Domestic and feral cats kill billions of birds and small mammals annually worldwide; this represents a major welfare and conservation impact that responsible cat ownership can help reduce.
Cat predation causes both direct suffering to individual prey animals and population-level conservation harms. Many birds die slowly from injuries or stress after capture. The welfare of both prey species and cats themselves is improved by responsible management. Keeping cats indoors or in outdoor enclosures protects wildlife while also reducing cat exposure to road traffic and disease.