Wildlife friendly cat control

At this time of year, when bird breeding is well underway, we receive calls from concerned householders about the distress and damage caused to nesting birds by free-roaming domestic cats.

More people are being encouraged to make their gardens wildlife friendly, especially for the many wild bird species whose numbers have fallen dramatically over recent years.

When a householder has then invested a lot of time, energy and money to help support local wildlife, it can be understandably distressing to see birds and their young fall prey to a domestic cat.

As much countryside has become more hostile to feeding and nesting, and as gardens cover over 2 million acres in the UK, certain wild birds have come to rely heavily on these havens to survive and maintain their populations.

Cats vary so much in their individual behaviour that it can be difficult to see exactly how much of an impact they can have on local wildlife populations. Cats also prefer to hunt at dusk and dawn, when stalking of their prey is most effective, and so most of their kills go un-noticed by owners.

With the domestic cat population now estimated to exceed 8 million, concern is growing that their collective impact on small bird and mammal numbers may be of conservation significance.

The Mammal Society estimated, from its studies of kills brought home, that a typical domestic cat may take over 25 small birds, mammals or amphibians and so the, probably conservative, total of over 270 million kills each year arises.

Despite recent calls for legislation, cat curfews are not yet law in this country, as they are elsewhere. Nor will they become necessary, even with a growing cat population nationally, if cat owners are willing to recognise that a few basic constraints on their pet’s freedom of movement are of benefit to wildlife in their locality.

So what can the responsible cat owner do to help reduce the damage to wildlife from their moggie’s natural hunting behaviour?

• First, reverse the accepted and outdated practice and keep your cat IN at night. Take it in an hour before dusk and put it out after dawn.
• It may still hunt and take fledglings, or cause disturbance to nesting birds, but at least they will have a better chance to avoid capture during daylight.
• Fit a collar with some bells securely attached or with an electronic bleeper to alert wildlife to the approach of a stalking cat.
• Ensure your cat is well monitored and fed regularly and appropriately to reduce its inclination to wander and seek out wild prey.
• Consider your neighbours and the effect your roaming cat is having on their choice to use their gardens to support visiting wildlife and nesting wild birds.

If you have a cat and want also to feed wild birds in your garden there are some basic precautions to take to reduce their vulnerability. The BTO has some advice on this link

The Mammal Society has more information on the impact of domestic cats on wildlife

You can find more information and advice on responsible cat ownership at the RSPB website.

If you are concerned about unwelcome visits from cats to your garden you can also get advice on humane deterrents using this link. (Please remember that cats are someone’s pet and that hunting is part of their natural behaviour. They have legal protection from harm and injury so, however distressing their behaviour may seem, it is important to be proportionate in your response.)