Ban cat flaps to preserve bird species, former minister urges

CAT flaps should be banned to help preserve the UK’s declining number of garden birds, according to a former Conservative minister.

Lord Blencathra said there was “no justification whatsoever” for cat owners to take a “laissez-faire attitude” by letting their pet “go in and out when it pleases”. He also backed calls for outdoor cats to be required to wear collars and bells, as he pointed to research suggesting this helped reduce the number of birds killed by felines.

The suggestion came as peers supported a proposed law to create new offences of cat and dog abduction in England and Northern Ireland. The Bill would make it an offence to take a cat or dog from the lawful control of another person, with offenders facing a maximum prison sentence of five years.

Lord Blencathra offered his “full support” to the Bill before backing remarks made by Tony Juniper, chairman of Natural England, for cats to wear bells.

He told peers: “Studies by three UK scientists, and published in the journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science, show that in the UK cats with bells killed 34 per cent fewer mammals and 41 per cent fewer birds. We need every measure we can to preserve our declining garden birds.

“So I would make collars and bells compulsory for cats let outside. But I would go further, my Lords, and I’d ban cat flaps completely.”

He said animal welfare groups had suggested cats should only be let out after the sun has risen or before it sets to avoid them targeting birds when they are feeding. He added: “There’s no justification whatsoever for cat owners taking a laissez-faire attitude and letting a cat go in and out when it pleases.”

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, shadow environment spokeswoman offered Labour’s support to the Bill. She noted she was “interested” to hear Lord Blencathra’s suggestions, but said she wanted to “stand up” for her own cat, joking he is “rather frightened” of birds following an “encounter” with a hen.