Study: Cats affect avian, rodent populations Domestic cats kill
billions of birds, rodents, researchers say Think of the world's
most prolific killers, and you might come up with a list that
includes sharks, lions and even humans. But our smaller, feline
friends may be higher up on the list than previously thought,
says a report in the journal Nature Communications. Domestic
cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds and up to 20
billion small rodents each year, according to researchers at the
Migratory Bird Center of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology
Institute. The report, published Tuesday, found that cats --
particularly strays -- are "likely the single greatest source of
anthropogenic mortality for U.S. birds and mammals." Though they
are cute and cuddly, felines are actually finely tuned killers
that affect wildlife to such an extent that the researchers have
called on authorities to come up with ways to lessen their
environmental impact. "To maintain the integrity of our
ecosystems, we have