I blame the pet owners

VISCOUNT Monckton admits he does not own a cat and so has no in-depth knowledge of living with these amazing, complex creatures.

He complains that cats cause immense economic damage — but ask a farmer about rabbits consuming crops, or the loss of lambs to foxes. Cats have always been valued as vermin control.

Muzzling a cat is a welfare issue. They would be stressed, their vision would be impeded and, as the whiskers would be covered, they would lose their ability to judge their surroundings.

Cats are predators and will hunt and kill, but the way forward is to educate cat owners to be responsible for their pets. Putting a cat out at night not only hones its hunting skills but puts it at risk. All pet cats should be neutered.

You can keep them safely enclosed in a garden, but they need environmental enrichment if they are not allowed to roam free.

D. TAYLOR, Birmingham.