Cats have more victims than you think
Investigators from the University of Georgia and the National Geographic Society have launched a project called KittyCam. While it sounds like an adorable movie of fluffy felines, the project is actually collecting serious data about the impact of house cats that roam outside on other wildlife. Turns out that you pet is probably quite the killer.
Out of the 60 cats in Athens, Ga. wearing the detachable, waterproof cameras, 30% of them averaged one killed prey for every 17 hours of outdoor time. The cats also brought less than a quarter of their victims home, meaning most owners have no idea about just how lethal their pets are. The results have the American Bird Conservancy worried, since our feathered friends are the most common victims of our furry friends. In fact, a separate study from researchers at the University of Nebraska found that feral cats have caused the extinction of 33 bird species across the globe.
The KittyCam website has more information about the project and some videos and photos of the camera-wearers in action around town. It also has educational resources about the importance of keeping your pet indoors. And time around the house should never be dull for a cat, especially if you have an iPad handy.
[Image credit: Hans Pama]
This article was written by Anna Washenko and originally appeared on Tecca
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