Wildlife Welfare

Wild Bird Cat Predation Mitigation

Domestic and feral cats kill an estimated 55 million birds annually in the UK. Several practical measures can reduce predation risk while maintaining cat welfare.

Key Facts

UK cats kill an estimated 55 million birds annually plus hundreds of millions of small mammals
Cats wearing brightly coloured or patterned collars catch fewer birds
Bell collars reduce hunting success by approximately 30-40%
Keeping cats indoors around dawn and dusk reduces hunting during peak bird activity
Well-fed cats hunt as much as hungry cats as hunting is an instinctive drive

Welfare Considerations

Individual birds caught by cats experience fear and injury before death or escape. Even cats that do not kill make successful hunting attempts that cause distress to prey. Simple measures that reduce hunting success without restricting cat welfare, such as bright collars and dawn/dusk confinement, can significantly reduce bird welfare impacts.

What You Can Do

Fit outdoor cats with a CatBib or brightly coloured Birdsbesafe collar
Keep cats indoors for 2 hours after dawn and before dusk during nesting season
Support humane management of feral cat colonies to reduce their hunting impact