NEWS ALERT!

A ‘Free Lunch’ is The Cat’s Whiskers:

University of Exeter stelines favour a ‘free lunch’ over hunted prey, such as birds and mammals: What the cat dragged isn’t drive nudy shows f by hunger, but by instinct

Cat owners can thus support wildlife via 3 simple ‘win-win’ interventions: 

• Fit a ‘BirdsBeSafe’ collar cover to deter birds
• Play with cats for 5-10mins a day to ‘scratch that itch’
• Feed cats premium meaty food

"Some owners may worry about restricting hunting because cats need nutrition from wild prey, but in fact it seems even prolific hunters don't actually eat much of the prey they catch."  - Dr Martina Cecchetti, University of Exeter

"Pet owners can help us reverse the shocking decline in songbirds via three simple, 'win-win' steps."  - Susan Morgan, CEO, SongBird Survival

30th September 2021 [LONDON] Domestic cats that regularly catch wild animals still get most of their nutrition from food provided at home, new research shows.  University of Exeter scientists used forensic evidence from cats' whiskers using stable isotope analysis to see what regular hunters of wildlife had been eating. The results showed that about 96% of their diet came from food provided by their owners, while just 3-4% came from eating wild animals. See infographic linked here which illustrates the data, and provides tips for owners to support wildlife.

This suggests that predatory instinct – rather than hunger – is probably the main reason why some domestic cats regularly hunt wild prey: "When food from owners is available, our study shows that cats rely almost entirely on this for nutrition," said Dr Martina Cecchetti of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. "Some owners may worry about restricting hunting because cats need nutrition from wild prey, but in fact it seems even prolific hunters don't actually eat much of the prey they catch. As predators, some cats may hunt instinctively even if they are not hungry – so-called 'surplus killing' – to capture and store prey to eat later."

The researchers trimmed a whisker from each cat in the study, once at the start and once at the end. Stable isotope ratios in the whiskers were then analysed, allowing the sources of protein from different wild and provisioned foods to be identified.

The team also tested the effects of different measures designed to prevent cats killing wild prey. These measures included bells, Birdsbesafe collar covers, meat-rich diets, providing food using a puzzle feeder, and regular play (a previous study by the Exeter team showed meat-rich food and daily play reduced hunting by cats). Based on analysis of their whiskers, cats with a Birdsbesafe collar cover consumed less wild prey – probably because they caught fewer birds.

Susan Morgan, CEO of Songbird Survival, the charity that sponsored the study, notes, "This study reassures owners of cats who hunt that the motive to hunt is instinctive, not driven by nutritional needs. Furthermore, pet owners can help us reverse the shocking decline in songbirds via three simple, 'win-win' steps: fit collars with a Birdsbesafe cover; feed cats a premium meaty diet; play with cats for 5-10 mins a day to ‘scratch that itch’ to hunt! In the UK, we’ve lost half our songbirds in 50 years, but we can all help to stem this tide!"

Cats in the study were all regular hunters that had frequently and recently caught wild animals. The research team worked with a project advisory panel, including feline vets and behavioural specialists, iCatCare and the RSPCA, which approved the research protocols.  

The paper, published in the journal Ecosphere, is entitled: "Contributions of wild and provisioned foods to the diets of domestic cats that depredate wild animals." More papers from the Cats and Their Owners project at University of Exeter are linked here. 

Study sponsor

 Founded in 2001, SongBird Survival is the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to halting the alarming decline of song and other small birds, such as corn bunting, willow tit, tree & house sparrow. It does so by funding independent scientific studies that aim to shed light on the reasons why around 50% of our songbirds have disappeared over the past 50 years. These studies will help determine how land can be managed more sustainably, with a view to restoring a rich, balanced and resilient population of birds similar to that enjoyed in the 1970s to help keep a healthy dawn chorus alive. www.songbird-survival.org.uk  

Facebook @SongBirdSBS | Twitter @SongBirdSBS | Instagram @songbirdsurvival 

Available for interview:

1. Dr Martina Cecchetti, lead author of this study. Martina conducted the work with cats and cat owners, and the forensic analysis of cats’ whiskers and diets. This work formed part of her PhD.   

2. Professor Robbie McDonald, project lead of the “Cats, cat owners and wildlife” project and head of the Wildlife Science Group at Exeter University. He is Professor of Natural Environment at the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

 3. Susan Morgan, CEO, SongBird Survival 

Media Contacts:

Hannah Kapff at Curious PR +44(0)7747 794306  Hannah@CuriousPR.com 

Christabel Allen at Curious PR +44(0)7963 933007   Christabel@CuriousPR.com 

Alex Morrison, University of Exeter press office, +44 (0)7825 770679 a.morrison@exeter.ac.uk