If You Love Wildlife, Keep Your Cat Inside

As the weather warms, cat owners may be tempted to allow their feline friends to roam outdoors. For the sake of your wild neighbors—and for your cat's safety and well-being—say "no" to this temptation. Not only are domestic cats vulnerable to the dangers of traffic, poisons, traps, disease, other animals, and cruel humans, but these domesticated predators also pose a serious threat to wildlife.

Free-roaming cats kill millions of wild animals each year. Studies show that most of the animals killed are small mammals such as chipmunks and field mice, and approximately 25% are birds. Well-fed house cats kill wildlife because of their instinct to hunt prey, not because they need the food. Domestic cats, which were introduced to North America via European colonists, are not a part of natural ecosystems, and their predation causes unnecessary suffering and death to wild animals. This can cause conflicts among neighbors, pitting gardeners and bird lovers against cat owners who allow their charges to roam.

Even animals who appear to have escaped unscathed from a cat often die. Birds may fly away, for example, but they may die later from infection caused by bacteria on the cat's teeth or claws. Birds can also succumb to the stress of having been captured.

Some people put bells on their cats, thinking the jingling sound will alert wildlife and give them a chance to flee. But cats with bells on their collars can learn to stalk their prey silently. Even if they don't, wild animals do not necessarily associate the ringing of a bell with danger.

If you still want your cat to enjoy the privacy of your backyard, you can purchase or build a specially designed fence or enclosure that will allow your feline to go outside but keep wildlife out of paw's reach. Because a fence may not prevent animals from entering your yard, you should always be present when you provide your cat with this opportunity.

So take care of your cats and your neighborhood wildlife by keeping your pet in his or her natural habitat—your house—and by leaving the wild animals to theirs.

Leave Those Babies Alone!

Did you know that most of the wild animals and birds thought to be abandoned or orphaned are not? Mothers nurse their young at dawn and dusk. It is normal for babies to be unattended for long periods of time. Mothers won't return to young that are watched. Do not assume the young are abandoned or orphaned just because you don't see the mother.

Did you know that an injured or sick wild animal will often behave as if it is tame? A person trying to handle a sick or injured animal can easily be bitten and would require rabies shots.
 

Did you know that possessing a wild animal is illegal in Illinois? It is against the law to raise wild animals and birds without a license even if your intent is to release them when they get bigger. Licensed professionals are available to handle those babies that are truly orphaned. The Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter, Glen Oak Zoo, Forest Park Nature Center, and Wildlife Prairie State Park join together to encourage residents to leave those babies alone!
 

Do not attempt to rescue animals in any of the following circumstances:
 

A fawn (baby deer) who is curled up in the grass and appears approachable. His mother is most likely out of sight, but nearby and watching you.
 

A bird who is fully feathered on his body with evidence of tail feathers, hopping on the ground, but unable to fly. This is a fledgling (adolescent bird), and his parents are probably nearby.
 

A rabbit who is four inches long with open eyes and erect ears. She is independent from her mother and able to fend for herself.
 

An opossum who is nine to ten inches or longer, not including the tail. He is independent.
 

A squirrel who is nearly full sized, has a full and fluffy tail, and is able to run, jump, and climb. She is independent.
 

For help with wild animals or for more information, contact PAWS at (309) 494-8911.

Living With Coyotes

Incidents between humans and coyotes have become commonplace in the expanding cities and suburbs of the United States.  Many people who move to the outskirts of urban areas forget that with wild lands comes wildlife. Unsecured garbage, pet food, free-roaming cats, and fruit trees are attractive to coyotes.

The majority of encounters with coyotes are only sightings.  However, coyotes may prey on companion animals such as cats and Small dogs.  Attacks on people are rare, but have occurred.  There has been only one reported human fatality from a coyote attack in U.S. history.

The preferred method for dealing with conflicts between humans and coyotes has been to trap or shoot animals.  Approximately 400,000 coyotes are killed each year by federal, state and local governments and private individuals.  This practice has been criticized by the public because of a growing appreciation for large carnivores and their importance in maintaining healthy  ecosystems.  Human/coyote conflicts are often the result of human behavior. Below are steps you can take to prevent coyotes from being attracted to your home:

	Secure garbage cans.
	Dispose of attractive food wastes such as meat, cheese, and eggs by adding a small amount of ammonia to the bag.
	If you have fruit trees, pick the ripe fruit and keep fallen fruit off the ground.  Coyotes are fond of ripe fruit.
	Use outdoor lights triggered by motion sensors.
	Clear away bushes and dense weeds near your house where coyotes find cover and critters to feed on.

Coyotes are usually wary of humans and will avoid people.  If you encounter a
coyote, remember the following:

	Never attempt to "tame" a coyote.
	Avoid direct eye contact.
	Do not turn your back or run from a coyote.
	Attempt to leave the area calmly.
	If followed by a coyote, make loud noises and make yourself look big.
	If this fails, throw rocks, first near the ground, then if necessary, at the body, never the head.
	Always keep yourself between the coyote and small children.
	If attacked fight back.

Outbreaks of rabies in coyotes are rare!

	Cats and small dogs may be seen as prey to the coyote.  To avoid these situations consider the following:
	Fence your property or yard.
	Keep animals in at night.
	If you allow your cats to go outside unattended and there is little or no natural tree cover, your cat is at risk of being killed by a coyote.
	Don't leave dog or cat food outside.
	Keep your animals vaccines current.
	Spay or neuter your dogs.  Coyotes are attracted to, and can mate with unspayed or unneutered domestic dogs.

As humans encroach further into wildlife habitat, encounters between humans and coyotes will inevitably occur.  Communities are being forced, due to greater public pressure, to address coyote conflicts with non-lethal methods.

Deer-Car Collisions

The following information appeared in the Action Line magazine for Friends of Animals.

During deer hunting season deer-car collisions increase greatly. There are about 550 collisions a month through the year, except during hunting season when the average increases up to 1,700 collisions a month.

Friends of Animals offers some important tips that motorists can use to reduce the risk of a collision with a deer:

	Be extra vigilant when driving at dawn, dusk and the first few hours of darkness.
	Be especially alert during mid-to-late fall, when hunters have made the deer panicky and incautious.
	Slow down when driving through deer habitat, such as wooded areas and fields. Don't focus your eyes on the middle of the road.
	Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path. Do not swerve, this can confuse the deer as to where to run.
	Always wear a seat belt.
	If you see a deer, it is extremely likely that there are others around.
	During appropriate hours, use the high beams on your headlights.
	If you see a deer on the road, blow your horn with a single long blast to frighten the animal off the road.
	At night time, deer are usually visible less than 200 feet from your vehicle.
	If your vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. Get your car off the road, if possible, and call the police or animal control agency.

CAT-astrophe for Birds

Cats kill hundreds of millions of birds annually in the United States. In our area cats most often kill common songbirds, such as the Northern Cardinal, Sparrows, Juncos, Finches, and other related birds. There have been many cases of cats killing endangered birds. It is also believed that cat predation has played a major role in some birds becoming extinct. Many people believe that belled cats or well-fed cats don't kill wildlife. Studies have confirmed this to be inaccurate. Allowing a cat to roam free outdoors is not only bad news for birds and other wildlife, but also for the cat. Many cats that are allowed to roam freely outdoors are hit by cars, mauled by dogs, poisoned, trapped, or die from disease. We encourage cat owners to protect both their cats and wildlife by keeping their cats indoors. An indoor cat often lives 12-15 years, whereas cats allowed outdoors live only an average of 2-5 years.
 

Woodpeckers - Diane Ensign

There are 22 species of woodpeckers in the United States, although one of these (the ivory-billed) is probably extinct, and another (the red-cockaded) is on the endangered species list. Most woodpeckers are year-round residents, but a few, notably the sapsuckers, are migratory.

All members of Picidae, the woodpecker family, share several characteristics that make them well suited to their fascinating lifestyle. Their chisel-like bills and sharply-pointed, extra-long tongues are adapted to drilling and probing under tree bark, while their strong claws and stiff tail feathers help prop them up against tree trunks or branches as they work. Moreover, the feathers around their nostrils filter wood dust and their thick skulls have special sacs that cushion the brain from impact. Interestingly, studies of this aspect of woodpecker biology have lent some insight into protecting humans from head injuries.

Most woodpeckers are residents of mature open woodlands and feed primarily on wood-boring insects, such as carpenter ants and bark beetles, which the birds dig out with their powerful beaks. They also eat gypsy moths, tent caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Some species favor a diet made up of plant material, such as nuts, fruit, berries, or tree sap. During the winter, many woodpeckers are also readily attracted to birdfeeders that are stocked with suet or sunflower seeds.

Woodpeckers tend to concentrate their drilling energies on dead trees as opposed to healthy ones; by eating the insects in dead trees, they prevent those harmful pests from spreading to nearby healthy trees. Woodpeckers are also beneficial for many species of birds and mammals, who make ample use of woodpecker holes as dens or nests.

Porcupines
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences
 

The porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is a large-bodied, slow-moving rodent who would be ill-equipped to avoid any sort of predator were it not for his unique natural defensive system. This animal's 30,000 quills, which are actually specially modified hairs, are marvels of evolutionary adaptation and present from birth.

Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot impale people, or their pets, by "throwing" their quills through the air. While quills are indeed formidable, they can only do so much to help these near-sighted, often clumsy animals protect themselves. An attacker must actually come into contact—however slight—before a porcupine's quills can dislodge and imbed themselves. Suffice it to say that unless porcupines are provoked, no harm is likely to come from these otherwise benign and appealing creatures.

Porcupines range throughout Canada and the western United States, into northern Michigan and Wisconsin, and in New England, New York, and Pennsylvania in the East. Males and females are about the same size; a full-grown porcupine is about 2 to 2 ½ feet long and weighs up to 30 pounds. Porcupines are nocturnal, and are most commonly found in coniferous or evergreen forests but also range into deciduous woodlands.

Porcupines are strict herbivores, feeding almost entirely in trees. During the winter they favor the woody parts of plants, especially the inner bark of trees. The bark stripping or "girdling" that occurs when a porcupine has worked on a tree occurs on both the trunk and upper limbs and is fairly distinctive. During the warmer months, porcupines will nip off the ends of branches to get to the leaves, buds, nuts, and fruit; these nipped branches may litter the ground beneath porcupine trees. Virtually all species of trees found within a porcupine's range are eaten, while preferences may vary regionally or even individually.

Breeding occurs in the fall and is followed by a gestation period of about 210 days. This is unusually long for a rodent—almost five times longer than that of squirrels. Young porcupines are born in the spring—females almost always bear just one—and their soft quills harden within hours of birth. Much humorous speculation is traditionally associated with the act of mating in porcupines, but in truth it's no different from most mammals. Although porcupines are normally sedentary, deliberate creatures, males can sometimes get quite aggressive with one another during the breeding season. But that fuss is all done without the use of the most formidable weapon in their arsenal, the quills.

The quills are indeed the hallmark of these animals. A sheath of muscle controls quill movement so that they can be raised in a sign of warning when a porcupine is threatened. Porcupines often back up towards their attackers, the better to lash out with their heavily-quilled tails. Stressed porcupines may also produce a noxious odor and chatter or clack their teeth to tip off would-be assailants.
 

Chimney Swifts
Paul D. and Georgean Z. Kyle
 

There are several species of swifts in the United States, but the chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) is the most common and widely distributed. In the summer months these sleek, elegant little birds range throughout the Midwest and Eastern U.S., and north into southern Canada.

Before Europeans arrived in North America, chimney swifts nested in the old giant hollow trees of the forest. When land was cleared for agriculture and development, these trees were lost. This change might have had a devastating impact on swifts except for one thing: Houses were then built with stone and mortared brick chimneys, which are almost exact replicas of the nesting trees.

Today, however, many houses are built without chimneys or chimneys that use smaller metal flue pipes rather than clay liners. These metal flues can sometimes be death traps for animals.

Chimney swifts migrate between North America and Peru, making a round-trip journey of 6,000 miles every year to pursue their insect prey, which they take from the air in amazing quantities. Swifts are easily recognizable in flight, with their grey, cigar-shaped bodies, constant wing beats, and distinctive chattering, twittering vocalizations. However, few people ever see them at rest. Chimney swifts are so specialized in their ability to cling to vertical surfaces that they cannot perch or stand on their legs in the way that most birds do. Their unique feet have four grappling, hook-shaped toes with claws that can hold onto a rough surface and partly support them. The stiffened tail feathers, with their exposed spiny tips, bolster them as well. These traits have allowed swifts to make the adjustment from hollow trees to chimneys.

Not only do swifts use chimneys for roosting, but they also build nests in them. Their nests are small and cup-shaped, constructed of twigs and glued to the chimney wall with saliva. During the spring or summer, swifts in a chimney will almost always be a single breeding pair. The brooding and raising of young occurs between June and August. As they prepare to migrate south in the early fall, swifts congregate, sometimes in the hundreds, to use a single chimney as a roost. The nightly return of foraging birds is impressive, as they dart into the chimney at dusk with an uncanny synchronization.

The population of chimney swifts seem to be declining, and it may be due to the relatively recent practice of capping or closing chimneys that were once used for nesting. There is good news for chimney swifts, however. The North American Chimney Swift Nest Site Research Project (NSRP), administered by the Driftwood Wildlife Association, an independent organization in Austin, Texas, has designed and tested alternate nesting structures for swifts. The most elaborate and successful of these is an extra-large birdhouse—really an artificial chimney, 12 to 20 feet high and 2x2 feet in dimension.

Bats
 

Bats are one of a select group of animals who have earned a well-deserved reversal of public opinion. Not long ago, these diminutive creatures—they typically weigh no more than a few ounces—inspired such universal dread in humans that thousands were indiscriminately killed each year. Today, bats enjoy widespread favor due to an increasing awareness of their ecological benefits. Thanks to the individuals and organizations who have championed them, we now know that bats rarely cause problems for humans and frequently help control insect pests.

There are more than 40 species of bats found throughout Canada and the United States, all belonging to the order Chiroptera, the only group of mammals that are capable of flight. All common North American bats are nocturnal and feed on insects, which they usually catch in flight. They detect their prey by echolocation, which is the remarkable ability to emit high-frequency sounds—outside of human hearing—to discern objects by the sound reflected back to the bat. This sense is so acute that some species can detect objects no wider than a human hair. Different species of bats eat different types of insects, but as a group, all bats are considered beneficial because many of the insects eaten can be nuisance species.

Almost all bats migrate, often collecting in groups to hibernate in caves. Most species give birth to a single pup in May, and the newborn often clings to the mother while she hunts. As they grow too large to be carried, offspring are left behind. Attics are often used as nurseries because they maintain the desired temperatures for raising pups—although bats tend to have species-specific requirements. For example, big brown bats prefer that nursery colony temperatures not exceed 95°F, while little brown bats prefer the 110°F to 120°F range.

Problems and Solutions

Typically, conflicts between humans and bats only occur with a few species, including the little brown, big brown, evening, pallid, and free-tailed bats. These species often roost in houses (usually attics), sometimes for years, without being noticed by humans. Occasionally, an individual bat is found inside a house, flying around and landing on curtains or furniture.

The rule with any bat encounter is to remain calm and keep pets and children away. Keep as near to a wall as possible when moving around the room. Close interior doors and provide the bat with an exit by opening an outside door or window. Leather (not cotton) work gloves are adequate protection from a bat's teeth and will allow a person to safely and gently pick up a bat and release him outside, out of harm's way. Be prepared for the bat to vocalize loudly when he is picked up.

After the bat has been set free, it's important to find out how he entered the house. If open doors and windows can be ruled out, then it's likely the bat has been roosting within the outer walls of the house and has found a route to the living space. Common entry points include gaps around air conditioners, chimneys, and openings in interior walls that lead to attics or cellars. Inspect thoroughly, as bats can fit through openings as small as half an inch.

The key to excluding a bat colony from a building is to find any and all openings that the animals are using. A "bat watch" at dusk can help you find the entrances. Watch closely from before sunset until about 30 minutes after sunset. The best strategy is to let the bats leave on their own, then deny them reentry. However, bats should only be evicted when it is known that there are no young present. With that thought in mind, it is best not to solve bat colony problems from May through August. Waiting until they have left for winter hibernation also allows the exclusion to be done carefully and deliberately.

Public Health

 
Although bats are more commonly associated with the transmission of rabies to people than any other type of animal, the incidence of this disease in bat populations is estimated to be less than one-half of one percent. Rabid bats generally do not become aggressive and do not bite without provocation, but any bat may bite in self-defense if handled with bare hands. As we advise with any situation involving potential exposure to rabies, consultation with your physician and local health authorities is the recommended course of action.

To Feed or Not to Feed Wildlife?
 

Whether you encounter wildlife in your own backyard, a local park, or while vacationing in a far-off locale, remember that feeding wild animals—no matter how cute or hungry they seem—can often result in more harm than good. The Humane Society of the United States opposes the feeding of wildlife when this activity places wildlife at risk. While coaxing a wild animal into close proximity with tidbits from your picnic or backyard barbecue may seem harmless enough, the long-term consequences of those actions are often disastrous—for both animals and people.

"People" food is not formulated for animal consumption. Foods manufactured for humans are rarely nutritionally adequate for animals and may cause serious health problems. This is particularly the case when animals gather to feed continually on human handouts such as bread, french fries, and popcorn.

When animals learn that humans can provide a cheap and easy food source, they often lose their natural fear of humans. The HSUS is particularly concerned about feeding that habituates large, potentially dangerous animals to human habitation and presence. Once wild animals learn that they can boldly forage for human food, conflicts, nuisance behavior, and risks to human safety are sure to occur.

Wildlife fed from or near vehicles may result in traffic hazards and costly property damage when animals are hit or attempt to enter vehicles in search of food. For example, in Yosemite National Park in 1998, over 1,100 vehicles were broken into by black bears—causing more than $630,000 in damages.

Animals who become dependent on human food sources may gather in abnormally large numbers, thereby aiding the spread of disease. Unnatural crowding and competition may result when wild animals gather together for food handouts from people. Such stressful conditions increase the incidence of fighting and injury among animals, as well as help the spread of diseases, some of which may be transmitted to pets and humans.

 

Does this mean backyard bird and squirrel feeding is wrong? No. The HSUS opposes the feeding of wildlife when the reasonable assumption can be made that animals may come to harm. While feeding birds and squirrels in your backyard is generally not an activity that fits into this category, some conditions may warrant curtailing the provision of such food sources. For example, during the warmer months, when natural food sources are more readily available, it's usually best to reduce the amount of feed you put out each day or suspend feeding altogether.

If you do provide feed for backyard wildlife—at any time of the year—remember that it's also important to maintain safe, clean feeding stations in order to prevent the spread of disease.

More Tips

If you feed your pets outside, take the bowls in at night to prevent midnight raids by your wild neighbors.
For hints on the safe disposal of food containers, check out our "Don't Trash Wildlife!" page below.
Don't touch wild animals. For information on identifying orphaned and injured wildlife, read "Found an Injured or Orphaned Animal?"

When visiting parks and similar settings, follow the rules regarding wildlife. Encourage others to do the same.

West Nile Virus

It's becoming a dark new rite of spring: As green leaves appear, so do the corpses of birds struck down by the West Nile virus. Fear of contracting the virus is also keeping some people from enjoying warm weather.
But locking yourself inside is not the only way to protect yourself from the West Nile virus. You can venture outside with fewer misgivings if you only arm yourself with information and take sensible precautions. The key, of course, is to avoid mosquito bites.

Since it hit North America in 1999, the West Nile virus has worked its way along the east coast from New England to Florida, and westward to Washington and California, causing alarm in communities each time it surfaces. By the end of 2002, 44 states and the District of Columbia had reported verified cases of West Nile virus in animals, mosquitoes, or humans. Canada reported West Nile virus in five provinces in 2002. In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had reported verified avian, animal, or mosquito West Nile Virus infections in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Michigan, and Minnesota by mid-May. The presence of West Nile Virus was also verified in a dead crow in Ontario in April 2003. The disease has been present for years in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania; scientists still don't know how it crossed the oceans and reached the United States.

 
According to the CDC, the virus has been found in over 110 bird species as well as in horses and, more rarely, in cats, bats, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, domestic rabbits, and raccoons. The CDC reports that from 1999 through 2002, there were 241 West Nile virus-caused human deaths in the United States. The most serious manifestation of infection is a fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) that can occur in humans, horses, crows, and certain other domestic and wild birds.

Transmission

The CDC has documented that the West Nile virus can be transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. However, as is true with most diseases, exposure to the disease will not necessarily make you seriously ill. Most people will not experience any symptoms; some may experience flu-like symptoms for a few days; and CDC estimates indicate that "less than 1% of people who get bitten and become infected will get severely ill." Those at greatest risk of contracting fatal encephalitis are people over the age of 50.

In Asia and Africa, West Nile virus has also been found in ticks, but they haven't been shown to transmit the disease. There is no evidence that a person can get the virus from simply touching an infected human or animal. However, anyone handling sick or dead animals should use gloves or double plastic bags as a precaution.

Dogs and Cats

 
The virus has been found in several dogs and cats in the United States. Like humans, dogs and cats contract the virus via mosquito bites and cannot transmit it directly to either animals or humans. They do not necessarily die from the virus, and there is no reason to euthanize a dog or cat who contracts it.

Horses

In 2002, 99.9 percent of all nonhuman mammal cases of West Nile virus occurred in horses. The other cases occurred in dogs and squirrels. Like other mammals, humans, and birds, horses are infected by bites from mosquitoes carrying the virus. There has been no evidence of transmission of the disease directly from horses to humans or to other horses. The most common sign of West Nile infection in the horse is weakness. Fever, depression, and fearfulness may also be seen. The infection can be fatal in some cases. There is a vaccine available for horses.

Prevention

The only fully licensed vaccine available is for horses. None yet exists for humans or companion animals. The most effective way to protect yourself, your pets, and your livestock is to prevent mosquito bites. The CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offer some tips:

 

	Ensure the integrity of insect screens around your home, porches, patios, etc.
	Get rid of standing water around your house—mosquitoes might breed there.
	Don't go outside in the early evening or at dawn or dusk.
	If you are outdoors during those times, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. But bear in mind that mosquitoes can bite through thin cloth.
	Consider using insect repellent (the CDC recommends using one with pyrethrum or DEET) on your skin and clothing, particularly if you live in a wet, low-lying area where mosquitoes might breed. But use insect sprays sparingly and cautiously. (This means never spraying repellents on children under the age of three or on the hands of children who might put them in their mouths.)
	Get rid of standing water around your house—mosquitoes might breed there.
	Dispose of any unused outside water containers and drill holes in the bottom of containers that are left outdoors. Turn over plastic wading pools or wheelbarrows when not in use, and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths.
	Clean clogged roof gutters regularly.
	Ventilate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
	Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not in use.
	If you have livestock, thoroughly clean their troughs every month.
	Don't rely on ultrasonic mosquito-repelling machines or vitamin B to ward off bites.

Page  Updated 05/10/07