SNP mull ban on household cats

Here’s one to make you paws for thought: SNP ministers are considering a ban on pet cats, in a bid to protect birds and other wildlife. Yes, that’s right, an official report for the Scottish Government suggests establishing containment zones where residents can be forced to keep their pets indoors, or stopped from owning them altogether. Talk about putting a cat among the pigeons…

The report by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) claims that domestic cats have a ‘significant impact on wildlife populations’ as they hunt for fun, torture prey through play, and bring maimed animals home to their owners. According to the Daily Telegraph, SNP ministers said they were ‘fully considering’ the findings of the report, which claims domestic cats are threatening rare wildcat populations by passing on diseases and competing for resources. It recommends consideration of ‘compulsory containment’ of cats in vulnerable areas, meaning they would not be allowed outside.