|
Songbirds,
Your Pets, and You |
| Cats are Not Natural
Predators for Wild Birds. |
| Cats are fascinating and
affectionate pets; they are also deadly hunters. Although
it is natural for a cat to hunt, the domestic house cat is not a
natural predator for wild birds. The cat is merely one
more problem introduced by human beings with which native wild
birds must cope. |
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| Cats are Responsible for
Many Avian Injuries. |
| Over 20 percent of nestlings
and fledgling birds that wildlife rehabilitators receive each
summer have beenseverely injured by cats. Bones are
fractured or crushed, internal organs such as the lungs and
liver are punctured, and feathers and skin are torn away.
Because cat bites are associated with serious infections,
immediate treatment is needed. |
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| Birds are Protected Under
Federal Law. |
| Every spring and summer
domestic house cats kill or seriously injure and maim thousands
of federally protected wild songbirds. Federal law
protects songbirds, as well as their nests, eggs, and offspring,
making it illegal to kill or capture them, over even to possess
their feathers. This protection exists for a good reason. |
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| Songbirds are A Part of the
Natural World. |
| Songbirds are an integral part
of our ecosystem. They are a colorful and enjoyable
addition to the world around us, and also serve to control
insect populations. But they are adversely affected
whenever a woodlot is destroyed to build a new house, a meadow
is paved over to make way for a shopping center, or toxic
substances are sprayed on lawns or trees (thus poisoning the
birds and their food). Human intrusion forces these wild
animals to live, breed, and find food in increasingly smaller
territories - often your backyard. |
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| Take Responsibility For
Your Cat |
Please take responsibility for
your cat! If you care about native songbirds and want to
abide by Federal and state laws protecting these animals:
| ~Keep your cat
indoors, especially during June and July. |
| ~If full
confinement is impossible, allow your cat out only
after dark. |
| ~Put a bell on
your cat's collar to make it more difficult to
ambush a bird. |
|
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| What To Do If Your Cat
Catches A Bird |
If your cat catches a bird
despite these precautions, take the following action:
| Poke a few small
holes in a large brown paper bag, |
| Place the bird in
the bag and fold over the top of the bag to prevent
escape. |
| Take the bird to a
licensed rehabilitator at once. Call the state
wildlife agency or a veterinarian for the name of a
licensed wildlife rehabilitator. |
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