by Dr. Michael Fagan
10. Cars. Self explanatory. I see a road-killed cat between home and work
at least monthly.
9. Coyotes. They like to eat
cats. (We have a patient who was rescued from a coyote's mouth!)
8. Owls. Seriously, you
wouldn’t believe the damage an owl or other raptor can do even if it misses. (We
treated a dog with wounds from an owl attack!)
7. Worms. Your cat can bring home parasites that can
infect your kids.
6. Birds and other small wildlife.
Cats in the US kill 1.4–3.7 billion birds a year, 7-20 billion
mammals, as well as snakes, lizards, frogs, etc.
5. Other large wildlife.
Raccoons and foxes can transmit rabies and raccoon poop can carry
dangerous parasite eggs. Oh, and they
have sharp teeth, too.
4. Other cats. Cat fights can
cause abscesses and eye injuries, and can transmit Feline Leukemia or Feline Immunodeficiency
Virus, for which there is no cure.
3. Toxoplasma. Cat poop in the
garden is the largest source of human exposure to this microscopic
parasite. Bonus item if you live near
the ocean: toxoplasma from cats washes
into the ocean and infects sea lions with catastrophic effects.
2. Tiny
little bugs. Indoor cats almost never
get fleas or ticks. Almost.
1. Life! Outdoor cats have an average
life expectancy of about 4 years. Indoor
cats average well into their teen years.
