Chances are you probably have seen a cat running along the side of a street. It may seem like these cute-and-cuddly creatures could never cause harm; however, these cats pose a significant threat to the songbird population because they hunt and kill birds.

The number of birds cats kill is incredibly high: “Free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.3–4.0 billion birds annually,” according to an article on Nature Communications by Scott R. Loss.

Even as we speak, many birds are being killed at the hands of free-roaming cats. This matters because cats not only kill songbirds, but they also can cause the extinction of entire species.

Humans have the opportunity to prevent this number from growing any larger. The tragedy of the decline in bird populations can be prevented if humans do not allow their cats to roam freely outdoors.

Additionally, allowing your cat to be outdoors doesn’t just harm songbirds, but your cat’s own health is also at risk. When you let your cat out in the wild, you are exposing it to many dangers: it can get hurt by cars, abused by people, attacked by animals, and contract diseases. Imagine letting your precious pet outside to find that it is never going to come back.

These risks are so significant that the difference between the life expectancy of an indoor-only cat and a cat allowed to roam outdoors is large. According to an article by Stephanie Watson on WebMD, indoor cats can live up to 15 years longer than outdoor cats.

To achieve the goal of harnessing the health benefits of outdoor play, a safe alternative is for cat owners to allow their pets to play outside using a leash or an enclosed area. This strategy helps to maintain the safety of the cats while allowing them to enjoy the outdoors. Having a controlled outdoor experience for cats can allow both your cat and the songbird population to remain happy and healthy.

When you let your cats spend time outdoors, they can contract diseases and then spread these diseases to humans and other animals. When cats come in contact with the environment, other cats, feces, contaminated food and water, or animals, they can become infected and infect different animals and the people that live with them.

Although lots of diseases that cats carry only affect cats and cannot be passed onto humans, there are quite a few that are contagious to humans that can lead to serious illness. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases that cats can contract and also spread to humans include, but are not limited to:  Salmonella, Ringworm, Cat Scratch Disease, Fleas, Toxoplasmosis, Rabies, and Tickborne Diseases like Lyme Disease.

These diseases affect humans, their health, and the health of their offspring. These are transmitted by cats that are allowed to roam free outdoors. These outdoor cats present a significant burden of disease to humans. It is irresponsible to continue to allow cats to be free-roaming.

Free-roaming cats have a profound impact on the amount of birds that are killed in the world. Millions of birds each year are being hunted and killed by the cats we let roam free outside. Additionally, by allowing your cat to be uncontrolled outside, you are exposing them to many dangers and diseases with devastating effects. In order to help keep yourself and your cat safe and happy, you can create an enclosed area for your cat to play in. This will let your cat have the freedom it deserves while not letting it out in the dangerous world.