With close to 9 million domestic cats in Canada, and a third of them regularly roaming outdoors, we know that birds are heavily impacted by cats. In fact, cats are considered the number one threat to birds in Canada – but they’re also some of our best friends.

Our guests, Julia Kilgour and Jonathan Chu, help us explore this fascinating and complex issue. From the science – predation numbers, the most vulnerable bird species, and how we study cats outdoors – to the complex emotions and human behaviours that impact conservation strategies. Jonathan and Julia help us learn how positive changes for birds doesn't have to mean leaving our furry friends behind.

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Jonathan Chu is a PhD candidate at the University of Guelph studying the impacts of outdoor domestic cats on wildlife. He accomplishes this by attaching tiny animal-borne cameras to cats, allowing him to see the world from the point-of-view of a cat! Jonathan started in ecology from his love of birds and previously studied North American bird migratory timing advance, dispersal distance and wing morphology. He is also an avid birder who finds any excuse to go out and watch birds, though less so currently as a busy PhD student!

Julia Kilgour (she/her) is an urban ecologist based in Guelph, Ontario who wants to solve the problem of outdoor cats and their impacts on birds. For the last 10 years, she’s been studying the effects of outdoor cats on birds and people in cities across North America. Julia is excited to work with communities in Canada to develop local strategies to help address this daunting issue. She is passionate about wildlife of all kinds, and loves watching and learning about birds (and other creatures) in her local urban forests.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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