I tawt I taw...
Alexander Mccall Smith highlights the enormous damage being wrought upon the bird populations of both Australia and New Zealand by domestic and feral cats (Perspective, 5 September).
Both countries, aware of the impending disaster if left unchecked, are taking realistic measures to resolve the growing problem. Unfortunately in this country, where cats pose as big a risk to birds as they do in Australia and New Zealand, no action is being taken to eliminate, or even reduce, this threat.
According to the Mammal Society, cats, of which there are 10 million in the UK, kill more than 55m songbirds a year. By comparison, sparrowhawks, their main native avian predator, takes in the region of 35m songbirds a year. Crows, magpies, jays, jackdaws, stoats, weasels, badgers and non-native grey squirrels also prey on songbirds and their eggs. All in all, songbirds have an incredibly difficult task of surviving, let alone breeding. Despite the unprecedented amount of food on bird tables and feeders throughout the country, the number of predators continues to increase relentlessly, putting at risk the survival of some species.
The University of Exeter is carrying out research for Uk-based charity Songbird Survival on cats. Their study includes working directly with cat owners to find ways of minimising cat predation without compromising, and
potentially enhancing, cat health and welfare. In the meantime there is a solution to the cat problem, which does not involve extreme action, and that is for owners to take more responsibility for them.
Mr Mccall Smith refers to the measures being taken in South Australia where cats are required to be kept indoors, or in cages if allowed outside. If owners treated cats more like dogs, ie keeping them under control and supervision, rather than letting them roam unrestricted, birds would stand a much better chance of survival.
It is to be hoped that education on cat behaviour will prevail, but if the problem continues unchecked for much longer, governments in the UK may be forced to introduce similar rules to those in Australia and New Zealand.
COLIN STRANG STEEL Trustee, Songbird Survival,
Threepwood, Galashiels