Wildlife Welfare

Wild Bird Cat Predation Mitigation

Cat predation on wild birds is a significant welfare and conservation issue, with practical mitigation measures available for cat owners.

Key Facts

Domestic cats kill an estimated 55 million birds annually in the UK
Wearing a bell on a collar reduces predation by up to 50%
High-visibility collar covers like the CatBib further reduce bird kills
Keeping cats in at dawn and dusk when birds are most vulnerable reduces predation
Well-fed cats still hunt instinctively and supplementary feeding does not eliminate predation

Welfare Considerations

Predation by cats causes acute suffering in prey animals and contributes to population-level declines of vulnerable species. Cat owners can significantly reduce the welfare impact on wild birds through simple interventions including collar bells and high-visibility covers. The cumulative impact of millions of cat owners adopting these measures would be substantial.

What You Can Do

Fit your cat with a bell collar or CatBib to reduce bird predation
Keep cats indoors during high bird activity periods at dawn and dusk
Support research into cat predation impacts and mitigation