Through an article recently revealed by the scientific journal Conservation Science and Practicescholars warned that stray cats have become a problem for biodiversity, and for public health, warning that these, due to their nature as hunters, have become ‘harmful predators’, being the cause of extinction about a quarter of the world’s bird, mammal and reptile species.
The article was developed by researchers attached to the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, Spain, who worked hand in hand with the team of researchers from the so-called Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), from the Miguel Hernández University of Elche, the Instituto Mediterranean for Advanced Studies (CSIC-UIB) and the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology (CSIC); all of them in the same country.
The study of scientists has shown that the conditions in which large street cat gangs in different cities It has become a problem, which puts the conservation of some animal species in check, being even more dangerous than the running over, poisoning and hunting practices developed by humans against a significant number of birds that see the survival of birds in danger. his kind, due to high number of its specimens that perish in the claws of felines.
In this sense, the study has also specified that, contrary to what has been foreseen by some local provisions in Spain that advocate the means for the protection of these animal populations, a ‘well-fed’ cat is no guarantee that it is an animal that gives up its hunting nature and predatory; activity that, despite receiving care that meets its basic needs, does not mean that the animal desists from continuing to develop its hunting instinct.
In other words, cats not only hunt for their need for food, which means that the wide proliferation of animals living on the street translates into a greater danger for other species that are usually their prey.
Thus, within the conclusions of the study, it has been stated how problematic the recent approval of the so-called Law for the Protection, Rights and Welfare of animals, approved in that country, which seeks to provide guarantees for the populations that have dedicated themselves to caring for these animals.
In another line, in addition to the danger that a large population of stray cats represents in terms of predators, experts have also pointed out the risks to public health arising from the existence of large populations of felines without due carereferring to the fact that these become foci of infectious-contagious diseases -which not only represent a threat to other cats but also to humans-, recalling the existence of situations such as rabies and endoparasites.
In this sense, from the conclusions of these studies, humans are urged to avoid favoring the emergence and development of these groups or colonies of stray animals, manifesting the danger that they themselves represent.
In the case of cats, unlike other domestic animals, the risk of contact between ‘feral’ and domestic animals is greatergiven the independence of these animals.
Regarding cats, according to international media, there is also a risk of transmitting diseases such as outbreaks of the so-called feline leukemiaa situation that has been tangible in some places in Spain, recalling the crisis experienced in 2017 with the so-called Doñana lynxes.
Aware of the need to take measures in the face of the proliferation of stray animals, but also to provide means of protection for these living beings, the specialists in charge of the investigation have gathered the need for the legislation to be issued in this regard, they only advocated for the pet animalswhile incurring in the care of certain species, due to ignorance, could be detrimental to others, which could be in even worse situations, referring to the danger of extinction.
In this sense, one of the ways that experts call for is precisely the development of castration campaignsso that it is possible to work for the control of the feline population, and that in turn is a positive aspect for the preservation of the species of which these have become predators.
In this sense, another of the calls refers to mechanisms such as the means of adoption, emphasizing the younger populations of these animals, as they have a greater capacity to adaptand while adult cats, already adapted to the street, rarely manage to fully domesticate themselves.