cats and their impact on native ecosystems and chicken populations at all times ruffles some feathers. Individuals see their pet cats as lovely creatures incapable of doing any hurt. This may be true inside the home, however as soon as the cats go outdoors, it’s a complete totally different story. Their instincts come out they usually can develop into 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 primarily based on opinions moderately than on exhausting knowledge.
The analysis supported by Nature Canada proved, as soon as once more, that cats destroy chicken populations. We needed to indicate this proof and encourage individuals to maintain their pets indoors whereas additionally being empathetic in direction of individuals who have been informed their entire lives that cats are semi-wild creatures that “should” spend time outdoors. Many people know and love individuals who assume this manner.
We additionally love cats, and it was essential 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 a number of 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 workforce of volunteers as they appeared to lure 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 chicken’s nest in the course of the evening. The workforce 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 Atmosphere 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 evening and consuming all the things of their path.
This causes hurt not solely to chicken 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 may result in devastating accidents. In addition they compete with scavengers comparable to 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 eat the poison immediately.
In brief, regardless that cats would possibly appear to be blissful outdoors, their lives are shorter, extra painful and far more harmful.
We hope you get pleasure from watching the episode, and in case you’re on the fence on this situation, 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!
