Practical feline behaviour understanding cat behaviour and improving welfare

54 Chapter 4

Effects on wildlife

A cat’s hunting prowess, although highly valued by people that keep or encourage
cats expressly for this purpose, is more likely to be considered an undesirable trait by
most pet owners. Free-ranging cats, pet, stray or feral, are particularly unpopular with

Box 4.1. The design of the perfect predator.

Hearing

●●Encompasses the range of very high-pitched sounds made by small mammals and birds.

●●Sensitive enough to hear the movements of small animals.

●●The pinna (outer part of the ear) can be moved independently to act as a directional

amplifier to help locate the sounds of prey precisely.

Sight

●●Eyes are large and forward facing, allowing 3D binocular vision, enabling the cat to

pinpoint correctly the position of prey.

●●An enhanced ability to detect small, fast movements.

●●Increased ability to see in low light conditions, allowing effective hunting when noc-

turnal and crepuscular prey animals are most active and more likely to be out of

safe hiding places.

Teeth

●●Canine teeth are long and thin and used for dislocating the vertebrae of prey, en-

abling a quick kill.

●●Mechanoreceptors contained within the teeth allow precise location of where the

killing bite should be made.

Claws

●●Sharp and pointed.

●●Protractile: can be kept retracted until required.

●●Mechanoreceptors at the base of the claws enable the cat to feel and grab its prey

with the correct amount of pressure.

Fig. 4.5. Hunting, preparing to

pounce.