TIPS FOR REDUCING CAT PREDATION ON WILDLIFE PROTECTING BIRDS FROM FELINES.

Byline: Frank Gray Special to the Daily News

KEEP CATS INDOORS

--This is the key measure to reduce cat problems.

Indoor cats lead longer and healthier lives than those roaming freely, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

OUTDOOR CATS FACE:

--Being hit by a vehicle.

--Contracting feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus, rabies or other contagious diseases.

--Getting fleas, ticks, fungi, or worms.

--Being attacked and harmed by dogs, wildlife, and/or malicious people.

--Suffering wounds and abscesses in cat fights.

--Getting lost or being stolen.

--Eating poisoned food or pesticides.

--Being caught in a trap or in a warm car's fanbelt.

INDOOR CATS typically live into their upper teens, but outdoor cats have an average life span of three to five years.

UNWANTED BREEDING

--Sterilize cats by neutering males and spaying females. This can be done at a low cost through veterinary clinics and spay/neuter groups.

BIRD NEST/BAT BOXES

--Efforts to aid bird and bat reproduction by placement of boxes can be completely negated by cats. Place bird nest boxes where cat presence is minimized or avoided. Cats are adept at killing birds in nest boxes, and may even reach into box openings to remove nestlings. Bat boxes should be located 12-20 feet above ground on buildings or poles, according to Bat Conservation International.

OUTDOOR CAT FEEDING

--Don't feed outdoor cats. Feeding will not diminish hunting and tends to form high densities of cats that adversely impact wildlife.

DECLAWING

--Don't rely on declawing. Declawed cats can bat prey to the ground and bite it. Once bitten, the prey will likely die. Declawing is also inhumane and outlawed in some countries such as England.

CAT REGULATIONS

--Work with your local humane society, veterinarians and private organizations to enact and enforce free-roaming cat regulations, such as those requiring that cats be licensed and under the owner's control.

PEST CONTROL

--Find alternatives to use of cats as "mousers," such as use of authorized traps.

BELLS

--Don't rely on bells. They are sometimes placed on cats to reduce hunting success by scaring potential prey. They are largely ineffectual. Birds and other wildlife do not associate bells with being stalked. Young birds and mammals are especially susceptible to cats, with or without bells. Also, many cats learn to stalk quietly even when wearing a bell.

BIRD FEEDERS

--Put bird feeders away from areas where cats hunt.

--Keep escape cover for birds off the ground or at least 10 feet away from feeders and spilled seeds. Stop feeding if necessary; birds can feed elsewhere.

LEGISLATION

--Encourage the development of laws that require cat licensing and responsible cat ownership. Examples are leash laws, laws requiring spaying/neutering, etc.

YOU CAN EASILY HELP our diminishing wildlife populations by implementing these suggestions. With proper care, it is possible to maintain populations of domestic cats and wildlife.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Domestic cats can be a serious threat to wildlife in California. They prey heavily on small birds.

DFG

(2 -- color) Ground-nesting birds like the killdeer are especially vulnerable to domestic cats.

Mary Andrews/DFG