BAD KITTY—Wildlife killing machines roam freely in 
suburbia and beyond… ahead on Passport to Texas. 

This is Passport to Texas

It’s estimated there are more than 100-million cats in 
America—both housecats and feral cats.

06—A feral cat is not under the direct care of humans…they are the 
ones out roaming around.

Kelly Simon (See-mah) is an Urban Wildlife Biologist with 
Texas Parks and Wildlife. Feral cats regularly compete with 
wildlife predators for the same food sources…

10—They outnumber them and they out-compete them.  So they are 
using the same kinds of prey animals that our native predators, like 
hawks, are using; and they’re exerting pressure on them.

Small mammals, like mice, account for about 70 percent of 
a feral cats' prey, while birds account for at least 20 
percent. A single cat can kill up to 1,000 animals a year.

11—They can even cause the endangerment of some species, 
especially those species that are already under pressure from habitat 
loss or habitat derogation.

Feral cats aren’t the only feline predators decimating small 
wildlife. Even well-fed housecats—whose owners allow 
them outside—hunt and kill prey with precision and skill.

06—From a wildlife management standpoint, we really should be 
keeping our cats indoors.

We’ll talk about that tomorrow. Find information on 
cats and wildlife on the TPW website. 

That's our show for today… Funding provided in part 
by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.