Domestic cats and their impact on biodiversity: a blind spot in the application of nature conservation legislation.
This scientific article examines the impact of domestic cats (Felis catus) on biodiversity and the role of nature conservation legislation in this regard.
The authors demonstrate that free-roaming cats both domestic and feral have a significant negative influence on wild animals worldwide. This influence manifests not only in direct predation but also in behavioral disruption caused by fear, competition with native predators, the spread of diseases, and interbreeding with wild cat species, which can have genetic consequences.
An important point is that even well-cared-for domestic cats continue to hunt. Due to their large numbers, this leads to an enormous impact: billions of animals are killed worldwide every year. Cats are therefore a major cause of mortality among birds and small mammals. Additionally, they have contributed to the extinction of dozens of species and still pose a threat to hundreds of others. The effects are particularly severe on islands, but the impact is also clearly demonstrable on the mainland. In addition to direct predation, the authors emphasize that indirect effects such as fear and disease transmission can be at least as important for wild animal populations.
The article then focuses on the legal side of this problem. International treaties and regulations exist aimed at protecting biodiversity and nature reserves. According to the authors, these rules also apply to the impact of cats. However, in practice, this is often not treated as such. They therefore refer to this as a “blind spot” in the application of nature conservation legislation.
Based on their analysis, the authors conclude that, under international law, governments are obliged to take measures to prevent or reduce the negative effects of cats. This entails, among other things, that feral cats must be removed from the landscape and that the freedom of movement of domestic cats must be restricted. In practice, however, this is often done insufficiently. According to the authors, this is due to factors such as practical feasibility, scientific uncertainties, the interests of cat owners, and the societal and emotional appreciation of cats.
Although these factors help explain why little action is taken, the authors state that, from a legal perspective, they do not constitute a good justification for doing nothing. The central conclusion of the article is therefore that domestic cats pose a serious threat to biodiversity worldwide and that existing legislation actually already offers sufficient grounds to take action against this, but that these possibilities are insufficiently utilized in practice.
Would you like to read the full article? Then click on the button below.
Copyright © Arie Trouwborst, Phillipa C. McCormack, and Elvira Martínez Camacho. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied without the written permission of Arie Trouwborst, Phillipa C. McCormack, and Elvira Martínez Camacho. Sharing the article in its original form is, of course, permitted (and even encouraged), provided that this is always done with clear attribution. The article has been compiled with the greatest care. Nevertheless, the author cannot accept responsibility for any damage of any kind arising from defects in the content.