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Are house cats apex predators8/17/2023 ![]() These cats are muscular with long, bushy tails. The coat of these cats is mostly red with brown or gold ticking. They are small to medium-sized cats weighing between six to 10 pounds. The Abyssinian breed of cats is the closest to the lion you can own. If a house cat is not familiar with tigers, it may not recognize the cat. And while some felines do get along, other animals are more dangerous. They typically flee when threatened by larger, faster predators. But house cats are not considered preferred prey by these large predators. They feed on mice, wildebeests, and other felines. In addition to cougars, tigers are obligate carnivores. This means that house cats and tigers can bond very well. Although cats and dogs have lost their wild instinct, they have some of the same genetic makeup as tigers and lions. Domestic cats and dogs do not have this instinct. Neither species has a natural prey drive. house catÄo tigers and house cats get along, and if so, how? The first question may sound silly, but it is a valid one. You should always remember that the only way a tiger and a house cat can get along is if you and your tiger can trust each other. While tigers may be gentle, they are still naturally dangerous animals. They tend to reserve their affectionate behaviors for humans in their homes. House cats also tend to bond more strongly with humans, despite being heavier and bigger. House cats have more natural affinity with humans than with wild animals. It is important to remember that tigers and cats share DNA. It is unlikely that a lion will kill a house cat. While a lion may be able to adjust to the presence of a house cat kitten, it will typically treat the feline as a rival. Although they are different species, some cat breeds have traits that resemble a young lioness or tiger. We ought to consider the return of apex predators like hawks and owls a success and be confident in knowing that if our yard is healthy then its biodiversity with support all kinds of life even predatory kind.While house cats may be smaller than lions or tigers, they have the same instincts. While the butterflies are beautiful they may be eaten, just as the songbirds may be silenced. It is also important for us to keep in mind that if we are planting natives to attract butterflies and songbirds, we must also be prepared to accept the rest of the food chain. We don't often think of birds like Robins as being the top of the food chain but in many cases they might be. If they are lucky they remain top of the food chain but of course a larger predator like a Coopers Hawk may prey on the birds. In response, birds like House Wrens, or this evening, a Common Yellowthroat spend time amongst the plants eating the insects. Our yard is now home to around 30 different species of native plant, many of which attract insects either as larva or later when nectar or fruits are available. Even if I had no bird feeders stocked full of seeds, the network remains intact. When your yard is able to sustain more forms of life, the local food web becomes more apparent. ![]() The Red Tails were never terribly successful at taking down other birds, but the Coopers Hawk with its smaller build and longer tail proved once again to be an effective Morning Dove hunter. They attempted a number of occasions with more or less success to hunt birds in the yard. While Red Tails are truly small mammal specialists, they are also well known opportunistic generalists. Two Red Tailed Hawks hatched in our neighborhood this summer and spent a fair amount of time pursuing local rodents and stalking my bird feeders. ![]() Red Tailed and Coopers Hawks seem to do rather well where there are people. However to of the most common backyard predators are hawks. Coyotes, foxes, and raccoons certainly make their way into towns, and you may even have some in your yard. Many of the other animals near the top of the food chain are birds. This post is not going to address the environmental the complications of house cats on the ecology of a landscape it is merely sufficient to say that cats are often our apex predators. The house cat is an introduced apex predator. There is a neighborhood cat who frequently hunts in my yard, from watching him he's mostly interested in rodents and lagomorphs and other small mammals. Cats can be beneficial animals to have around, for example, on a farm to help control rodent populations. Who is at the top of the food web in your yard? ![]() To put it more plainly, who is eating who in your backyard? Have you ever wondered about the food web of your yard? Or as Disney put it, "The Circle of Life"? Maybe some insects like ants or crickets.Eastern Gray Squirrels (Maybe Fox or Red Squirrels).Take a minute to think about the wildlife which lives in your backyard.
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