Outdoor Cats  

......written and read by Peter Alden at Concord's 2012 Town Meeting

 

I unify feral cats and house cats allowed outside as outdoor cats.

Many of our beloved suburban songbirds such as robins, bluebirds and catbirds have young that hop on the ground for many days before first flight and softly beg their overworked parents for food. 

In a suburban Baltimore study of 100 or so nests, outdoor cats killed 70% of fledgling catbirds within hours or days of leaving the nest. 

These 3 birds and the invasive starlings eat and spread invasive plant fruits all over town.

Outdoor cats help slow the spread of invasive plants.

 

Outdoor cats were a non-issue in Henry Thoreau’s day. He never saw deer, beavers, turkey and most carnivores. Since his times we have seen the return of many medium-sized native carnivores such as the red and gray foxes, bobcat, coyotes and the ferocious wolverine-like Fisher (a large weasel, not a cat). None like competition and they love to dine on outdoor cats.

Outdoor cats help nourish the return of our native mammals.

 

According to government and NGO estimates, outdoor cats in the U.S. kill up to a billion native songbirds a year, many at bird feeders in the colder months. If you support 20 birds a winter and spend $200 on seed and feeders, that’s $10 a bird. With up to a billion less birds coming to our feeders, Americans can save billions of dollars a year by spending less money feeding all the birds.

Outdoor cats save money.

 

Running around outdoors chasing birds and rodents, outdoor cats sweep up many small ticks, some of them with Lyme Disease or other worse ailments. These are brought indoors sickening pets and these ticks easily transfer to young and adult citizens who then seek vets and doctors which supports our lucrative medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Outdoor cats create jobs.

 

If you love your cats, keep them indoors!