That Cuddly Kitty Is Deadlier Than You Think - NYTimes.com

I grew up in a small neighborhood of seven houses plunked down in the
middle of nowhere. They were model homes for a tract development that
was never built (and should never have been built - the water table
was so high, nobody's septics worked properly - and that was just with
the models).

Anyway, there was a wealth of wildlife and I loved it. Whippoorwills
and Bobwhites and all sorts of fauna. Then we had a family move in
with a cat that was allowed to roam free. So long, whippoorwills. So
long bobwhites. That same cat took a baby rabbit right out of my
hands and killed it. I was 10 or 11 at the time.

Because of that I've never been a cat person though I have an
affection for some of my friends cats, and hey, who doesn't like
kittens. I'm a big fan of having pets in general, excepting
neglectful/hoarder/abusive owners. If you're going to keep cats,
please be aware of what they can do to native populations. The least
you can do is put a bell on their collar.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/science/that-cuddly-kitty-of-yours-is-a-killer.html?_r=0