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The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Scott R. Loss

    (Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, P.O. Box 37012 MRC 5503, Washington, District of Columbia 20013, USA)

  • Tom Will

    (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Midwest Regional Office, 3815 American Boulevard East, Bloomington, Minnesota 20013, USA)

  • Peter P. Marra

    (Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, P.O. Box 37012 MRC 5503, Washington, District of Columbia 20013, USA)

Abstract

Anthropogenic threats, such as collisions with man-made structures, vehicles, poisoning and predation by domestic pets, combine to kill billions of wildlife annually. Free-ranging domestic cats have been introduced globally and have contributed to multiple wildlife extinctions on islands. The magnitude of mortality they cause in mainland areas remains speculative, with large-scale estimates based on non-systematic analyses and little consideration of scientific data. Here we conduct a systematic review and quantitatively estimate mortality caused by cats in the United States. We estimate that free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.3–4.0 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals annually. Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality. Our findings suggest that free-ranging cats cause substantially greater wildlife mortality than previously thought and are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for US birds and mammals. Scientifically sound conservation and policy intervention is needed to reduce this impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott R. Loss & Tom Will & Peter P. Marra, 2013. "The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-8, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms2380
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2380
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    Cited by:

    1. Le T P Nghiem & Tarek Soliman & Darren C J Yeo & Hugh T W Tan & Theodore A Evans & John D Mumford & Reuben P Keller & Richard H A Baker & Richard T Corlett & Luis R Carrasco, 2013. "Economic and Environmental Impacts of Harmful Non-Indigenous Species in Southeast Asia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-9, August.
    2. Anastasia Konstantinova & Victor Matasov & Anna Filyushkina & Viacheslav Vasenev, 2021. "Perceived Benefits and Costs of Owning a Pet in a Megapolis: An Ecosystem Services Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Claire Burch & Rebecca Loraamm & Travis Gliedt, 2020. "The “Green on Green” Conflict in Wind Energy Development: A Case Study of Environmentally Conscious Individuals in Oklahoma, USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Christopher A Lepczyk & Jean E Fantle-Lepczyk & Kathleen Misajon & Darcy Hu & David C Duffy, 2019. "Long-term history of vehicle collisions on the endangered Nēnē (Branta sandvicensis)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-11, February.
    5. Vasilios Liordos & Jukka Jokimäki & Marja-Liisa Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki & Evangelos Valsamidis & Vasileios J. Kontsiotis, 2021. "Niche Analysis and Conservation of Bird Species Using Urban Core Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, June.
    6. Lourens H Swanepoel & Corrie M Swanepoel & Peter R Brown & Seth J Eiseb & Steven M Goodman & Mark Keith & Frikkie Kirsten & Herwig Leirs & Themb’alilahlwa A M Mahlaba & Rhodes H Makundi & Phanuel Male, 2017. "A systematic review of rodent pest research in Afro-Malagasy small-holder farming systems: Are we asking the right questions?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, March.
    7. Genevieve C. Perkins & Amanda E. Martin & Adam C. Smith & Lenore Fahrig, 2021. "Weak Effects of Owned Outdoor Cat Density on Urban Bird Richness and Abundance," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-19, May.
    8. Zerrahn, Alexander, 2017. "Wind Power and Externalities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 245-260.
    9. Nghiem, Le T.P. & Soliman, Tarek & Yeo, Darren C. J. & Tan, Hugh T. W. & Evans, Theodore A. & Mumford, John D. & Keller, Reuben P. & Baker, Richard H. A. & Corlett, Richard T. & Carrasco, Luis R., 2013. "Economic and Environmental Impacts of Harmful Non-Indigenous Species in Southeast Asia," MPRA Paper 57760, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Daniel Klem Jr., 2014. "Landscape, Legal, and Biodiversity Threats that Windows Pose to Birds: A Review of an Important Conservation Issue," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-11, March.
    11. Christopher A. Lepczyk & Jean E. Fantle-Lepczyk & Kylee D. Dunham & Elsa Bonnaud & Jocelyn Lindner & Tim S. Doherty & John C. Z. Woinarski, 2023. "A global synthesis and assessment of free-ranging domestic cat diet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Kyle G. Horton & Jeffrey J. Buler & Sharolyn J. Anderson & Carolyn S. Burt & Amy C. Collins & Adriaan M. Dokter & Fengyi Guo & Daniel Sheldon & Monika Anna Tomaszewska & Geoffrey M. Henebry, 2023. "Artificial light at night is a top predictor of bird migration stopover density," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    13. Williams, Samual T. & Maree, Naudene & Taylor, Peter & Belmain, Steven R. & Keith, Mark & Swanepoel, Lourens H., 2018. "Predation by small mammalian carnivores in rural agro-ecosystems: An undervalued ecosystem service?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 30(PC), pages 362-371.
    14. Conor C. Taff & J. Ryan. Shipley, 2023. "Inconsistent shifts in warming and temperature variability are linked to reduced avian fitness," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    15. Walston, Leroy J. & Rollins, Katherine E. & LaGory, Kirk E. & Smith, Karen P. & Meyers, Stephanie A., 2016. "A preliminary assessment of avian mortality at utility-scale solar energy facilities in the United States," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 405-414.
    16. Thompson, Brielle K. & Sims, Charles & Fisher, Teresa & Brock, Sarah & Dai, Yi & Lenhart, Suzanne, 2022. "A discrete-time bioeconomic model of free-roaming cat management: A case study in Knox County, Tennessee," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).

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