Kitty Cam – exposing the secret lives of cats

For all of you cat owners – listen up!

Recently I heard a report on NPR about researchers from the University of Georgia who had attached miniature cameras to housecats to observe their behavior.  They studied 55 cats from the Athens, GA, area and this is what they found:

• 44% exhibited hunting behavior.
• 30% were successful in hunting.
• Animals killed (in decreasing frequency) were reptiles, small mammals, invertebrates (such as earthworms and moths), and birds.
• Although birds were stalked, sometimes for hours, very few were captured.
• The most interesting finding – many cats had second families that fed and cared for them while they were away from their primary residence.

One recommendation the researchers made – purchase a cat bib to keep your cat from being able to pounce on prey (see the picture).

You can hear the report by clicking on this link.

 

 

 

 

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