Domestic cat spotted on Mt. Apo may pose threat to native, endemic wildlife, says researcher

A video of a domestic cat spotted on Mount Apo in Mindanao has gone viral, with some netizens fawning over the adorable animal and others expressing concern for its threat to wildlife. 

According to Kuya Kim Atienza's report on "24 Oras" Thursday, the video of the cat was taken by Angkol Jun, a hiker. 

"'Yung pusa, hindi siya friendly. 'Pag tinawag ko nga, hindi siya lumalapit. According [sa] local guides, nasa one month or weeks na ba 'yun nakatambay doon. Parang alam niya na kung saan nagtatambay 'yung mga climbers, alam niya na bigyan siya ng pagkain," he said. 

According to wildlife researcher Frances Mae Tenorio, MSc, domestic cats such as the cat spotted on Mt. Apo are considered "super predators." 

"Meaning, iba-ibang klase ng hayop 'yung pwede nilang kainin. Pwede nilang kainin 'yung both native and endemic wildlife na makikita dun sa lugar," she said. 

A 2024 study by Tenorio's research group, "Cat's Paw: Tracking the Home Range of Domestic Cats in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve," finds that some of the free-roaming domestic cats in the reserve were able to reach distant parts of the forest and were hunting the native wildlife there. 

"Inuuwi nila 'yung mga hayop gaya ng bubuli, paniki, bayawak, iba't-ibang uri ng daga," she said. 

"May mga studies globally na sinasabi na meron nang 63 extinctions ng wildlife dahil sa mga pusa. Dito sa 'tin sa Pilipinas, maaari tayong magkaroon ng local extinctions," she added. 

Per Tenorio, it would be better if the domestic cats were removed from protected areas. She also advised pet owners not to let their cats roam outside. 

"Dapat 'yung mga pusa 'di natin hinahayaang lumabas. Dapat kinakapon din sila para mabawasan 'yung populasyon na hindi natin gusto, tapos kailangan din bakunado sila," she said. 

"As for LGUs naman, mas maganda kung meron tayong mga programa na makakaakibat para makatulong din sa ating mga kababayan na maging responsible pet owners." 

—CDC, GMA Integrated News