Can keeping cats inside help keep birds safe?

Cats are adorable, there’s no doubt about that. But behind those cute eyes and little nose is a very skilled hunter, and that can be really bad news for birds. That’s why we’re teaming up with Cats&Birds and Nature Canada to give you some tips to help you take good care of your cat AND take good care of the birds!

Why should you keep your cat from roaming outside?

It’s natural for cats to hunt. Just look at their larger feline relatives. We wouldn’t want to be near a tiger when it’s hungry, that’s for sure! But there are so many domestic (pet) cats on the hunt that it’s really taking a toll on birds. In fact, it’s estimated that cats kill 100 to 350 million birds per year in Canada.

Protecting birds isn’t the only reason to keep your cat from going outside alone. It’s better for the cats too! We don’t let our dogs go out on the streets without us, and we need to take just as good care of our cats. When we keep our cats indoors, or supervise them when they are outdoors, we protect them from diseases, toxins, and other animals. They are also less likely to run away, get lost or hit by cars.

Tips to keep your cat safe & save bird lives

You can retrain your cat to be happy indoors, or you can walk them on a leash or create a safe outdoor space. Training an outdoor cat to stay inside can be tough, so you’ll need to have patience. Here are some tips to help:

Start slowly. If your cat spends most of its time outside, keep it inside for longer and longer periods before letting it out. It might be a good idea to start this when the weather is getting colder, since most cats like warm, dry places. By the end of winter, your cat could be living the indoor life.

Give your cat enough to do inside and it won’t need to go outside to find fun. Here are some ideas:
– Build a window perch so your cat can look outside
– Get a scratching post or cat furniture
– Spend time playing with your cat
– Try giving your cat catnip, honeysuckle or cat grass
– Think about getting your cat a playmate

This is just the beginning! You can find tons of resources to help you keep your cat safe, and save birds lives:
– How to provide safe outdoor options and keep an indoor cat sufficiently stimulated
– How to transition an outdoor cat to an indoor cat
– What to do if you have a cat that always tries to get outside
– DIY cat Shelf
– Cat Enclosures and ‘catios’
– Harness Training your cat

You can also help birds by putting out food for them to eat. Accept the For the Birds Mission to learn how to build your own bird feeder!

Information for this Mission was gathered with the help of