Why your cat might not be hungry for dinner! Scientists reveal felines will eat almost ANYTHING they can get their paws on – from crickets to turtles

Cats are notoriously finicky eaters, but while your pet is roaming the wild, he’ll be feasting on everything he can get his hands on, according to a new study.

Researchers at Auburn University in Alabama found that these pets consume 2,000 species of animals.

The study examined the diet of these pets and found that they mainly feed on birds, reptiles and mammals, with insects and amphibians on the lighter side.

However, the team also found that 347 species are listed as threatened or of high concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Researchers said it makes cats free one one of the most aggressive species around the world, causing widespread disease and pushing some species to the brink of extinction.

Free-ranging cats are responsible for killing 347 endangered or threatened species.

In addition to predation, the team also noted that stray pets spread diseases that affect wildlife and human health, including parasites that weaken the immune system, as well as plague and rabies.

Since cats were domesticated more than 9,000 years ago, they have spread to six continents – the only one remaining uninhabited is Antarctica.

“Because of this cosmopolitan distribution, cats have disrupted many of the ecosystems into which they were introduced,” the study said.

study continued: “In particular, cats transmit new diseases to a range of species, including humans, displace native felines and other mesopredators, threaten the genetic integrity of wild felids, prey on native fauna, and have driven many species to extinction.

“As a result, free-ranging cats (that is, cats owned or not owned by an owner and with access to the environment) are among the most problematic invasive species in the world.”

The researchers used a technique called “predation surveillance” to find out what animals free-ranging cats hunted, using camera traps and video taken by the animals.

This method resulted in the fewest species being identified, adding that the researchers looked back to previous studies up to May 2021.

The team examined 533 unique publications that described the types of food consumed by cats, but clarified that no single method identified the most common way to determine a cat’s diet.

The researchers found that cats consume approximately 47 percent of birds, 22 percent of reptiles and 20 percent of mammals, as well as approximately 10 percent of insects, amphibians and other prey.

Researchers suggest keeping cats indoors or adding bells and brightly colored collars to make it more difficult for them to chase prey.

While the researchers focused on cat diet, drawing on more than 150 years of literature, the study also documented the negative impact of free-ranging cats on the environment.

“In addition to predation, these impacts include numerous cat-borne diseases that affect wildlife and human health and welfare, including toxoplasmosis, distemper and rabies, and in some regions (such as Australia) some of these diseases would not have occurred no cats.” – says the study.

“Furthermore, cats living free-ranging in cloders (or colonies) can exacerbate these problems, as well as create additional problems including nutrient overload, sanitation, and conflicts with wildlife.”

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a 2021 report defines free-ranging cats as “any cat that spends time outdoors without restriction, regardless of owner status, and reports that there are up to 164 million cats in the United States alone.” cats, of which between 30 and 80 million are unowned.”

The government agency has proposed legislative action at the local or state level to prevent cat harm, including banning cats from being outdoors or unattended, enacting microchipping and neutering laws, and adding bells and brightly colored collars or bibs that ” reduce cats’ ability to hide and chase their cats.” booty.’

Birth control methods have also been proposed to limit the growth of the cat population.