Keep your cats indoors for their safety and for the safety of birds.
Some of us at eBirdseed.com are cat owners and really never thought of the number of birds and other small wildlife creatures that are killed by outdoor cats each year. We found this information from the "CatsIndoors!" campaign very interesting. We want to make sure all pets and wildlife are kept safe and healthy.
The Problem:
There are more than 90 million pet cats in the U.S., the majority of which roam outside at least part of the time. In addition, millions of stray and feral cats roam our cities, suburbs, and rural areas. Scientists estimate that free-roaming cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians each year. Cat predation is an added stress to wildlife populations already struggling to survive habitat loss, pollution, pesticides, and other human impacts. Free-roaming cats are also exposed to injury, disease, parasites, getting hit by cars, or becoming lost, stolen, or poisoned. Millions of domestic cats are euthanized each year because there are not enough homes for them. Cats can also transmit diseases and parasites such as rabies, cat-scratch fever, and toxoplasmosis to other cats, wildlife or people.
In 1997, American Bird Conservancy (ABC) launched the Cats Indoors! Campaign for Safer Birds and Cats to educate cat owners, decision makers, and the general
public that cats, wildlife and people all benefit when cats are kept indoors,
in an outdoor enclosure, or trained to go outside on a harness and leash. ABC
developed many education materials, including fact sheets, posters, the popular
brochure, Keeping Cats Indoors Isn’t Just For The Birds, an Educator’s Guide
for Grades K-6, print and radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs), and more.
What You Can Do:
Join thousands of supporters and conduct a Cats Indoors! education campaign in your community using the materials ABC has developed. Involve conservation groups, humane societies, veterinarians, animal control agencies, county and state parks and wildlife agencies in the effort.
Refer to this link for more information: http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/
Comments
Do birds ever eat cracked corn?
Posted by: Ed Bender | September 10, 2006 6:39 PM
Ed,
Yes, a variety of birds enjoy cracked corn. However, that being said, there are many birds that do not prefer it. Learn more about cracked corn for wild birds below (excerpted from a National Audubon Society article):
"Cracked corn: Medium cracked corn is about as popular with ground-feeding birds as millet, but it is vulnerable to rot, since the interior of the kernel readily soaks up moisture. Feed small amounts, mixed with millet, on feeding tables or from watertight hopper feeders. Avoid fine cracked corn, since it quickly turns to mush; coarse cracked corn is too large for small-beaked birds. Cracked corn attracts pheasants, quail, doves, crows, jays, sparrows, juncos, and towhees."
and from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
"Corn:
Dried whole kernel corn is a favorite food of jays, pigeons, doves, turkeys, pheasants, and quail, such as the Gambel's Quail (pictured at left) visiting a feeder in Arizona. Cracked corn is easier for smaller birds to eat, and will attract blackbirds, finches, and sparrows, as well as the larger birds mentioned above."
Of course, you can purchase cracked corn from us at this link.
Hope this helps.
Posted by: Gordon | September 11, 2006 3:04 AM
Thank you for spreading the word of Cats Indoors!
Posted by: Bird Advocate | December 21, 2006 5:19 AM
We are glad to help out!
Posted by: eBirdseed.com | December 21, 2006 5:17 PM