Housecats take an enormous toll on local wildlife when they’re allowed to roam outdoors, a new report suggests.
Researchers reviewed 66 studies to determine how domestic cats affect Australia’s fauna, according to an article published by Science Alert.
“On average, each roaming pet cat kills 186 reptiles, birds and mammals per year, most of them native to Australia,” the article explains.
In Australia that amounts to 390 million animals killed by pet cats each year.
The report authors advise keeping your cat indoors. Your cat may be hunting even if you never see any prey. Research suggests that pet cats bring home only about 15 percent of the animals they catch.
“If we want native wildlife in our towns and cities – rather than introduced rodents and birds – then there are choices to be made,” Sarah Legge, professor at the University of Queensland, told The Guardian.
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