I posted this photo last year, and it got a lot of attention. The message deserves repeating. Cats kill, harm, and harass wildlife, and it is not their fault. I took this picture of a random encounter with a suburban house cat with an eastern cottontail kill.
We always have house cats on some of our beaches harassing our endangered birds. Cats are not a part of “nature”, and they are a non-native, invasive species that plays no role in our ecosystem. They are not a part of the food web, and serve no purpose outdoors but to destroy. Cats have caused the extinction of numerous species throughout the world while greatly impacting others.
Native snakes, birds of prey, and other mammalian predators are not comparable to introduced domestic cats. If we are to let nature be nature, then we must keep cats indoors where they are also safe from harm. Vehicles, ticks and diseases, poisons and toxins from chemicals and plants, larger predators, vile humans, weather and the elements - cats left to wander alone outdoors face countless threats and a have a dramatically shorter, more perilous life.
I am an only child, and I grew up with my cat as my best friend. I have had cats in my family my entire life. They - and dogs - are the best companions in the world, in my opinion. I love cats, everyone who does should keep their family members safe in their home while protecting our environment.
Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
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