[STUDY] Domestic Cats Kill Over 2000 Species on Average—Over 340 Of Prey are of 'Conservation Concern'

A new study revealed that domestic cats (yes, your pet) kill over 2,000 species. What's alarming about their findings is that over 340 of these prey are of conservation concern.

Cats are already known across the world to be fierce compared to dogs. This is why many people prefer being fur parents to dogs instead of felines.

[STUDY] Domestic Cats Kill Over 2000 Species on Average—Over 340 Of Prey are of 'Conservation Concern'

(Photo : MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images)

But, who would have thought that their hunting activities were much worse than expected? Here's what the new study revealed.

[STUDY] Domestic Cats Kill Over 2000 Species on Average

According to Yahoo News' latest report, the study revealing new details about cats' hunting behaviors was published in the Nature Communications journal on Tuesday, Dec. 12.

"Free-ranging cats (Felis catus) are globally distributed invasive carnivores that markedly impact biodiversity," said involved scientists via their official study.

After examining the global impact of domesticated felines' diets, they discovered that their diets include more than 2,000 species of insects, birds, rodents, and other animals.

At least 347 of these species are of conservation concern. When an animal is listed as an SSC (species of conservation concern), there are concerns regarding its ability to stay on a landscape for a long time.

Because of this, the authors of the new study said that the spread of domestic cats across different parts of the globe is a disruption to ecosystems.

Scientists involved even described them as among the most problematic "invading" animals in the world. As of writing, every continent has its own domestic cats (except for Antarctica).

What Can Cat Owners Do?

[STUDY] Domestic Cats Kill Over 2000 Species on Average—Over 340 Of Prey are of 'Conservation Concern'

(Photo : Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

If you are a cat owner, you need to know that your feline is an opportunistic predator and obligate carnivore. This means they tend to change their diet depending on available food.

Since cats are carnivores, they prefer to eat meat or animal flesh. Aside from filling their bellies, most of these clawed pets also tend to hunt just for sports, meaning they'll kill smaller animals just for the thrill and will leave the corpse after.

There's nothing wrong with their hunting behaviors. This is just who they really are before they are domesticated, as they are controlled by instincts just like other animals.

But, as a fur parent, you can still do something about this to protect other animals from getting killed by your beloved cat. To help you, here are some tips you can follow:

Try redirecting their hunting instincts by playing with them since playtime can satisfy their killing desires.
If you can't stop your cat from hunting smaller animals even after playing, you can put a collar with a bell on them. The bell will alert other animals regarding your cat's presence.
Another trick you can do (not really a trick, but a responsibility) is to give them enough food so that they will not be hungry for animal meat.
If none of the methods above work, the best thing you can do is know their high activity times, which are the periods when your cat is the most active. Once familiar with their behaviors, keep them inside during their high-activity times.