Domestic and feral cats cause significant mortality to wildlife, particularly birds and small mammals. Balancing cat welfare with wildlife welfare requires evidence-based approaches.
The welfare dimensions of cat predation are complex. Birds and small mammals killed by cats experience acute predatory death, often including play behaviour before the kill that prolongs suffering. The aggregate welfare impact on prey populations is significant. Feral cats themselves experience high mortality, starvation, disease, and injury. Cat colony management involves balancing the welfare of individual feral cats against the welfare of prey species and breeding bird populations. On islands and in areas with threatened species, removal or exclusion of cats may be necessary for wildlife welfare.