When cats become a threat to biodiversity
12/02/2025
Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou and Raül Ramos Garcia
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Lecturers at the UB’s Faculty of Biology
Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou and Raül Ramos Garcia
Lecturers at the UB’s Faculty of Biology
“Mum, dad: can we adopt a cat?” How many parents have heard these words from their children’s mouths! And they often give in eventually. Certainly, animals are a pleasant companion for children and adults, and they end up becoming an emotional part of the family. Or in the neighbourhood. Or in the village. Sometimes even communal areas or colonies are designed so that these animals can live and feed without the control of any private owner. So, they seem to live free as they once did, don’t they? Well, it is not as simple as it seems.
Although pets and, in particular, domestic cats are considered an inherent part of our society, they can have very harmful effects on biodiversity if they are not managed properly. They can then end up posing a threat to native wildlife in gardens, parks and even urban forests. This is because, even when domesticated, cats do not lose their instinct and remain natural hunters in an urban environment.
This text is a translation of an article originally published in The Conversation.