July 2022 - 31

Me-Wow: Killer Cats
By Dan England
Releasing pets can cause a lot of damage to
habitats and local animal populations, but allowing
your domesticated cat to roam outside can
cause damage, too. Domesticated cats can kill
billions of birds and other critters a year during
their adventures.
Andrea Orabona, Wyoming Game and Fish
Department nongame bird biologist wants cat
owners to know of the dangers of allowing their
pet to wander freely.
" I don't hate cats, " Orabona said. " I've owned
a cat. I'm upset at the outdoor cat owners. "
Cat owners can get upset when Orabona points
out how destructive their outside cat can be. It's
a sensitive issue, Orabona said. Still, she does
wonder why cat owners are so adamant about
letting their pets outside. It's healthier for them
to stay indoors, she said, and better for wildlife.
" We don't allow dogs to roam at-large, " she
said. " We shouldn't allow cats, either. "
Pet cats can travel for miles a day, she said, as
GPS trackers have dispelled the notion that many
stay in their backyard. There are ways you can let
your cats experience the outdoors without them
killing dozens of birds a year:
* Take them for walks - Cats can get
used to a harness and seem to enjoy walks
as much as dogs once they do. You also
can put your cats on a zip line outside with
a harness.
* Build a " catio " or enclose an existing patio
- Enclosed patios keep your cats in an area
where they can't do damage but can see
outside with installed perches.
practicing so-called " bucket biology " for
decades and don't need to grapple with people
dumping their pet goldfish in a lake as
well.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Wyoming's law is clear. It is illegal to
release a pet or other animals to the wild -
or even allow them to escape. Penalties can
be severe. Releasing live fish can result in a
lifetime revocation of hunting and fishing
privileges in the state, fines up to $10,000,
up to one year in jail and civil penalties up
to the amount it costs for Game and Fish
to remove illegally released fish.
Game and Fish successfully prosecuted
an angler dumping live fathead minnows he
was using as bait into the Shoshone River.
He was caught because other anglers who
were suspicious of the man carrying a bucket
down to the river and knew what he was
doing photographed him during the dump.
Trout Unlimited and local fishing groups
as well as Game and Fish have tried to eduBill
Bradshaw, retired Wyoming Game and Fish Department fisheries biologist for the Sheridan Region, nets yellow
perch at Healy Reservoir near Buffalo in 2010. (WGFD photo)
cate the public, even going into schools
to talk to students about not letting their
goldfish go. The public provides a valuable
service when they report unusual species,
which can help prevent invasive species from
establishing a viable population.
- Dan England is a mountain climber, ultrarunner
and freelance writer from Greeley, Colorado.
Wyoming Wildlife | 31

July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2022