A housecat eats a bird, which has eaten a caterpillar that feeds on leaves. Which trophic level describes the house cat?

The house cat is classified as a top consumer because it occupies the highest trophic level in this food chain. In this scenario, the cat is a predator that feeds on the bird, which is a primary consumer that has consumed a caterpillar, itself feeding on leaves produced by plants (the primary producers).

Trophic levels are categorized based on the position of organisms in the food chain. Primary producers are typically plants that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. Primary consumers are herbivores that feed directly on primary producers. Secondary consumers are carnivores that eat primary consumers, like the bird in this example.

Since the house cat preys on another consumer (the bird), it is not just a secondary consumer but can also be considered a top consumer, especially in its ecological context, where it does not have natural predators in the scenario presented. This designation highlights the cat's role at the apex of the food web within its environment.