Ministers are asked to consider ban on pet cats

Households in some areas of Scotland would be banned from keeping cats under plans being considered to protect the country’s wildlife.

An animal welfare body set up to advise the Scottish government has warned that cats are depleting populations of native mammals and birds. It is estimated that they kill about 250,000 bats and 27 million birds in the UK each year.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) has now proposed prohibiting cat ownership in areas where wildlife is most at risk.

It also suggests “cat containment areas” to prevent pet cats from roaming and hunting, similar to Australia where cats have to be kept indoors permanently unless they are on a lead or kept in enclosed outdoor runs. Some areas of Melbourne have a 24-hour ban on roaming cats, while owners in Canberra face a fine of $300 (£150) if their pet is found outdoors without a leash.

Cats Protection, the charity, strongly rejected proposals to restrict movements of cats. Alice Palombo, the group’s advocacy and government relations officer for Scotland, told The Mail on Sunday that cats provide companionship for elderly people or those living alone, as well as comfort for people with health conditions.

• Read more: Rehoming centres are ‘bursting’ as Covid yearning for pets sours

She said: “Ideally, all cats should have the choice to access the outside world. Cats need to be able to perform natural cat-like behaviours if they’re to live happy, healthy lives. These needs, like scratching and climbing, are more easily met in the outside world, where they can also enjoy the stimulation that comes with new smells, sights and sounds.

“While some cats tolerate living indoors, missing out on these vital experiences can lead to stress-related problems like spraying, excessive grooming or physical illness.”

Palombo said “cats are very different from dogs” and most would dislike being taken out on a lead.

She added: “As highly independent animals, cats do not like being restrained, especially for long periods of time, so wearing a harness will likely be stressful for them. There are always exceptions to every rule but in general, cats are not suited to lead walking and this can lead to them becoming stressed and developing behavioural or physical health problems.”

The SAWC said up to 700 million animals are killed by cats in the UK each year, including 57 million mammals, 27 million birds and five million reptiles and amphibians.

The report states: “New housing developments in rural areas could have a stipulation that cats may not be kept in conservation-sensitive areas/other areas that have not had high levels of predation, especially with red-listed or amber-listed birds/other species.”

It added: “Some countries already require cats to be contained all the time or seasonally to protect wildlife populations. This may be an option to reduce the welfare impacts of domestic cats on wildlife.”

The SAWC has called for further research into possible measures to protect wildlife from cats.

Jackie Bird, the BBC broadcaster and cat owner, said she often felt horrified by her cat’s “predilection for senseless violence” but a ban was not the answer.

She told The Mail on Sunday: “On the suggestion that Scotland should follow cat-curfew models from Australia, I can only say that if I lived in a country where a deadly spider could leap from the U-bend and bite me down under, I’d have other things to worry about.

“However, to ensure my household is united in our response to this blatant and unfair attempt at cat cancellation, I have given Willow, Malin and Mr Bailey a print-out of this report to peruse at their leisure — or at least until I have to change the litter tray again.”

The Scottish government said it would “fully consider” the report’s recommendations.