Think Global: Act Local

Across the globe, cats have been introduced into new habitats by people with terrible results. Outdoors, cats – both feral and free-roaming domestic -- are a non-native and invasive species that threaten birds and other wildlife, disrupt ecosystems, and spread diseases. Free roaming cats kill 1.3–4 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals each year in the U.S. alone, making cat predation by far the largest source of direct, human-caused mortality to birds. There are many benefits to birds, cats, and people when cats are maintained indoors or under an owner's direct control. 

Cats are non-native predators that, even using conservative estimates, kill 1.3–4 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals each year in the U.S. alone. As a conservation organization, the Boulder County Audubon Society recognizes that this is an unnatural situation that is taking a tremendous toll on native wildlife. Because outdoor cats are a human-caused problem, it is our responsibility to find ways to address it.