Cats Eradicated in New Zealand? Kitten Lovers Fight Back

Cats may be cute and cuddly, but they're also natural born killers, according to economist Gareth Morgan. He's worried that New Zealand's cats are slowly decimating native bird populations, leaving the country without its natural wildlife. In order to combat the issue, Morgan has launched an initiative to encourage pet owners to make their current cats the last ones they own.

Morgan is in for a hard fight. New Zealand households own more cats per capita than most other parts of the world. A 2011 survey by the New Zealand Companion Country put the total cat population of the country at a staggering 1.4 million. That doesn't come close to amount of cat lovers in the U.S., though. A 2012 survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association placed the total cat population in the U.S. at 86 million.

Cat owners are up in arms. According to The Guardian, the president of the Royal New Zealand for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told Morgan to "butt out of our lives." 

Morgan does have a point, though. Invasive species such as cats, dogs, and rodents have helped wipe out some native bird species and have endangered others. According to Morgan's site, the average cat brings home 13 pieces of prey each year, but that number is only one in five of their total kills. In addition, even well-fed cats will kill prey.  In a study, six cats were presented with a live rat while eating food. All six of the cats stopped eating the food, killed the rat, and then resumed eating the food.

Even with the information Morgan provides, though, it's unlikely that he will be able to eradicate all cats from New Zealand. According to the Associated Press, Morgan created a survey on his site to find out whether or not people would make their current cat their last cat. An overwhelming 70 percent voted against the notion, showing that pet owners will love their cats to the end.