Cats and Garden Wildlife: How to Help Your Cat Hunt Less

Why Cats Hunt

Cats hunt because they're built to, not only because they're hungry. Well-fed pet cats still stalk and pounce, and some bring their catch home. How much a cat hunts varies hugely: many catch little or nothing, while a few are prolific.

How much this matters for wildlife depends on where you live. On islands and in places like Australia and New Zealand, where native animals evolved without cats, pet and feral cats are a serious conservation concern. Elsewhere the picture is debated, but most owners would rather their cat caught less.

What a Large UK Trial Found

In a 12-week study published in 2021, researchers at the University of Exeter worked with hundreds of cat-owning households in south-west England and tested simple changes. Households that switched to a high-meat, grain-free food saw 36% fewer animals brought home. Households that added 5–10 minutes of play a day with a feather toy and a toy mouse for the cat to catch saw 25% fewer.

Brightly colored collar covers (a fabric ruff over a quick-release collar) cut birds brought home by 42%, though not mammals, because birds see color well. Bells had no clear effect, and puzzle feeders, surprisingly, were linked to more catches in that trial. One study can't answer everything, but these are easy, kind changes to try.

Play That Satisfies the Hunter

Daily play with a toy that moves like prey, ending with a real catch, gives your cat a chance to stalk, chase, pounce and "kill" something that isn't a bird. Our play and the hunt sequence guide shows how to run a session that leaves a cat satisfied. Short sessions every day matter more than one long one.

Dusk to Dawn: Keep Your Cat In

Dawn and dusk are peak hunting times for cats and busy times for birds and small mammals. Keeping your cat in from dusk until after breakfast reduces hunting and also keeps your cat safer from traffic. A microchip cat flap with a timed lock makes it easy; see our cat flap guide. In spring, when fledglings are on the ground, keeping cats in for longer helps most.

A Wildlife-Friendly Yard or Garden With a Cat

Put bird feeders and baths in the open, at least 6 feet (2 m) from shrubs where a cat could hide, and on tall poles or high hooks. Dense, prickly shrubs give birds safe cover. Nest boxes should be high up, away from fences and branches a cat can use.

If your cat goes out, a catio or cat-proof fencing gives it outdoor time without access to wildlife. Our indoor or outdoor guide weighs up the options and the local rules, which in parts of Australia require cats to be contained.

When Your Cat Brings You a "Gift"

Don't punish your cat: it won't connect the scolding with the hunt. Calmly put the cat in another room, then deal with the animal. Wear gloves. If a bird or small mammal is alive but injured, a local wildlife rescue can advise, because cat bites carry bacteria that can harm wild animals even from small wounds.