Former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon with a statue of a cat (Image: Getty )
banning domestic cats in a bid to protect wild animals, it has been reported.
Under new proposals owners could be ordered to keep moggies indoors or even be stopped from owning a feline altogether in some areas.
an official Scottish Government document states domestic cats have a “significant impact on wildlife populations”.
, and will chase down animals for pleasure, as well as bring injured prey home for their owners.
It’s understood ministers are “fully considering” the recommendations of the report by the Scottish Wildlife Commission which claims domestic cats are also threatening rare Scottish wildcat populations by spreading disease and competing for food.
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Domestic cats can devastate local wildlife populations (Image: Getty )
Elsewhere in the world, other countries have placed restrictions on pet cats. In Australia some states have curfews so cats must be indoors overnight, and in other parts of the country moggies are not allowed to roam in the wild.
The report put forward to the Scottish Government also recommends “compulsory containment” of felines in some areas, meaning the cats would have to be kept indoors.
However, the charity Cats Protection has criticised the findings and said Scotland is a “nation of cat lovers” and that everyone has the right to a feline companion.
Alice Palombo, told the : “Ideally, all cats should have the choice to access the outside world.
“Cats need to be able to perform natural cat-like behaviours if they’re to live happy, healthy lives. While some cats tolerate living indoors, missing out on these vital experiences can lead to stress-related problems like spraying, excessive grooming or physical illness.”
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The ban is aimed at protecting wildlife in Scotland (Image: Getty )
Former leader Nicola Sturgeon established the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission in 2020 to consider the “welfare of sentient animals in Scotland”.
The latest report on the impact of cats states: “Given that only a proportion of prey are brought home… the actual number of wild prey killed could reach at least 700 million vertebrates per year in the UK.
“While the killing of prey by a cat may not necessarily be regarded as a welfare issue, domestic cats have a tendency to play with their prey and bring back live often injured prey to their owners.”
Douglas Ross, the former Scottish Tory leader, told the Telegraph: “Over the last 18 years, the have failed to make any difference to major countryside issues such as sheep worrying, oil thefts and lack of adequate infrastructure.
“The government has battered through planning applications where wildcat numbers were notably at risk, such as the Clashindarroch 2 wind farm. So any sudden pretence to care about native species will be treated with suspicion by conservationists.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We will fully consider the recommendations of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission.”