Classroom Questions

Questions for “More playtime and meatier meals might reduce kitty kills”

Playing with your cat might have extra benefits. If the cat likes to roam outside, consider playing with it for a few minutes using toys that mimic the way the cat hunts. That can reduce how much hunting the cat does in its free time.

Martina Cecchetti

By Science News Explores

To accompany “More playtime and meatier meals might reduce kitty kills”

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

1.  What do outdoor cats eat?

2.  How big a problem are pet cats for wildlife?

During Reading:

1.  According to the story, what’s a rough guess of the wildlife death toll due to hunting “house” cats?

2.  Most efforts to reduce hunting by domestic cats have focused on doing what, according to the article?

3.  What did Robbie McDonald’s team want to learn with its new study?

4.  What are two reasons McDonald’s team hypothesized that cats hunt wildlife when they get outside? How did this team test those ideas?

5.  How many animals did they test? What were the different conditions tested?

6.  How well did the various interventions work? Which intervention worked best? Which worked worst?

After Reading:

1.  If you have a cat, do you ever let it out? What has been your experience with cats and wildlife?

2.  If you don’t have a cat, would you let it out? Why or why not?

3.  Based on the article, use math to calculate how many cats wearing Birdsbesafe collars brought home fewer birds? Show your work.