Domestic cats are to be tagged by scientists in a bid to discover how damaging they are to urban bird populations.According to the Telegraph, researchers at the University of Reading believe family pets could be responsible for killing up to 10,000 small animals annually per square kilometre in urban areas, significantly affecting some urban bird species.
The scientists looked at the hunting and feeding habits of 200 cats and their owners in nine, one kilometre squared areas around Reading, Berkshire, collecting the birds and small animals they brought home – estimated in a previous study to be 30 per cent of those they killed.
I know when I let Charlie out for the first time a couple of months ago, I dreaded what he would bring back but to my knowledge he hasn't caught anything...yet.
He's definitely honing his pouncing skills. Yesterday I dangled his toy mouse off the end of the bed and he nearly had my hand off, bless him!
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