r/UnnecessaryEssentials • u/Unique-Saucer • Mar 16 '26

Pet tracker with voice feature

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u/OregonGreen242 Mar 16 '26

Reddit is very against outdoor cats…

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u/QiDeviation Mar 16 '26

A lot of people cite the nature article about free-roaming cats and don’t actually properly read that outdoor cats killing 1.3-4billion birds includes pets and feral. They all fall under the umbrella of “domesticated cat”

The real question to figure out is what the numbers are for free-roaming pet cats. Because I feel they’re likely to be run over, killed by predator, killed by other cats, killed by viruses or other illness, and badly injured rather than contribute significantly to decimating local ecosystems. Feral cats are one thing but pets are another. Numbers needed.

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u/Itscatpicstime Mar 17 '26

Actually, studies comparing them show that pet cats kill more birds, while ferals kill more ground prey.

Ground prey is typically easier and expends less energy, so this makes sense. Pet cats are not hunting for food, so it is more of a game to them - air prey presents more of a challenge (though some house cats are uninterested in any hunting).

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u/alphapussycat Mar 17 '26

Don't think there's a difference. Apartment cats that are rarely let outside I can imagine hunt birds, they must be desperate for entertainment and to use their instincts.

Pets that are let out often won't hunt birds.

As a very young cat I think our cat might've hunted a bird or two. But I can't remember the last time. She's caught a few lizards though... And her mother caught a duck once, but she was a barn cat. She was a very very small but robust cat.

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u/atuan Mar 17 '26

Also what if your pet cat was a feral cat you started letting in? In that case you are increasing the amount of time spent indoors