Scottish ministers are being urged to order a report into cats’ impact on wildlife which could see pets banned from areas where endangered species live.
The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) made the recommendation in a report to Holyrood in response to evidence that cats have a “significant impact on wildlife populations”.
SAWC is calling for the Scottish government to ask NatureScot to commission a report into the advantages and disadvantages for wildlife of introducing cat containment zones in “vulnerable areas”.
If implemented, residents in those zones could be forced to keep their pets indoors – or banned from getting them in the first place.
SAWC suggested that new housing developments in rural regions “could have a stipulation that cats may not be kept in conservation-sensitive areas”, or in the vicinity of endangered birds and wildlife.
The SAWC made several other recommendations, including requiring the compulsory microchipping and registration of pet cats.
It also called for a further report into the pros and cons of the compulsory neutering of owned cats in “vulnerable areas”.
The Scottish government said it will “fully consider the recommendations” made by SAWC, as it urged all cat owners to consider microchipping their pets.
SAWC’s report – titled Responsible Ownership and Care of Domestic Cats in Scotland – noted that hunting in cats “is not driven by hunger”, and domestic pets “have a tendency to play with their prey and bring back live often injured prey to their owners”.
It has been estimated that cats across the UK bring home tens of millions of animals each year – including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
SAWC said given only a proportion of prey is brought home, “the actual number of wild prey killed could reach at least 700 million vertebrates per year in the UK”.
The commission said domestic and feral cats are also a threat to the nation’s rare wildcat population by competing with them for food and habitats, as well as passing on diseases.
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Cats Protection said it works with organisations such as Saving Wildcats to reduce the impact of domestic and feral cats on native wildlife.
The charity also supports the call for mandatory microchipping but believes all cats “should have the choice to access the outside world”.
Alice Palombo, the charity’s advocacy and government relations officer for Scotland, added: “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.
“Outdoor access also gives cats more opportunity to exercise and 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.”
SAWC’s report noted that containment areas have been set up in several states in Australia, with a round-the-clock cat curfew in some places and restrictions after dark in others.
The only exceptions are for enclosed outdoor runs or if owners take their pets for walks on a lead.
NatureScot was contacted for comment.