Your cuddly cat may be a killer

THE world population of the Stephen’s Island wren was wiped out by Tibbles, the lighthouse keeper’s cat.

Actually, there were a few other cats on the island and Tibbles may not be responsible for all of the carnage’ but are you harbouring a similar killer in your home? Recent research in the United States suggests that you may be.

Kerrie Anne Loyd and Sonya Fernandez of the University of Georgia wanted to assess the damage to wildlife wrought by house cats. Some cats present their victims to their owners but do all of them do this? Even it a cat does so, is everything it catches brought home? If your pussy never displays trophies, can you be sure he’s innocent?