Wildlife

Wild Bird Cat Predation Welfare

The welfare impact of cat predation on wild birds and the evidence on mitigation strategies.

Key Facts

Domestic and feral cats kill an estimated 55 million birds annually in the UK
Cat predation is a welfare event for individual birds but its population-level impact is debated
Brightly colored collars and sonic devices reduce cat hunting success in some studies
Cat curfews keeping cats indoors at dawn and dusk reduce hunting of active birds
Well-fed cats still hunt and kill birds as prey drive is independent of hunger

Welfare Considerations

Cat predation causes direct suffering and death for individual wild birds. While cats are also sentient animals with welfare needs, reducing their impact on wildlife through management is both feasible and ethically important.

What You Can Do

Use a Birdsbesafe collar cover or CatBib to reduce your cat's hunting success
Keep cats indoors during dawn and dusk when birds are most active
Provide dense cover plants in your garden to give birds refuge from cats