We need a cat lockdown now

I have always marvelled at the attitude of cat owners who point to bloodied arms or dramatic scratches and explain – with docile, almost apologetic acceptance – that Jasper or Bella just got a bit annoyed. It was all the human’s fault for patting them in the first place. Violent animals are a form of domestic abuser and should be treated as such. Why would anyone allow something to attack them – or their children – rather than simply removing the animal from their home?

Sure, they are unlikely to maul you to death, unlike the technically banned XL Bullys, but it’s a different story for wildlife. Domestic cats, the wily rotters, are thought to kill around 270 million birds, mammals and reptiles per year across the UK. They’re the nukes of the animal kingdom.

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Which is why I looked approvingly on recent Scottish conversations about curbing feline freedoms, and thus punishing these nasty creatures in order to preserve native wildlife. Earlier this month, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) suggested ‘compulsory containment’ of cats in certain areas, along with possible restrictions on allowing new cats into households in certain ‘vulnerable areas’.

In my view, the SAWC recommendations don’t go nearly far enough in curbing the shocking antics of these loutish and numerous creatures. But alas, the Scottish government was quick to say that while it would ‘fully consider the recommendations’ there was no way on earth that cats would be banned anywhere in Scotland. ‘We have absolutely no intention of banning cats,’ First Minister John Swinney told BBC Scotland. ‘There’s no way that’s going to happen.’