Cats kill more than one billion birds each year

New estimate suggests hunting felines take bigger bite than expected out of wildlife

Domestic cats kill many more wild birds in the United States than scientists thought, according to a new analysis. Cats may rank as the biggest immediate danger that living around people brings to wildlife, researchers say.

SMALL HUNTERS, BIG PROBLEM Cats may be killing far more birds each year than previously thought, as well as substantial numbers of mammals, says a new analysis based on hunting studies from around the world (cat shown with European robin). vvvita/shutterstock

America’s cats, including housecats that adventure outdoors and feral cats, kill between 1.3