Do domestic cats kill enough wildlife to justify UK legislation requiring them to be kept indoors?
Recent UK studies estimate that 7-11 million outdoor domestic cats return between 37 and 140 million prey items annually, mostly small mammals with around a quarter being birds. A 2025 Scottish Animal Welfare Commission report discussed targeted containment in new housing near sensitive ecosystems, while a parliamentary petition for seasonal indoor requirements and belled collars closed in June 2026 without triggering a debate. No national legislation currently mandates keeping pet cats indoors.
4 Opinions
A better solution would be to ensure there is enough money for conversation bodies to protect endangered species without resorting to stupid government overreach.
I mean, this is peak nanny state rubbish. Cats have been roaming outside and keeping rat numbers down for centuries. If songbirds are declining, maybe blame developers concreting over the greenbelt and massive habitat destruction not the family tabby
We made extinct most of the natural, wild predators cats seem to perfectly replaced them. Balance in the nature is well kept at the moment. No need for drastic measures.
Cats live inside perfectly happily in places like Australia, NZ or the US, where they are either a threat to wildlife or threatened by wildlife. There's no doubt they take tens of millions of birds and small mammals a year in the UK, often species already under pressure from other factors. They are also far more concentrated than wild cats. If you don't like keeping them cooped up, or cleaning out a litter tray, don't have a pet cat.