Cats didn’t get your tongue!
Our Keep your cat indoors to save wildlife story ( Clippings, August issue) elicited a spirited response from readers:
I have owned cats for 40 years. Mine have never been allowed out at night or early in the morning, and I can count on one hand the number of birds they have caught. I believe feral cats, which catch wildlife out of necessity, are a bigger problem. Julia Skidmore, Cambs.
We have never had problems. A bird could have perched on our male cat’s head and he wouldn’t have cared. And our female cat was afraid of birds – she would miaow at them and run inside. Pamela Bradbury, Middlesex
I know cats kill birds, but so do other animals for survival. Does anyone count the number of birds (not to mention deer, rabbits, foxes, badgers) killed on our roads? Cats are hunters – but by all means put a bell collar on them. In my experience, they prefer to spend nights in a warm bed indoors. Kathy Turner, Wigtownshire
As my cats have always worn bell collars they gave up trying to hunt anything. Some vets are concerned that extra-loud bells may damage their hearing, but one of mine lived to 24 and had better hearing than my family. J Parker, Oxfordshire