Holiday Gift to Help Birds (Catios)

Looking for that last-minute gift for someone who cares about birds?  The experts at American Bird Conservancy have a suggestion that can help solve that gift-giving dilemma and make a real difference for the thousands of bird species that call the Americas home.

Catios: There are 84 million owned cats in the U.S., and at least 35 million of them are let outside to roam. Unfortunately, in the course of roaming, those owned cats—as well as at least another 50 million feral cats—are devastating bird populations, killing about 2.4 billion birds annually.

The good news is that cat owners who wish to allow their cats outdoors without the worry of their pet either killing wildlife or getting injured from a variety of other predators have an alternative. It is called a “catio,” and it comes in a variety of configurations available in various sizes and finishes. Check out these sources for catios: Catio Showcase, Catio Spaces.