Protecting Birds from Outdoor Cats – Why It Matters

An estimated 13 million domestic cats live in Germany. And although keeping cats exclusively indoors would be possible in most cases, many owners consider outdoor access to be the truly species-appropriate way to keep a cat. As a result, many of these animals prowl through gardens, forests, and meadows. It's estimated that up to 200 million birds fall victim to cats every year in Germany alone. What a number! In the USA, according to one study, cats even kill between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds.

These figures aren't without controversy, and of course any statistic should be read with a degree of caution. But one thing is clear: the overpopulation of cats in human settlements can put extreme pressure on bird and small-animal populations, or even wipe them out. And that's why, in some gardens, it's worryingly quiet – because hardly a single bird sings anymore.

Domestic Cats Don't Hunt Birds Out of Hunger

We'll be honest – these numbers shocked us here at LucyBalu, even though not everything should be believed and accepted without question. Still, we thought: every bird killed is one too many. Well – that statement isn't entirely accurate either. Because healthy birds can generally escape a hunting cat fairly easily.

In balanced ecosystems, predators actually regulate prey populations in a healthy and sustainable way. Plus, not every hunting attempt is successful – especially when hunger isn't the driving factor behind the hunt, but other things are. Because the vast majority of domestic cats don't hunt out of hunger. Instead, they're satisfying their play instinct. All that matters to the cat is that the object moves. That's why moles, bats, fish, frogs, lizards, slow worms, as well as dragonflies or butterflies also fall victim to this play instinct. Boredom, in other words, is fought off through playful hunting.

The problem: our gardens are often anything but natural, offering too few hiding spots or escape routes. And – many cats are constantly bored! So the system has become completely out of balance. Cats that have either been abandoned and gone feral, along with their offspring, pose an even bigger problem for bird and small-animal populations. That's because these animals have to survive on whatever they can find – sometimes that's rubbish, or food meant for other animals. However, evolution has shown that the best hunters are always the most successful. The pressure of hunger therefore definitely leads to very intensive hunting here. Fewer feral domestic cats would be real progress for bird protection! In the long term, the only real solution is to reach as many animals as possible through neutering and spaying programmes. That includes tame house cats too, which, if left unneutered, are also responsible for far too many unwanted (feral) litters. But abandoning animals is also a contributing factor to this problem.

Cats Cause Stress in Birds

Once cats have developed a taste for hunting, they often specialise. There are true masters when it comes to hunting mice, insects, or indeed birds. In spring, for example, fledglings that are almost ready to fly are caught and eaten. Some cats even climb trees and raid nests. Just having a cat prowling through the garden already means enormous stress for many birds. They can't fly straight to the nest, so as not to draw the predator's attention to its location. They can no longer search for food everywhere and spend more time keeping watch than caring for their nest. As a result, their energy consumption rises enormously. They only feed when no cat is in sight – and in summer, that's practically never. The number of fledglings that make it to flight therefore drops drastically, while the number of exhausted, and thus vulnerable, parent birds rises. What can we do to break this cycle?

How Can You Protect Birds from Cats?

The fact is that millions of cats will continue to roam freely in Germany. A ban on outdoor cats, as already exists in New Zealand, for example, won't be introduced here – at least not in the next few years.

So what can we, as cat owners, do to keep our cats from hunting? After all, as animal lovers, birds and other creatures should matter to us too. At LucyBalu, we want all our products to make cats' lives more species-appropriate and enrich them. But if we can additionally protect other animals along the way – all the better!

• Neutering: Especially essential for cats with outdoor access. The number of feral cats would drop significantly within a short time. Neutered cats, by the way, also show noticeably less desire to hunt.
• Cat collars that warn birds: By now we know that bells unfortunately aren't always effective and stress out many cats. Bright, brightly coloured collars are better suited for cats to wear. Birds perceive these colours particularly well, which gives the cat away. That's why we also offer our NEMO collar in neon colours.
• Play, play, play! When our house tiger is kept busy and gets to hunt properly indoors too (fishing toys, balls, "fiddle games," throwing treats, etc.), this significantly reduces their hunting ambitions outdoors – which in turn makes the birds happy. You'll find a selection of our toys here. You can also feed your cat before letting it outside – hunting is less appealing on a full stomach.
• Make nests cat-proof: Trees that are preferred for nesting can be secured with cat-repelling metal or plastic collar guards. Bird feeders should ideally be hung freely or mounted on a post. Nesting boxes should hang at least two metres above the ground and offer no "access" for cats – steep roofs, for example, prevent the cat from reaching the box from above.
• Create a nature-friendly garden! Dense shrubbery provides good hiding and nesting spots. Shrubs like hawthorn and wild roses naturally protect bird nests with their thorns. Sowing special wildflower meadows attracts more insects – and therefore more food for birds. This reduces the stress of searching for food.
• Curfew! In May and June, most fledglings that have just left the nest are out and about. Despite the nice weather, cats should be let outside as little as possible during the day at this time.

So there really is a lot we can do to protect blue tits, blackbirds, and sparrows in our own gardens. And as much as cats' outdoor access causes problems, the real problem remains, and always will be, humans. Increasing urban density, pesticide use, the sealing of natural surfaces, and the sterile design of gardens and parks all mean less and less habitat for birds. This is where every garden owner and every cat owner can actively make a difference.