Globally, house cats have been observed eating over 2,000 different species, 16% of which are endangered.
Free-ranging cats (Felis catus) are globally distributed invasive carnivores that markedly impact biodiversity. A new study developed a comprehensive global assessment of species consumed by cats.
The research identified 2,084 species eaten by cats, of which 347 (16.65%) are of conservation concern. Islands contain threefold more species of conservation concern eaten by cats than continents do.
Birds, reptiles, and mammals constitute about 90% of species consumed, with insects and amphibians being less frequent. Approximately 9% of known birds, 6% of known mammals, and 4% of known reptile species are identified in cat diets.
97% of species consumed are <5 kg in adult body mass, though much larger species are also eaten.
The results demonstrate that cats are extreme generalist predators, which is critical for understanding their impact on ecological systems and developing management solutions.
Christopher A. Lepczyk et al. “A global synthesis and assessment of free-ranging domestic cat diet”, Nature Communications, 12 December 2023
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