Domestic cats predate substantial numbers of wild birds and mammals annually, creating welfare conflicts between companion animal and wildlife wellbeing.
Cat predation welfare involves genuine competing welfare interests - the behavioural motivation of cats to hunt, and the welfare of individual prey animals. Cats are obligate carnivores with strongly motivated predatory behaviour that is not driven by hunger, making dietary interventions ineffective at reducing hunting. The welfare of prey animals - which may be injured but not killed, or played with for extended periods - represents real animal suffering that is ethically relevant. Measures that reduce predation rates without compromising cat welfare, including fitted bells, brightly coloured collar covers, and time-of-day confinement during peak bird activity, represent welfare improvements for prey species while allowing cats to retain outdoor access.