Domestic cats are skilled hunters whose predation impacts on wildlife can be substantial, and mitigating this impact through responsible ownership protects both wildlife welfare and cats.
Cat hunting welfare involves competing considerations for cats and for wildlife. Cats that hunt are expressing natural predatory behavior that provides behavioral enrichment — preventing all hunting through permanent indoor confinement has welfare costs for cats. Wildlife killed by cats experience acute fear and predation-related suffering. The most welfare-positive approach for both parties is managed outdoor access through catios, leash walking, or supervised outdoor time — providing cats with environmental enrichment while preventing landscape-scale wildlife predation. Where outdoor access is provided, collar modifications that warn birds significantly reduce impact without eliminating outdoor time.