Another cat enabler's Myth! "Well fed Cats don't hunt birds."

Many pet owners believe if they let their pets outside only after feeding, they will not bother birds, said Jeff Walk, Ph.D., the comprehensive wildlife conservation plan coordinator for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The research shows cats instinctively hunt, no matter how much they’ve been fed by their owners, because the hunting instinct is independent of the urge to eat. Feral, or wild cats, cause even more problems for birds.In the U.S., the American Bird Conservancy reports there are about 77 million pet cats, 65% of which spend time outdoors. In addition, the homeless cat population is estimated at up to 100 million animals. The only way to keep a cat from preying on birds is to keep it indoors exclusively, said Walk. Researchers have found even cats with bells on their collars learn to move without making a sound plus birds don’t associate the sound a bell with danger, and may not respond.