Wild Animal Welfare

Wild Bird Cat Predation Mitigation

Domestic cat predation kills hundreds of millions of birds annually in the UK - targeted mitigation reduces individual bird welfare harm without penalising cats.

Key Facts

UK cats kill an estimated 55 million birds per year according to RSPB estimates
Bells on cat collars reduce predation by 40-50% by alerting birds to cat approach
Brightly coloured collars with high-visibility markings reduce predation significantly
Keeping cats indoors or in cat-proof gardens during peak bird activity (dawn, dusk) is effective
Bird feeders positioned away from low vegetation deny cats ambush sites

Welfare Considerations

Individual birds taken by cats experience real predation suffering. While cats are natural predators, domestic cats at high densities represent a predation pressure that wild bird populations did not evolve to withstand. Targeted mitigation that reduces predation without stressing cats provides welfare benefit for birds.

What You Can Do

Fit your cat with a CatBib, Birdsbesafe collar, or bell-fitted collar
Position bird feeders away from dense vegetation that conceals approaching cats
Keep cats in during peak bird activity periods if practical