Why do cats hunt birds?

Cats love to hunt, but not only that, but they also do it so well that they are considered an especially harmful animal for the environment. Hearing or reading this from someone who loves these animals is not very pleasant, and less when you discover that in many parts of the world they consider them a pest. But the reality is that.

They are the most successful felines. Not only have they conquered millions of hearts -among which is mine-, but they also endanger small animals, such as rodents or birds. Why do cats hunt birds? If you want us to solve your question, then we will get to it 🙂.

The cat is a predator

And a very good one. Its body has fangs sharp and strong enough to kill small prey with one bite, claws with which it is very easy to cut the skin, a highly developed sight that allows it to see in almost dark places, and an ear that hear the faint sound of a mouse (or other small animal) seven meters away.

From the time he is a kitten, that is, a puppy, until the end of his days he will dedicate part of his time to perfecting his hunting techniques, because even if he lives inside a house from which he never leaves, he never knows when It can be useful.

It is carnivorous

If it is a predator ... it has to be a carnivore, if not, it would not make sense to waste energy hunting. Although today you get everything you need without leaving your home, sometimes even more than you really should, which is dangerous because you could end up suffering heart problems due to being overweight or obese, if your digestive system could speak without He would doubtless tell us that on many occasions we are not feeding him well.

Although there are feed (croquettes) that do not contain cereals or by-products (such as Acana, Orijen or Applaws, among others), the truth is that the quality of this food will never be as high as that of homemade food. What happen? That quality meat is the one that is suitable for human consumption, and therefore it is not very cheap to say, since it has passed a series of quality controls that have increased the price. Still, there is always the option of giving them Yum Diet for cats, or even high-quality cans - like those from Applaws himself.

If he leaves home, he will hunt

This is so. You cannot control a cat when it is outside. You cannot tell him not to hunt anything because he will not understand you. The only thing that was done before (and that is still advised today, even at the cost of being a real annoyance for him - can you imagine hearing a jingle near your ear at all hours? -) is to put a bell on it.

It is unavoidable. If he goes out he can hunt something: an insect, a rodent, a bird, ... whatever. He may not eat it later (in fact, if he is well fed he most likely will not), but that will not matter: his hunter instinct will prevail, because it is what has allowed him to evolve for thousands of years and become what it is today: an animal capable of living in many different environments.

The cat is an alien species

Alóctona is a word that means "from another place." What happens with non-native species, be they animals or plants, is that if they adapt very well to living in the ecosystem where they have been introduced, they can become invasive.; In other words, they prevent indigenous species, that is, those that have lived for a long time (thousands of years, sometimes millions) in a certain place, from having problems finding food or surviving.

Where do cats live? Well, it would be better to ask "where did they live", since these animals have lost their natural habitat. In the past they lived in forests, fields, meadows, or even in hot deserts. But since they began to have contact with humans, and above all, since people began to build houses, their world changed: they no longer live free, if not within four walls, and if they have the opportunity to go out, they may have a lot of trouble finding food.

Birds have never gotten along with cats. It is logical: they are one of its prey. However, it has never been a problem -for the ecosystem- until now, which has been when we have been invading the green areas of the planet.

What can be done to avoid endangering wildlife?

When you have a cat, you want the best for it. We want you to be happy, to receive the best care. Still, it is important that we also think about wildlife, especially if we intend to let it go outside. Before opening the door, it is highly recommended to do the following:

• Neutering him before the first heat: A neutered cat, that is, a cat whose reproductive glands have been removed, will be a calmer animal that will not go very far.
• Feed him before he leaves: Thus, there will be less chance of catching something.
• Put on a necklace with reflective light- This way, some animals will see it and can escape.
• Prevent him from leaving home: it is the best option, both for the cat itself and for the fauna. An alternative would be to build him an enclosed space - with a roof or more than 3 meters high - in the garden that he could use to sunbathe, rest and have a little cat life.

And with this we are done. I hope this post has been useful to you. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments 🙂.